Arts & Culture Fund Annual Report 2012/2013

THE

ANNUAL REPORT of the Arts & Culture Fund 2012/13

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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ABOUT THE FUND The Arts & Culture Fund supports arts, cultural and learning activities and events at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Money for the fund is generated by spending in the QMUL Library’s Learning Café, which is operated by Queen Mary, University of London Students’ Union (QMSU).

The Fund is managed by a Committee, comprising student representatives and members of staff from both QMSU and QMUL. Funding is awarded by a Funding Panel of the Committee. The Committee and Funding Panel meet at least once in each semester.

Applications for funding can be made by any QMSU/QMUL student groups and staff, societies and clubs. Applicants submit an application form and, if successful, are required to provide a report on their project for the Committee, accounting for the application of the funding and highlighting their project’s outcomes. The Application form, Guidance Notes for Applicants and Conditions of Funding, and the Project Report form can all be downloaded from the QMSU website, www.qmsu.org/ artsandculture/

A SUMMARY OF THE YEAR This was the first year of the Fund’s operation, during which the Committee (which also operated as the Funding Panel) met 5 times to consider a total of 29 applications. 16 projects were awarded total funding of £22,650, with awards ranging from £406 to £2275.

This report features highlights from a number of projects which took place during the year, and a summary of all successful applications is set out in the Table at the end.

The Committee was very pleased with the number and range of applications from a

diverse group of applicants, which included student societies, and both QMSU and QML departments. The Committee was impressed, in particular, by the many imaginative and innovative approaches to both improving and enriching the student experience at QM, contributing also to the development of students’ skills.

All those involved in putting together and delivering projects this year, especially volunteers, are warmly congratulated.

Their energy, enthusiasm and commitment, illustrated by the projects featured in this report, are appreciated by all.

THE YEAR AHEAD The Committee is looking forward to receiving many more applications for the coming year and would like to hear in

particular from more student groups with new ideas for projects to support arts, culture and learning at QM.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Arts & Culture Fund would like to acknowledge and thank the staff of the Learning Café and the QMUL Library. Without their hard work, the Arts & Culture funding would not be available.

Thanks also go to the following individuals who have served on the Committee/Funding Panel during the year:Mike Wojcik, Chief Executive, QMSU (acting Chair) Babs Williams, President, QMSU Jade Lee, Vice President Education, QMSU Emma Bull, Director of Student Services, QMUL Lorraine Screene, College Archivist, QMUL

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Andy Wood, Director of Development, QMUL Joey Addai-Poku, Events Manager, QMSU Adam McGibbon, Welfare Zone Coordinator, QMSU Philip Gilks, Student Voice & Development Manager, QMSU Alvin Ramsamy, Societies Manager, QMSU Leith Gouta, QMSU Cultural Societies Representative (Mile End) Brian Mburu, QMSU Cultural Societies Representative (Barts and The London) Tanya Choudhury, Facilities & Administration Manager, QMSU Services to the Committee are provided by Jane Slater, Secretary to the QMSU Board of Trustees

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

FEATURED PROJECTS Details on the projects featured in the remainder of this report are taken from the relevant project applications and project reports.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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A

Featured Projects from Union Societies

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QMSU AFRO-CARIBBEAN SOCIETY

Culture Fashion Show

• Celebrating black culture during the 2012 black history month and featuring fashion designs by students, accompanied by dance, singing, music and spoken word performances • The project involved some 65 student volunteers, who benefited from experience in event production and management • Held in Drapers Bar, the event was attended by over 250 people, many more than anticipated • ACF funding contributed to the costs of décor and lighting, security and the after party DJ “The [ACF] gave these groups of students the opportunity to be empowered and fulfil their ideas to showcase their Afro-Caribbean heritage. It has been an excellent working experience.”

From the Society’s Project Report

QMBL NEUROSOC

QMBL Neurosciences Symposium

• A one-day symposium, with key note guest speakers, workshops & both post-graduate and undergraduate research presentations • The project was student-conceived and student-led, with backing from the School of Medicine and Dentistry • The event attracted both graduate and undergraduate delegates from QM and from other universities • ACF funding contributed to promotional publicity costs

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BARTS & THE LONDON ASIAN SOCIETY

BLAS Elegance 2013

• An annual event, aimed at showcasing Asian culture and supporting charitable causes • The project was managed by a team of 15 students volunteers • Held this year at the Barbican, the event involved 200 performers in 20 culturally diverse catwalk, dance and music acts • ACF funding contributed to the costs of sound and lighting

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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QMSU AFRO-CARIBBEAN SOCIETY

Charisma Culture Show, The Rebirth

• A showcase of Afro-Caribbean dance, drama and other arts performances, with both individual and group acts • The project was a very successful collaboration between the Afro-Caribbean Societies at QM and at Barts and The London, especially in the management of the event • Held in the QM Great Hall, the event involved a cast of 120, and attracted an audience of 600, double the number anticipated • ACF funding contributed towards the venue and security costs “The ACF has given the society the opportunity to do an event which we ourselves would not have been able to do. It’s given us the support we needed to ensure our society, events and members have a fruitful, fun and more importantly a cultural experience during their time at university.”

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“[The project] built a great relationship between the student union and society, ensuring communication, vital help and support, allowing confidence to ask when unsure of things.”

From the Society’s Project Report

QMUL BRIDGE BUILDERS 2013

Bridge the Gap

• A 4-hour exhibition, aimed at showcasing the new Multi-faith Centre and promoting interaction between those of different faiths or no faith • The project was organised by a volunteer team of 8 representatives from across 5 faith societies • Campus Lokahi provided preparatory training for the organising team, and, together with QMSU staff, support throughout the project; 25 student volunteers helped in the set-up • The event included a faith-based trivia game, opportunities to sample food from different faiths and cultures, and promoted discussion and exploration of faiths in an informal and relaxed setting • Attended by over 500 people, this was the largest ever student-led collaborative interfaith event at QM, demonstrating a shared theme of hospitality, found in all faiths, and an aspiration to learn about others in an informal space • ACF funding contributed to promotional publicity and other delivery costs

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QM THEATRE COMPANY

2013 Edinburgh Fringe Trip

“The staff were an absolute pleasure to work with, their faith in the students and essential support is what made it all possible”.

“People took what they wanted from the event without any pressure at all.”

“There was a safe/non-evangelising atmosphere.”

From the Society’s Project Report

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QMSU QM EQUALITY

Festival 51

• 4 afternoon/evening sessions with films, talks, self-defence instruction and performances of the Vagina Monologues • Each performance of the Vagina Monologues attracted an audience of 100 • ACF funding contributed to instructor/speaker fees and travel expenses, and other delivery costs

• 4 shows, written and produced by Theatre Company members, performed by them 6 times over 2 weeks • Participants were able to develop a wide range of production and performance skills in a professional and competitive environment • This was a showcase of QM talent, raising the profile of QMUL’s Drama Department • ACF funding contributed to production venue hire

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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B

Featured Project from QMUL

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LIBRARY SERVICES CENTRE FOR HISTORY OF EMOTIONS

Love, Desire and Melancholy

• A one day symposium aiming to raise awareness of the writings of Constance Maynard, in the context of women’s history and LGBT • Featured overseas, UK and QMUL staff and student speakers, round table discussions and an exhibition • The event attracted 40 people, including speakers form QMUL students and staff and from other academic institutions • There has since been a significant increase in access to the digital archives of Constance Maynard • ACF funding contributed to catering, security, and UK speakers’ expenses

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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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• A week of events organised by QMSU Events aimed at promoting creative, new and innovative activities for the diverse QM student population • Activities included, a Capoeira taster session, a Book Publishing discussion provided by Ignite Books, inspiring students to create their own work and to get published, a Spoken Word Evening, featuring both guest and student performers, an ‘Open Book Project’ event, encouraging students to give back their knowledge to the community and to help aspiring students through their education, and an African Drumming Experience, including a brief history on West African drum culture • The Spoken Word Evening audience of 48 was well beyond expectations and performer slots were oversubscribed • Headline acts were the acclaimed Joolz Denby, poet, writer and artist, and Steve Pottinger from Ignite Books • ACF funding contributed to instructor/speaker fees and production costs

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C

Arts & Culture Showcase and Launch

CREATIVE ARTS COMPETITION

A Lasting Impression

Featured Projects from QMSU Events

• A QMSU Events inaugural creative arts competition, aimed provide an artistic platform for students and staff to showcase their work with the incentive of a competition • Students voted on the QMSU website in 3 categories from a shortlist of submissions • Winners and Runners-up were presented with certificates and prize vouchers at the annual QMSU Awards and Honours ceremony • In view of its success, it is intended that a creative arts competition will become a QMSU flagship event in future years • ACF funding contributed to prize vouchers and publicity and promotional costs

The 3 competition categories were:

Arts & Mural Category • 14 entries submitted, from both students and staff, ranging from hand drawn sketches to painted work The winning entry, ‘Through the Volumetric Flask’

by Indigo Dean

• A shortlist of 4 attracted 204 on-line votes

The runner-up, ‘Through A Child’s Eyes’

by Nikki Georgiadov Also shortlisted (L to R), ‘Generation of Opportunities’ by Cristina Krivcevska and ‘Big Impact’ by Sharlene Alvarez

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CREATIVE ARTS COMPETITION

A Lasting Impression (Cont)

Film Category • Entrants were asked to create and produce a 3 to 5 minute film on the theme of the competition • A total of 5 entries were shortlisted to 3, for which there were 117 on line votes Still from Amal Lad’s ‘Once Upon A Time in London’

• The winner was a film by medical student Amal Lad, ‘Once Upon A Time In London,’ depicting a first-person view of various facets of London life

A shot from the runner-up film, ‘Astrophil and Stella 1’ by Aaron Parr

Also shortlisted, ‘Somebody’ by Charlotte Spencer

Photography Category • By far the most popular category, 48 entries from both students and staff were received • 148 on-line votes were cast for a shortlist of 5 The winning entry, ‘The Magic of London’

by Sophie Engel Also shortlisted, (L-R) ‘Aamna at Demo 2012’ by Aaron Parr (Runner-Up), ‘Hard Revisions’ by Picard Thibault Jackson, and ‘Cobbled Coldharbour’ by Jordan Carroll

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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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ARTS & CULTURAL EVENINGS

Give it a Go

• Building on the success of the Spoken Word Evening (see C 1 above) this was a second QMSU Events Poetry and Spoken Word evening, this time held in the Ground Café • Preceded by the now regular workshop on effective delivery and microphone speech techniques delivered by Steve Pottinger from Ignite Books • Headline act by UK Poetry Slam Champion, Adam Kammerling • 7 students showcased their work, beginning to grow a poetry community on campus • An ‘Open Mic’ night was also held, again in the Ground Café, attended by an audience of 26 • 8 student and staff performances ranged from capella singing to acoustic music • The event kindled enthusiasm for a larger scale talent show • ACF funding contributed to publicity and production costs “We thank the Arts & Culture Fund again for its assistance in providing a platform for our students to showcase their talents.”

From the QMSU Events project report

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13

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Summary of projects funded during 2012/13 Projects in 2012/13 Funding awarded (excluding underspends)

Applicant

Activity/Event

Centre for the History of the Emotions, QMUL Library Services (ACF ref 1)

Symposium, Love, Desire and Melancholy

£1400

QMSU Afro-Caribbean Society (ACF ref 2)

Culture Fashion show

£1500

QMBL NeuroSoc (ACF ref 3)

QMBL Neurosciences Symposium

£500

QMSU Afro-Caribbean Society (ACF ref 4)

Charisma Culture Show

£2000

QMSU Events (ACF ref 6)

Arts and Culture Showcase

£1500

QMSU Events (ACF ref 7)

Creative Arts Competition, A Lasting Impression

£1550

Barts and The London Asian Society (ACF ref 8)

BLAS Elegance Cultural Show

£2000

QMUL Learning Development Department (ACF ref 9)

Game and Films Breakout Activities during Library 24/7 opening

£406

QMUL Bridge Builders 2013 (ACF ref 11)

Bridge The Gap Event

£2275

QMSU Events (ACF ref 12)

Arts & Culture Evenings - Give it a Go (Spoken word and Open Mic evenings)

£907

QMSU QMEquality Society (ACF ref 18)

Festival 51

£642

QM Theatre Company (ACF ref 25)

Edinburgh Fringe Trip 2013

£2000

Projects scheduled for 2013/14 QMUL Library and Learning Development (ACF ref 20)

Discipline related Reading and Film Forum

£1260

QMSU Events (ACF ref 22)

Arts & Culture Sessions - Give it a Go (spoken word/poetry night, Afro-Caribbean arts day & Discover Asia arts day)

£1987

QMSU Events (ACF ref 23)

Freshers’ Arts & Culture Sessions - Give it a Go (Street Arts day, Circus Arts workshop & spoken word/poetry event)

£1573

QMSU Events (ACF ref 24)

Creative Arts Competition 2013 (art, mural & photography)

£1150

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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARTS & CULTURE FUND 2012/13