A Month of Arts Events

THE RIVERS' MOVEMENT
presents a month of arts events at
EMERGENCE POD 1
BARNSLEY
YORKSHIRE

The award-winning Rivers' Movement aims to create awareness of climate change by means of art, poetry, science, and technology. Members of the public are warmly invited to a Showcasing Exhibition which will take at the Emergence Pod 1 on Mayday Green, opposite the market place, on 5 February 2010 and will run until 26 February (closed Sundays and Mondays). Workshops and public art events will also be held throughout February.

The Rivers Movement is a collaborative project involving Yorkshire people who have twinned with people from Gujarat in India. Together they explore common experiences involving the impact local rivers and climate change has on their lives. The exhibition currently focuses on the rivers Dearne, Aire and Calder.

The month long exhibition consists of works by twelve painters and photographers and two installation artists. All have taken their subject matter from the problems we face as we try keep our climate and environment in balance. We hope that more people will join us in workshop activities and become members of the either the Dearne Project Group or the Aire & Calder Group. Twelve of the original artists and photographers are featured in a new book which will be launched at the final exhibition on 26 February.

More about the exhibition:

The Giant Dearne Figures

The established Northern carnival organiser, Jean Compton, will work alongside Barnsley people to create at least one large statue. The figures will represent the Spirit of the River Dearne.

Coat of Collaboration Installation

Mother Nature is shouldering the effects of climate change and needs our help to ensure that we pass on a brighter legacy for future generations. We are already seeing the benefits and disruption of our actions. This is being depicted in the textiles of a 'Coat of Collaboration' that Mother Nature wears in the installation being produced by creative engineer Yvonne Denton. This creative work is made to challenge the lack of harmony in our environment.

Silence - An Interactive Video Installation

Lee Gascoyne having discovered a graffitied wall by the river behind Barnsley Asda has depicted it in an oil painting. In remembrance of his time in India Lee links Barnsley to the Hindu Festival of Holi as he destroys the image by throwing coloured powders at it and then dramatically floods it with water to bring the painting back to its original form. All the time he is documenting the process through a video installation. His collaborator Reinhold Behringer has devised a programme especially written for the occasion which allows onlookers to become part of the process.

Illustrating the Dearne

A book celebrating the River Dearne has been produced by adult writers and by school children. This is an opportunity for people to find a poem and use it to create an illustration.

India - Drawing from the 'Picture Frame'

Several of the contributors have images of India. The earliest were taken by Loretta Cusworth's father in 1944 and the most recent by Chhaya Upadhyay of her primary school class on a visit in January to the River Narmada. Jane Weatherby and Reinhold Behringer also have collections of pictures taken in Gujarat in 2008. These will be shown on an electronic 'picture frame' and will be used to encourage people to create larger images.

Painting and Drawing

Most days there will be a professional painter working in the gallery. If you have your own materials you are welcome to join them or simply sit and watch.

Mono Printing

Two established artists using techniques developed by Alexander Cozens (D.1746) will use modern variations of his method to show how the accidents which result from the process of printing one-off images can stimulate creative artwork.

Cyanotype Printing

Cyanotype is a printing technique which relies on sunlight to mark silk. Ideal for creating beautiful scarves. Since the sun can be indifferent to the needs of Barnsley Artist in February, we will teach the technique with the use of a light box and make Dearne Environment Flags.

The Carbon Rolls-Tools of Explanation

Using the important diagram on carbon use in the developed world (which shows the 'consumption stack' in Kwh per day per person found in David McKay's Sustainability Without the Hot Air) we will consider how we can express this complex database by making it less baffling and therefore easier to understand.

The 73 Pictures in 24 Hours Attempt

Brian Lewis celebrates Old Age by taking on the task of creating 73 artworks in a day. 'This time I am taking on the agenda suggested by the Carbon Roll and painting about sustainability, climate and the environment.'

The 24 Hour Moot

A moot is a gathering and at this 24 hour event, artists* from different artforms are coming together to produce work which focuses on the environment, climate change and sustainability. Brian Lewis, aged 73, is producing 73 paintings and drawings, Rob Hindle, aged 46, will create 46 poems. Reinhold Behringer, also 46, will create a 46 bar piece of music using a computer controlled synthesiser and samplers. Helen Mesezaros, aged 42 (an established teacher who laughs a lot) will be compiling 42 letters of complaint. Falguna Bharateeya in Gujarat, India will also be collecting and collating a body of work and transmitting it over to us in Yorkshire at this time. More and more contributors are coming forward wishing to participate in this event. The remaining body of artists will be working on less deadline orientated works throughout the day.

This workshop is open to the general public from 10am to 4 pm. Everybody is welcome and we look forward to seeing you there. We all make a difference...


*Rob Hindle has written poetry and short stories for 20 years. In 2006 he won a national competition run by Templar Poetry for a sequence of poems of place, taking as its subject the Sheffield Flood of 1864 and a new book is coming out this summer. Brian Lewis has paintings in public and private collections but is better known for his writing on community development. He won the national Raymond Williams prize in 1997 for a book about a woman's prison and has exhibited in the major public galleries in Yorkshire and Humber. Reinhold Behringer is a composer and also Professor of Creative Technology at Leeds Metropolitan University. Helen Mesezaos is an established teacher who laughs a lot. Falguna Bharateeya lives in India and is lecturer in literature and education in Gujarat.

Exhibiting Contributors

Lorreta Cusworth, Porl Medlock, Jane Weatherby, Reinhold Behringer, Runima Kakoty, Stephen Court, Brian Lewis, Bob Clayden, Stina Harris, Liz Salter, Rosie Gilligan, Rachel Knowles, Lee Gascoigne and Yvonne Denton.

Dearne Project - Exhibition on 5.February 2010

The Dearne Project.

This is a collaborative project involving Yorkshire people and those from Gujarat in India, exploring common experiences of the influences of local rivers on their lives.

The Dearne project is a charitable organization and we aim to bring the problem of climate change to the general public and also re-engage them with their local heritage.

We are holding an exhibition in Barnsley, commencing 5th February 2010 and have the
Children of Silkstone Primary school joining us.

Our project with them has been in writing poetry, painting and drawing. The children have become our 'Climate Ambassadors' and will bring about definite changes in our communities re awareness of conservation and climate change.

Our Future¸ and that of planet Earth, is in the hands of such children.

The children have designed our poster through competition, and we are to display their work at the exhibition.

We are also involved with John Davidson of Groundwork. www.groundwork-stan.org.uk. He is also an active Rotary member in Cheltenham where he runs a similar project.

We hope you will enjoy the work done by the contributors of the book in the knowledge that your purchase helps to support this organization.

Runima Kakoty
Chair
The Dearne Project

Visit at Silkstone Primary School

On Monday the 7th December , the day of the first UN Climate Change summit in Copenhagen, The Dearne Project group, Artists Roger Head, Runima Kakoty and Loretta Cusworth took teachers and 33 children from the Silkstone Primary School to the Dearne Valley Park off Pontefract Road Barnsley.
Everyone gathered information for use in writing prose and poetry, drawing and painting in order to produce a poster advertising the opening of the first of the Dearne Projects exhibitions in February 2010.

The exhibition will run for 2 weeks and will be interactive for those visiting the Pod in Barnsley town centre.

This project exists to bring awareness to the community about climate change and the link to the Rivers project which is worldwide. The group are using art and poetry to create this interest in the general public.

Anyone wishing to join the project will be welcome.

The Dearne Project - Update

Loretta Cusworth sent me this:

The Dearne Project is working with Silkstone Primary School.
The children will design the poster for the exhibition event in February 2010 and hold a school's exhibition also.
A river walk will be held on 7-12-09 with the children from the school.
many thanks

LORETTA
SECRETARY Dearne Project.

New Web Portal for The Rivers Movement

We have set up a new web portal which gives a one-page overview over the project and provides access to the various online activities.

The URL is:

www.theriversmovement.org.uk/

Dearne Project: Working with Silkstone Primary School

The Dearne Project is now working with Silkstone Primary School.
The children will design the poster for the exhibition event in February 2010 and hold a school's exhibition also.
A river walk will be held on 7-12-09 with the children from the school.

LORETTA
SECRETARY Dearne Project.

"Can Art Save Us?" Exhibition in Sheffield

At the Sheffield Millenium Gallery, Brian, Lee, and myself attended the opening of an exhibition with the title "Can Art Save Us?", organised by the Guild of St. George. On display were artworks and artifacts related to John Ruskin. His work in the 19th century centred around art and the negative influence of industrialisation on human civilisation.

A part of the Millenium Gallery is the Ruskin Gallery which is hosting the Ruskin Collection, containing about 900 paintings, watercolors and drawings by artists with some relation to Ruskin, providing "images central to Ruskin's mind".

Establishment of the "Aire and Calder" Project

On 12.October, the "Aire and Calder Project" was established, modelling itself after the "Dearne Project". This will allow the group to bid for funding and have an accountable structure of management.

Brian Lewis and the Rivers Project in the Yorkshire Post

On 4.October there appeared an article in the Yorkshire Post about Brian Lewis and the Rivers Project.

The River Wakes Up

Painting by Runima Kakoty.

Runima Kakoty: River Dearne

Image by Runima Kakoty


Himalayan Balsam and Sycamore tresses.
Traces of litter and water marks
reach for the boughs of trees.
Rippling water flows through tranquility .
Wheels abandoned to water.
Reflections of rain clouds
marshmallows on a blue background.
Hues of cadmine,
orange iron ore,
colour the soil of the river bank.

River Dearne,
Mother to Barnsley,
your serenity and half hidden wonder
fill me with amazement!!

Dearne Workshop

On Saturday, a group of participants in the Rivers Project met in Barnsley at the Black Monk Inn Pub for a workshop. First we walked briefly along the river (I still have my doubts if that ditch can be called a river...)., then we met at Runima Kakoty's house where we discussed ongoing projects. One of the activities there was to define a A-Z for the Wiki that is currently in development: it has been set up last week, and the pages are being filled with content. Anyone who is interested in participating and editing the Wiki, please let me know.

"The Rivers Projects"

The title that was given to this project as "The Rivers Project" (during the Yorkshire Post Award Ceremony) has evolved into "The Rivers Projects". The original project that has started out by linking rivers in various parts of the world, now has created a set of individual projects that are part of this overall activity umbrella.

Project Developments - Now and Future

(This was sent to me by Brian)


NEW RIVER GROUPS

Nidd - Harrogate
Rother - Rotherham
Don - Doncaster
Frome - Frome
Trent - Scunthorpe
Avon - Strattord
Went - Wentbridge
- Stafford


EXISTING GROUPS

Mahi
Narmada
Sabarmati
Tapi
Eritrean Rivers

Aire Bridge Arts, Leeds Met University and Malham
Dearne Barnsley TUC/Cooper Gallery, Mill of the Black Monks
Calder Centre for Alternative Technology, Hebden Bridge


MAJOR PROJECTS

Two projects are outstripping the others: Malhamdale and the River Dearne


Malhamdale

We have already collected a lot of material and we are now proposing a major gathering on Monday 10 August. Some of us hope to go up on the previous night and stay over. The main 'Meet will be 11.00 am on Monday outside the Buck Inn in the centre of Malham. This will be a 'waters' walk.

There will be a follow up to discuss plans and progress at the Friends Meeting House, Beelks Court just off Beast Fair on 10.00 am on Saturday 15 August.

The Malham Community are interested and we are talking about local government involvement and possibly inputs from the Environment Development Agency.


River Dearne

We meet at Mill of the Black Monks, Grange Lane, Cundy Cross, Barnsley (8 Minutes East from Centre of Barnsley) on Saturday 25 July 10.30am. Have a cup of tea and then walk the river. Lunch prices from another cup of tea to about 10 £ (last time it was really good veggi Food). After lunch we travel across town to Runima Kakoty's House. (Big house and Garden, the Hawthornes, Kereforth Hall Road,) for an afternoon workshop. Writing, Drawing, Creative technology. I estimate between 10 and 20 participants.

This is rapidly developing into a major project. We already have an Exhibition space in Barnsley in February 2010 for a major Rivers Project.

The local authority are interested.

Pam Oxley is already processing material.


MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS

I have had several major meetings in the near future including one with the South Yorkshire MEP. We are looking for a European Dimension.


EXHIBITIONS

Barnsley Barnsley February 2010
Castleford Bridge Arts. Hopefully May 2010
York To be arranged August 2010

The Rivers Project Movement

(this was sent to me by Brian)

A Rivers Project exists when autonomous individuals choose to collaborate and take action because of a united concern over climate change. The River's Movement is the sum of these singular projects,

Our enthusiasm comes from a desire to create environmental and social harmony by using the arts, creative technology and science. Most organisations concentrate on settlements or communities but rather than doing this we focus is on rivers. We believe that this concentration provides a robust focus for environmental concerns and community education. We concentrate on doing things such as writing readable government reports, poems,

We see no reason to have a strong central organisation. Each river or part of a river has its own group of people and we favour this cellular model. Groups and individuals network with each other and in that way develop their own traditions and ways of working. An individual can belong to more than one group. Collaboration comes through action by those who wish to collaborate on projects.

The Rivers Projects started out linking organisations in Gujarat and Yorkshire, and in 2009 received a climate change award (sponsored by the Environment Agency) from the Yorkshire Post. We are now international, and all the time more and more river groups in the UK are contacting us.

Towards Aims and Objectives

On 15.July we (Brian, Helen, Lee, myself) had a meeting in Brian's house to focus on aims and objectives.

Here is a summary:

Since we were meeting on 15 July Helen, Reinhold, Lee and Brian discussed the principles of the River's Project and Reinhold typed in notes. What follows are not definitive conclusions. Brian benefitted fom seeing Lee and Helen's notes they worked in isolation and sent these by early next morning.

My Rivers Project Notes (Brainstorming)

The rivers project is dedicated to creating awareness of climate change.

The people who are part in the rivers project are very concerned with climate change and its causes.

Integral community involvement

Who: Individuals that can be defined by roles, occupations, what they like to offer

Committed Supportive organisation:
Pontefract Press
Leeds Metropolitan University
Barnsley Northern College

We are an international federation of groups and individuals who correspond and support each other using email and come together for major projects … collaboration …

Main rationale: climate change awareness

Type of projects: Writing, Painting, Photography, Videa, Power Point Crafts, Creative Technology, Science of Climate, Water Technology and so on, and on

We are about Artistic and social Cultures and sharing models of practise. We are a Vehicle for exchanges

Global perspectives: rivers in different places

Disadvantage and inequality

Rather than concentrating on places and issues, we have concentrated on rivers, for we believe that many of the social whatevers.. can be looked-at from the rivers’ perspective

We are not concentrating on specific places but on rivers for they contain a variety of settlements and geo-physical….

We are seeking Harmony, not domination, Harmony and unity

The process is the core and the process can be located in art, creative technology, science but also in poetry, storytelling, gossip.

Rivers projects need not reference any central organisation
Organisations do not need to register with any central organisation
Relies on email, blog
Autonomous for individuals who choose to collaborate

A rivers project exists when individuals choose to collaborate.

This is for people who are concerned about climate change and wish to create environmental and social harmony by taking action using creative arts, technology, and science

We are international, although in the initial stages we saw the benefits of linking Gujarat with Yorkshire. Since the, other countries and rivers from other parts of the country have come into the program.

In 2009 the Rivers Project won an Award in the category "Climate Change" as judged the Yorkshire Post.
Environmental Agency ... for a joint project between groups …

The project started out linking organisations in Gujarat and Yorkshire.

Jean-Paul Sartre: 'In the case of absence of certainty action should take the place of speculative thought.'

HELEN'S RESPONSE

Thank you Reinhold for this and also to Lee and Brian for our discussions. It is lovely to read all those thoughts, that we expressed individually and as a group. There is something intangible about the ‘spirit’ of the project that becomes more tangible though no less poetic when reading this collection of statements and thoughts.

I particularly like the process part – and this is what makes it tangible and intangible at once isn’t it?

‘Rather than concentrating on places and issues, we have concentrated on rivers, for we believe that many of the social whatevers.. can be looked-at from the rivers’ perspective’.

This reminds me of something Falguni said about listening to rivers. I think she was right about some of the answers to local and global problems - they can be found through sharing information ideas approaches skills and knowledge, and for that we need to learn how to listen and maybe listening to rivers is a good place to start

Best wishes

HELEN

LEE'S RESPONSE

The Rivers Projects exist when autonomous individuals choose to collaborate and take action in the united concern over climate change. This goal is facilitated by the desire to create environmental and social harmony through using the arts, creative technology and science.

Rather than concentrating on places and issues, the focus is on the theme of rivers. For those participating in The Rivers Projects, the adopted basic principal would be that the river of any given locality could transcend fragile social boundaries through the unifying ideology of environmental concern and education.

The core of The Rivers Projects is in the processes and actions undertaken by its members, and so there is no central organisation, and there is also no need for The Rivers Projects to register with any central organisation. Its members are a networked group that support and collaborate through their projects.

The Rivers Projects started out linking organisations in Gujarat and Yorkshire, and in 2009 received a climate change award (sponsored by the Environment Agency) from the Yorkshire Post. Since then, projects have become international as well as expanding to more rivers in the UK.

The River Dearne Project

(received this from Brian and post it here)

River Dearne Project

Helped by a grant from The Barnsley TUC Training Trust, three Indian visitors came over from Gujarat and took part in the first two rivers Projects. We collected a lot of material which is currently being processed. I found this piece, written in one of the eight Minute sessions so interesting that I thought I would send it on to you to look at and to put onto the Blog. we think that it is by Mitali Baxi but it might be by Kiran Joshi.

In Indian scripture water is perceived as the root element of life, it is from water that life emerged. In Sanskrit we find ‘Jal Iti Jivanam’ – ‘water is life’.

The river is an ever conscious realiy. She is ever sensitive to her past, her present and her future – it is there at a time. She glows in a total harmony with her surfacing ripples and her inner vibrations. The river is indeed a journey from surviving to existing through de-becoming. The river is an integrative principle of life representing the lively traits of human existence.

‘When we touch Narmada in Gujarat, the Dearne in UK is touched too.’

Most of the cultures on this globe were formed around the rivers. Hence, river becomes a natural ‘Guru’ (teacher) to lead out all that is grand in our heritage. Today we mean to make conscious efforts to restore the primordial educative force of river for in this process is the the peace and well being of human kind.

The ‘Rivers Project’ rises to this sublime force and becomes a precursor of natural education aiming at unity and bliss of mankind.

THE THIRD DEARNE MORNING WORKSHOP WILL START AND THE MILL OF THE BLACK MONKS, CUNDY CROSS, BARNSLEY 10-30am ON SATURDAY 25 MARCH.
In the afternoon we are going back to Runima Kakoty's house for a joint workshop.

Artists, writers, creative technologist and scientists are all welcome.

Brian Lewis

Global Poverty (by Anila Q Haq)

(Written in Scunthorpe)

This earth has wept a million tears
for others it can weep no more.

The empty dry, blue, barren skies,
The marriage between the sun and rain,
The seed that refuses to take blame,
Riverbanks crumble, no place to hide.

The cracks go deep in places unseen
where rivers once ran wild and free
and soil aged onwards, slowly, patiently.

The sky that wept a trillion tears
for others it can weep no more.

Eyes that stare with out a care,
hopeless existence in deserts bare,
The hungry child that cries for life.
A mother’s heart tired, a heart of ice.
The death of many, the cry of blame

Too many lost,
Too many born -
Is now for many the very norm.

Hope torn. The cries, the pain,
The loss of much with little gain.

Brahmaputra (by Runima Kakoty)

(written in Barnsley)

Twilight,
Promises made,
Dipping toes in topaz water,
Conches blowing in nearby villages
Still night, velvety smoothness
Bright eyes, hopes and dreams
Fireflies twinkling over rippling waves ……

Conches no more
Water overflowing
Hopes and dreams fading
Waves dancing demons
Promises broken!!

Report from Brian on Recent Developments

( Brian Lewis sent me this on Friday: )

After starting from three Rivers in India and three in the UK, we now have people wishing to form groups on the Nidd, Went, Wharfe, Don, Trent, Avon and Frome to join the Aire, Calder and Dearne. Some rivers have two or more groups on them and people are travelling to work with each other. Considering we have no central organisation, no money and no enthusiasm for either (Editorial comment by me: actually, I do have some enthusiasm for the latter...), and that this Blog and the telephone is everything have, we are doing well.

We have had a lot of interesting mail this last fortnight. Three letters stand out.
The first one came from the Harrogate University of the Third Age and was especially interesting because it made it clear that we perhaps ought to get down to saying something about our formal Aims and Objectives. A meeting at Leeds Metropolitan University took the same line.

My initial response was to wait to see where our unusual growth pattern will take us and then pause and say exactly who we are. However the enthusiasm of Lee Gascoyne and Helen Meszaros (see the other two letters) made me rethink.

Aims and Objectives - Rivers Project

Dear Siggie

Many thanks for your email. It was appreciated. This is my personal opinion.

The Rivers Project will support groups and individuals who emerge and who use the arts, creative technology and science to return places to environmental harmony. The action at this stage emphasises adult creativity. We are very concerned about climate change and its causes. We are an international federation of groups and individuals who correspond and support each other using email and come together for major projects.

I do not see a need at this stage to spend a lot of time on Aims and Objectives. It is like asking a lover, ‘What are the likely outcomes of this relationship and can you tell me where you expect us to be in six months time.’ Those who approach life in this way are generally doomed and deservedly so in my opinion. Hitler and Lenin did it Gandhi and Jesus didn't. Organisations which last long evolve and adapt to the current environment. Some groupings emerge because of a social need. Most political parties have manifestos and their followers spend over much time defending them and the opposition attacking them to the extent that this becomes the primary occupation. Religions have their sacred books and debate minutia. Take a look at the origins of Islam for another example and compare it with the way it currently functions.

You admit that ‘making us all aware of the importance of rivers is very clear’ and further say that ‘exchanging knowledge between countries is valid’. Strength comes from actions not words.

(Author's name withheld)

This letter came following the Conference at Northern College. I loved it because it hit a lot of key concerns and was quirky. It also highlighted the disappearance of public money systems and the need for a break with the tradition of looking for a bucket full before you start to rethink.

Hi Brian

I met you last week at Northern College at the Global Perspectives conference
We talked amongst other things about Sufism, Mulla Nasrudin and how special is laughter! It helps us to think, maybe help our thoughts to bend around difficult concepts and circumstances. Maybe help us to find new perspectives. Maybe even help our souls to reach new levels of consciousness?

The conference was really timely for me with other lessons especially over this last year, formal and informal education going at such a pace that the curve is in danger of running backwards. I really enjoyed meeting a lot of people who were in some way united in trying to form a vision whether about education, being in humanity on this planet of a better world, and a better way of organising. I really enjoyed the talk from the union guy about international organising, in different ways, like with home workers and rubbish pickers. I felt like I wanted to open up the discussion to community based organising against the BNP which Searchlight is trying to do.

The talks and discussions about the Rivers Projects were utterly inspiring and fit in with a theme in teaching for me this year which has taken place in a building called ‘RAIN’ in the centre of Rotherham, which has both had a leaking roof and we (me and young people) – have flooded upstairs with our wonderful blue paint which was supposed to create a relaxing ‘mood board’ and a sense of serenity but in fact led to a near disaster whereupon our most disturbingly silent member spoke for the first time in class, created the most amazing art work and then team work and cooperation followed– the overall aim of the course – in a big clean up in the hope that we wouldn't be banned from the building!

So my heart was very open to the idea of water and rivers bonding people and used as not just a specific area for organising, we need water to survive and needs to not be polluted, we need equity, Everybody needs water, but also the imagery of water and ancient Indian wisdom.

I am very interested in being involved with exploring notions of Community and community work and community development. I have done some work on this in the past and would very much like to hear about Indian and other perspectives and approaches. When practice teaching last year in a refugee organisation I met a worker from India who was talking about welfare services adn the state and the different conceptions people have of each other in India. She said to me that everyone was seen as a stakeholder, not in the New Labour sense, but in the sense that a service user is not a ‘client’ (with two heads if you look to see how people are sometimes treated) but citizens, a service provider one day might be a service user another. I thought that was interesting.

So thank you for your part in all of that and for being a person who was open enough to share enthusiasm. It was a welcome relief. I would like to find out more. I've attached my CV it only shows one part of a person thought doesn't it?
If you have the write up about working in Rotherham with young people and unemployment let me know, if you haven't I can start it again.

Best wishes
Helen Meszaros

Lee, a painter from Barnsley, came to a meetings in Wakefield and Castleford went to the Dearne workshop at the Cooper Gallery, he then picked up the fact from the Blog and the fact that he had already started a co-operative with Reinhold, that we were going up to Malham with our visitors from India, and he drove there.

Hi Brian,

Malham was impressive. I went to Janet's Foss first and then Gordale Scar, which I climbed to the top of before walking along the ridge to Malham Cove. It's there that I bumped into Falguni, Kiran and Mitali, then dropped back down into Malham. I got your note thanks. Reinhold phoned me mid-walk to say he had to leave almost as soon as he got there (to get to Leeds airport).

I was thinking that it would be good (and may already exist) to have a running list of active participants of the Rivers Project that could be broken down roughly to artist and writers etc? The list or update could include what each member is doing and at what stage they are at.

I also thought that it may be worth while expanding the visual artists' side of the project, as a divergence from the literary content in that there could be progress workshops where the artists get together and show where they are heading, discuss deadlines and make plans etc?

If I had a list of artists on board, I would be happy to do some admin.
Lee

The offer to do some admin was especially useful and as a result the requested list is evolving. Helen, Lee, Reinhold and Brian are also preparing some definitions of what we are now calling The Rivers Movement and statements about what we are trying to achieve. We are all committed to avoiding too many meetings for we see a cellular structure that does things and not just talks about them.

We are now seeing products. Bob (Aire) is making Rivers' Silk Scarves, Rachel(Calder) a Children's book and Porl (Went) a video set to music. Rosie (Don) and Stina (Frome) a collaborative book. ZS, working with his community has written a book text analysis water problems in his home land. Brian and Runima are planning joint work on BL's epic 'The Brahma of Soljitra'. Poems are coming in, and they will be posted in other blog posts. We have already got ones by Ray (Rother), Brian (Aire) and Julie (Avon ) translated into Gujarati and two of them recorded and sung in Gujarati.

The Future

"Every artist an administator and every administator a working artist"

We are now putting together a workshop programme but two Moots (Meetings for everyone) are already on offer. Two major projects which will need a collaborative work across the arts, creative technology and the sciences are emerging: Dearne and Malhamdale.

Saturday 25 July Mill of the Black Monks, Grange Lane, Cundy cross, Barnsley S71 5QF @ 10-30am in preparation for an extended workshop at Runima's home in Barnsley in the afternoon.

Monday 10 August, Outside the Buck Inn, Malham @ 11-00am. We already have a lot of material but this will be a big project. Follow up and Friends Meeting House, Pontefract Saturday 15 August @ 10-00am to discuss and look at work which has been thought about and plan a way forward in Malham and elsewhere. THIS DATE NEEDS TO BE CONFIRMED 01977 79312.