Author Archives: admin

  1. 48 Hour Film – Special Offer on Digital Equipment

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    Just because it will be made in just 48 hours, it does not mean your film shouldn’t be of ‘professional’ standards. For this weekend only, ALL Exeter Phoenix Digital equipment will be half price for registered 48 Hour film teams.

    At least one person in the registered team must be a member of Exeter Phoenix Digital and all bookings must be made by Thursday 21st November 2013.

    Terms and conditions apply. For more information on our available equipment visit https://www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/film/equipment-hire/

    Or call 01392 667066 for more info.

    Haven’t yet registered for the 48 Hour Film Challenge or want to find out more? Click here >>

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  2. Interview with Award-Winning Playwright of In Doggerland

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    In Doggerland – a story about a heart transplant patient who seeks out her donor has opened it’s tour to raving reviews and powerfully poignant reaction. The new play by Tom Morton-Smith has been praised for its unembellished look into loss, family and grief, while Hannah Tyrell-Pride’s inspiringly minimal production gives the subject depth and lyrical beauty.

    We got a chance to catch up with Tom-Morton Smith to talk about his new play, the arts and playwrights.

    What is the play about?

    The play is essentially a meditation on grief and identity. It looks at the roles that are expected of us within a family (father, daughter, brother, sister) and how those duties and responsibilities may clash with a character’s personality. It’s a play about familial love and the processes of grief. It also raises questions about memory, remembrance and the peculiar things we will do in order to cope.

    What inspired you to write this play?

    It was an image I had when reading an article about coastal erosion, the image of a family home slowly crumbling into the sea. A home is so much more than bricks and mortar, and the idea of having cherished memories and your own sense of place eroded by the elements was, I thought, bursting with metaphor. I am fascinated by the question ‘what am I’ – am I my memories, am I my blood and bone, am I my organs, am I how others perceive me to be – and it is this question that I wished to explore when writing this play.

    How does it fit in with your previous work?

    My previous plays had all been rather ‘idea’ led and had a tendency to be epic in scope. With this play I wanted to shift my focus away from a grand idea and onto characters who lived and breathed, hurt and laughed. I wanted to write something small and beautiful, something poetic and even ethereal. My plays prior to this usually involvedpeople making bad decisions and having to deal with the consequences. For this play, I specifically wanted to write characters who had done nothing wrong, who had made the best decisions they could, and were making the best out of thetroubles life had thrown at them.

    What do you hope audiences will get from watching the play?

    I hope they enjoy it. I hope they laugh and I hope they are moved. I can’t really ask for more than that. At its heart this is a play about the worth of familialrelationships and the stresses and strains those relationships can go through. I think that’s something everybody should be able to identify with.

    How did you get into writing?

    I have always written. I have always made up stories. I wrote my first play when I was 17 and it won a local competition. During my time at university, and also whilst I was training as an actor, I kept writing – if only for my own amusement. I never expected it to lead me anywhere. When literary managers and theatres started getting interested in my work I realised that, not only was playwriting something I enjoyed, playwriting was something I was good at.

    How does it feel to see your work on the stage?

    It is both wonderful and terrifying. It is the strangest sensation to have your thoughts physically manifesting before your eyes, to have characters and situations that had previously existed only in your head appear before you. The most rewarding aspect of playwriting iswhen you realise that your stories have a life over which you have no control, and that is the life they have in the minds and memories of your audience.

    How involved are you in your plays?

    I am a strong believer in theatre as a collaborative artform. If I wasn’t interested in collaboration I would be writing novels or poetry instead. I love to be involved as much as I can in a production, but, as the writer, I understand that directors and actors needspace to work. I like to make myself available during rehearsal, but really my work should’ve been done long before rehearsals begin.

    Which playwrights inspired you?

    My biggest influences are Anton Chekov, Henrik Ibsen, Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. The balance that these four writers’ strike between entertainment, artfulness, beauty and fascination, is something I seek to find in my own work. There are others that have inspired me along the way; Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Caryl Churchill, Joe Penhall, Howard Barker and David Greig to name a few. Also, it is impossible to write plays in the English language and not be inspired or influenced by Shakespeare.

    What or who keeps you going?

    I don’t know. Marnie has a line in In Doggerland that captures my feelings quite well – though she’s talking about photography. When asked why she does it, she replies: ‘Just to be better, I suppose.’

    What do you hope Box of Tricks will bring to your play? And why did you choose them to premiere your play?

    I greatly admire Adam and Hannah’s passion for new writing. With this passion they also bring a great deal of rigour and meticulousness to their work. They are a strong team both artistically and in a producing role, and they achieve what they put their minds to. They get a lot of respect for that.

    Do you feel playwrights get the recognition they deserve?

    For the most part.

    What was the best bit of advice you were given when you started out?

    ‘Don’t get it right, get it written.’ It’s about the importance of rewriting. You can always fix things in a later draft, but it’s much better to get something down. You learn by finishing things. When you’ve finished something you can see the piece as a whole and it’ll become so much easier to work on.

    In these difficult times for the arts, what do you see are the challenges of becoming a playwright?

    The challenges are what they always were: how do I get my voice heard and how do I survive until that happens? Don’t strive to be original. You already are. No one has ever written quite like you before. No one has had those exact ideas before. The story will find the form. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, find yourself a day job that doesn’t leave you disheartened and broken at the end of the day – you don’t know how long you’ll need it.

    Why should people come and see the play?

    I think this is amongst the finest things I have written. I hope to have created something moving, beautiful and funny. The plays I write are the sort of plays that I would like to see when I go to the theatre, something you would be unable to findelsewhere. This is a touching story, delicately told, that will hopefully resonate with an audience.

    What is next for you?

    I am currently under commission to the Royal Shakespeare Company. This year I wrote a play for the Latitude Festival called The Chamber of Curiosities, which was so well received I am now working with the director to expand it. I am also working on a script, possibly for Edinburgh, about physics and love.

    In Doggerland comes to Exeter on Tue 26 Nov, click here to buy tickets >>

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  3. Two Short Nights Film Festival Returns This December

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    Exeter Phoenix’s Two Short Nights Film Festival is set to return for its 12th year and is promising to showcase some of the most extraordinary and exciting short films from around the world. From Thursday 12th to Friday 13th December film lovers can watch screenings of newly commissioned shorts, international shorts and films that have been made in only 48 hours, as well as attending seminars giving insights into the film industry.

    The festival culminates with the premiere of six short films commissioned by Exeter Phoenix Digital. Four of this year’s commissions are specifically for Devon-based short film projects in order to provide vital opportunities to local filmmakers. The Devon shorts Ahshi, The Grendel Toots, Gnomeland and the Old, Grey, Fast will all premiere on the Friday night as well the national commission Birdwatching. The sixth commission to premiere will be Host Familie and is unique in that it is the first short film to be commissioned by Exeter Phoenix Digital on the proviso that it achieved matched fundraising through crowdfunding. Previously commissioned filmmakers have gone on to be very successful with Andy Oxley’s film, Men, Loos and Number Twos, first commissioned by Exeter Phoenix, being screened at the London Short Film Festival, nominated for a Virgin Shorts Award and winning the Golden Poo Awards!

    Crowdfunding is a theme of this year’s Two Short Nights Festival and there is a special panel discussion on this subject. Dr. John Sealey from Plymouth University will be joined by Emily Smith of crowdfunder.co.uk to look at the benefits of this new way of funding and its implications for the future of film. Local filmmakers will also be on hand to share their experiences in this area.

    400 short films were submitted for this year’s International Shorts Screenings meaning there will be three separate sessions. Each of the screenings includes a collection of shortlisted films that have been grouped by the themes of Panorama, Fresh Choices and Old Conclusions and Overwhelming, Uncontrollable, Frenzied.

    As in previous years, audiences will have the chance to select the Best Film from a range of shorts all made in 48 hours. The 48 Hour Film Challenge requires participants to plan, shoot and edit a film in only two days. A previous participant, Greg Ash, who took part in the 48 Hour Film Challenge in 2009 has gone to have a hugely successful filmmaking career in America with his short film Fired having been nominated for Best Comedy at the LA Comedy Festival.

    The Two Short Nights Film Festival will also welcome, for the first time, sponsorship from Colourburn the creative agency who aim to make stories extraordinary through a fresh approaches to film and marketing.

    Filmmaker and Colourburn co-founder Damo Cross said, “We are really glad to be involved with 2 Short Nights this year, there is so much fresh talent out there and the quality of the films is always outstanding. The culture of Colourburn is very much about collaborative working, so for us this is a great opportunity to connect with great film makers and story tellers.”

    Tickets for all the screenings and seminars throughout the Two Short Nights Festival are on sale now and can be obtained by visiting the Exeter Phoenix box office or by calling 01392 667080. Tickets are also available online here >>

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  4. Relaxed Performances

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    Relaxed Performances allow adults and children with autism, learning disabilities, or sensory and communication disorders to enjoy theatre shows without having to worry about making a noise, moving around or leaving the auditorium. Everyone can just relax. The performance has a less formal, more supportive atmosphere in order to reduce anxiety levels. An easy way to describe the feel is ‘the opposite of a quiet carriage on the train’.

    We can also offer ticket holders of Relaxed Performances additional resources to familiarise themselves with the venue and production.

    UPCOMING RELAXED PERFORMANCES AT EXETER PHOENIX:

     

    theatre_alibi2Theatre Alibi present
    I Believe In Unicorns
    From the book by Michael Morpurgo
    Sun 17 Nov | 11.30am | £9 (£6), family £25 | Ages 5-11

    Tomas didn’t like books or stories. He was happier clambering in the mountains like a goat or tobogganing with his Dad. That was until the Unicorn Lady came to town and reeled him in with her irresistible magic tales. I Believe in Unicorns is a spellbinding and moving story by one of our greatest storytellers.

    BUY TICKETS >>

     

    quirk2Quirk Theatre & Exeter Phoenix present
    Treasure Island
    Wed 18 Dec | 1pm | £10 (£7), family £27 | Ages 5+

    After captivating audiences last year with their family show The Emperor’s Perfume, Quirk Theatre are back with a quirky retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, set in a suburban 1950’s garden.

    ‘innovative, imaginative and incredibly inventive.’
    (EXPRESS AND ECHO on The Emperor’s Perfume)

    BUY TICKETS >>

  5. First Acts Confirmed for Laugh Out Loud Festival 2014

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    Now in its fourth year, the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Festival is back for another groundbreaking, outstanding, hilariously funny, unbelievably sidesplitting, non-stop chortling and descriptively extravagant comedy filled time!

    The festival takes place from the 25th January to 7th February 2014 across a multitude of venues in the city of Exeter and features top-billing, award winning comedy acts. In previous years the festival has attracted comedians such as Russell Howard, Jon Richardson, Isy Suttie, Russell Kane and Mark Steel who have all gone on to present and feature in international shows on television and comedy festivals across the globe.

    The first acts to be confirmed for the 2014 festival are all high profile performers. Tickets are on sale for Sean Hughes (Perrier award winner, Never Mind The Buzzcocks), Alex Horne (Chortle Award winner, Perrier Award nominee) and Miles Jupp (The Thick of It). Further comedians for the festival will be announced in the coming weeks.

    To buy tickets or find out more, click here >>

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  6. Phoenix gallery artist selected for exciting new project

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    Following his 2013 Exeter Phoenix exhibition i am algorithm Charlie Tweed has been selected as one of six artists taking part in the R&D phase of Silent Signal, an upcoming project for Animate Projects, supported by The Wellcome Trust.

    Silent Signal will delve into how digital communications have evolved to mimic the human body. Artists will explore the artistic responses to a number of intriguing scientific researches, including organisation of the cellular skeleton (cytoskeleton) to trap and dispose of invading pathogens, and an exploration of how viral information is passed and carried throughout a population during the spread of infection.

     For more info visit – http://www.animateprojects.org/films/by_project/group_commissions/silent_signal

     

     

  7. Can you plan, shoot and edit a film in just 48 hours?

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    Registration for this year’s 48 Hour Film Challenge is now open.

    For the sixth year running Two Short Nights Film Festival invites teams of filmmakers to take part in this inspiring challenge.

    Teams must apply by Wed 20 Nov. No previous film experience needed – just a good imagination and a camera.

    Films made and delivered within the 48 hours will have the chance to be screened at the opening night of the Two Short Nights Film Festival (12 – 13 Dec) and are eligible for a festival award.

    To register, visit twoshortnights.co.uk >>

    How does the 48 hour film challenge work?

    *Teams will be able to register from Mon 28 Oct 2013. Registration closes on Wed 20 Nov 2013

    *Teams can be any size.

    *Each team must have someone who is over 18 years old.

    *Once a team has registered they will be asked to arrive on the evening of Fri 22 Nov at Exeter Phoenix to pick up their assignment brief. More details will be given with the registration confirmation pack, which teams will receive via email within 24 hours of registering.

    *Teams must use the inspiration found in the assignment brief to write, shoot and edit a film in 48 hours.

    *Teams must submit their completed films by the evening of Sun 24 Nov, 48 hours later.

    *Submitted films are judged and the final selection are screened at Two Short Nights Film Festival. All films screened at the festival will be voted for by the festival audience and are eligible for the Audience Choice Award and the Best 48 Hour Film Award.

    Click here to see Balloons, the winning 48 Hour film from last year >>

  8. Max Cahn Voted as the Exeter Contemporary Open Audience Choice Award Winner

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    Exeter Phoenix is delighted to announce that the Exeter Contemporary Open 2013 Audience Choice Award has been won by Max Cahn.

    The prestigious contemporary art exhibition, which opened on Friday 13th September, has seen hundreds of visitors vote for their favourite work. In the end Max Cahn’s work captured the imagination of the public in what was a close count.

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    Detail from Souvenirs (Oil on Canvas, 2012), Max Cahn

    Max Cahn’s paintings tend to depict structures that resemble tables, beds and platforms. A suggestion of the everyday and familiar is stripped right back, at times to the barest point of recognition, easily misconstrued and falling into abstract form. The sense of reality, invited through the use of perspective, light, shadow and form, is resisted and forced apart by agitated, abstracted elements that remind us of the physicality of paint; thick wet on wet impastos that are alive with spontaneous dynamic brush strokes, paint that is sticky and viscous, unpredictable and in a state of constant exploration.

    For the artist, these uncanny objects, recognisable yet alien, become platforms for psychological or emotional states that are not exactly autobiographical but are an extension of something personal; offering a dual dimensional experience, lying somewhere between object and hallucinated vision.

    Cahn will receive a £200 prize that will be presented by Ali Morrish from Exeter Natural Health Centre who have sponsored this year’s Audience Choice Award.

    Earlier in the exhibition Rachel Busby was selected by judges as the Overall Award Winner with artists Julie Price and Oliver Tirre receiving recognition with Additional Awards. The full exhibition showcasing all nine of the shortlisted artists can be seen in the Phoenix Gallery until Saturday the 2nd November and entry is free.

    For more information about the other artists in the exhibition, visit the Exeter Contemporary Open page here >>

     

    The Audience Choice Award is kindly sponsored by:

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  9. Exeter Phoenix Auditorium Renamed

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    Exeter Phoenix is pleased to announce an exciting new sponsorship venture with The Exeter Daily. From 8th October 2013 the Exeter Phoenix auditorium will be renamed as the exeterdaily.co.uk auditorium. The first of its kind for Exeter Phoenix, the naming rights sponsorship will involve a new auditorium sign that will be unveiled on the 8th October. Tickets will also display the new name as well as showing on the Exeter Phoenix website’s event pages.

    Exeter Phoenix Director Patrick Cunningham said, ‘It’s a really exciting partnership. The Exeter Daily is a great platform for local news and we’re delighted that they want to work with Exeter Phoenix. As a local charity we are always looking for ways that businesses can support us and sponsorship of this kind is something that can be beneficial for everyone involved.’

    The Exeter Daily, an online local news platform, has been going from strength to strength since its launch last year and Marc Astley, the Editorial Director said, ‘Both the Exeter Phoenix and The Exeter Daily are at the heart of the community they serve. This sponsorship deal is a reflection of our joint commitment to collaborate with, and support, local people, local businesses and local organisations.’

    The first event to take place in the exeterdaily.co.uk auditorium will be Melanie Wilson and Fuel present Landscape II on the evening of Tuesday 8th October 2013.

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    Patrick Cunningham (Exeter Phoenix) and Mark Astley (The Exeter Daily)

     

  10. Melanie Wilson talks about her new performance Landscape II

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    What is the genesis of your new work, Landscape II?

    I was interested in working with film and projection in my new show and how the use of film could combine with sound and language to create an intimate and revealing portrait of three women’s shared experiences. The work continues my interest in female subjectivity and explores the meaning and significance of female inheritance through generations. between children, mothers and grandmothers.

    How would you describe what Melanie Wilson makes?

    I try to make work that moves an audience deeply and makes it think but tries to do this with delicacy and wit. I make worlds in which an audience can become immersed in and be transported by and try to do this with closely woven strands of sound, language and live performance. It is a very pure and direct sort of theatre and leaves the audience room enough to think for themselves without ever loosing the connection between them and the subject matter.

    How did you get into making this kind of work?

    I have a great passion for the theatre as a listening, thinking space and I use poetic text and sound to do this. I have always been interested in music and wrote and read a great deal when I was small and growing up. These early interests were brought into focus at Central School of Speech and Drama, where I did the MA in Advanced Theatre Practise and in the years after were forged into the particular artistic practise I have through key collaborations with other artists.

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    What is Landscape II about?

    It is about the power of solitude on women’s identity. It is about the connections that exists or are prevented between women by their experiences in the world. It is about how Landscape shapes our place in the world for good and bad. It is about freedom, resilience and bravery.

    Why is the show called Landscape II?

    Firstly, because the two main characters are situated in the same landscape, a century apart. Secondly, because photography and portraiture and the attendant themes of looking and being looked at are a key feature of the form of the performance.

    How did you become interested in the stories of these three women and across generations?

    The story of it was something that came to me whilst spending time in the location of North Devon. I was prompted to include the experience of the thitd character, an Afghan woman, by news events at the time I was writing the piece.

    What research did you undertake, if any?

    I researched war photography and photographers on the internet and read widely around the political subject matter.

    Does Landscape II draw on real life experiences?

    It draws upon the real experiences of women in Afghanistan, but these have also been fictionalized to an extent.

    If you had to describe the show in a sentence what would that be?

    A highly crafted and moving poem of celebration to the complexity, resilience and intelligence of women.

    One of the women who features in Landscape II is from Afghanistan. What drew you to this character and this country in particular?

    News events that occurred around the time of writing. I began to think about the responsibility that I had as a woman and an artist to think about other women’s experiences and consider them. Even if that meant accepting that these might always be irreconciable and mysterious differences.

    There is much work that doesn’t conform to theatre, dance or performance structures. Do you think this haziness alienates audiences?

    Work that incorporates multiple art forms should not be labelled hazy. Opera for example is a meeting of music, theatre and dance and no one is in any doubt as to what that constitutes. Audiences should be given the chance to discover truly for themselves whether there is something for them to connect with in new work. Taste is the right of all audiences to discover for themselves.

    THE PERFORMANCE TAKES PLACE AT EXETER PHOENIX ON TUE 8 OCT.
    BUY TICKETS HERE >>

     

     

    For more information visit www.melaniewilson.org.uk or www.fueltheatre.com

    ACE

    jerwood            cove_park

  11. Contemporary Open Winner Announced

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    An exclusive awards ceremony and exhibition opening at Exeter Phoenix last night saw Rachel Busby announced as the recipient of the prestigious £1000 award for the Exeter Contemporary Open 2013.  The Wales based artist said, ‘I didn’t expect it.  For me just being part of the Exeter Contemporary Open exhibition was winning.  I’m thrilled.’

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    The Open’s judges – artist and curator Kevin Hunt, independent curators Day + Gluckman and Phoenix gallery curator Matt Burrows all spoke about the difficulty of this year’s decision due to the incredibly high standard of work.  Lucy Day explained, ‘One of the things about such a diverse range of practice is that it makes judging nigh on impossible.  We did some serious debate, discussion and arguing.  All positive because we simply couldn’t choose between a group of people, all of who we would have loved to give the award.’

    Winning the award was an emotional moment for Busby who returned to Wales after working in London.  She said, ‘I didn’t have feedback.  I felt very isolated but it meant the work was very honest.  I didn’t know what to expect, what people would make of it.’  Her entry comprised two paintings that present interiors looking out into long dark stormy winter months.  ‘Going back to Wales I thought that a lot of my work would be landscapes but it ended up as a lot of interiors.  And I think that’s because a lot of time growing up was spent indoors.  I wanted to be honest and show that.  Not that the work was just about me, but for others who share that experience.’

    This year’s Exeter Contemporary Open exhibition is open to the public from 13 September to 2 November.  It presents a range of work that, although not chosen to create a theme, seem to create unintended connections and synergies when brought together.  Phoenix Gallery curator Matt Burrows said, ‘This year’s exhibition includes strong themes around materiality, surface and functionality. Artworks merge between painting and sculpture, slide from representation into abstraction, from softness to hardness and a sense pervades the show of every day things re-examined in a new light.’

    The strength of this year’s competition meant the judges were torn to such an extent that they felt compelled to split the usual Additional Award of £500 into two awards of £250.  The winners of the Additional Award were Julie Price and Oliver Tirre.  The other artists Malina Busch, Max Cahn, Anne Deeming, Hannah Mooney, Rebecca Ounstead and Charlie Godet Thomas make up an exhibition that Burrows described as, ‘ probably one of the strongest we’ve ever had.’

    Now in its eighth year, the Exeter Contemporary Open has become one of the highlights of the South West’s arts calendar.  Sponsored by Haines Watts Chartered Accountants, it is providing an important national platform for contemporary visual artists. Ben de Cruz, Managing Partner of the firm said, ‘The exhibition this year is quite amazing and the overall quality of the work continues to grow. Exeter Contemporary Open has become a major art event in the area and we are delighted to continue to be involved in supporting the arts in the South West.’

    A further Audience Chioice award, sponsored by Exeter Natural Health Centre and voted for by visitors to the gallery, will be announced on the 21st October.

  12. Exeter Phoenix Digital Bursary Winner Shortlisted for Lumen Prize International Tour

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    Katy Connor, Exeter Phoenix Digital Bursary Winner 2009, has been shortlisted for the Lumen Prize for her App ‘PURE FLOW’.

    PURE FLOW [mobile edition] is a miniature, hand held application for a mobile and global audience; revealing the noise generated between GPS data systems and multiple satellites, 3G networks and Wifi hotspots as a tangible presence in the environment.

    The App visualises the instability and fragility of live signals, passing through cloud cover and urban architecture; absorbed by bodies, reflecting off concrete and refracting through glass. Once activated, PURE FLOW reveals these signals as a sliver of fluctuating white noise, responding directly to the movement and immediate environment of the device.

    If Katy’s work is chosen as one of the top 50 entries, it will be showcased around the world as part of The Lumen Prize international tour; including New York, Hong Kong and London on its travels. There are also five cash prizes for the winners.

    The Lumen Prize is an international award that celebrates the very best fine art created digitally. The competition and global exhibition are aimed at a growing, global public that is increasingly interested in art created with the latest technology.

    The top 50 shortlist will be announced on 1 October. Good luck Katy!

    Also, The Lumen Online Gallery is now open to vote for the People’s Choice Award, which will also be included on the international tour.

    To view the gallery and place your vote, click here >>

    To find out more about PURE FLOW watch the video below.

     

  13. Unexpected Festival

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    A festival that take arts and performance out of traditional venues, and into unexpected indoor and outdoor locations across the city.

    As part of the festival Blind Ditch presents This City’s Centre 3. Here, Now, the third part of a new digital triptych for Exeter. Here, Now is a participatory performance event using live video streaming from people’s homes and the streets outside them, a performance made in collaboration with local associate artists and city centre residents. Gather at the front of St Stephen’s House on Catherine St to be welcomed into the ‘heart of Exeter’, and find out more about what This City’s Centre is made of. To find out more or book your place at this one-off performance click here >>

    There is also the opportunity for people to watch and interact with the performance remotely via the Live Stream link on This City’s Centre website.

    Other events appearing around the city include pop up appearances by Exeter’s favourite clown troup La Navet Bete, who will be performing excerpts from their new extended show Once Upon A Time In A Western, in the build up to it’s premiere at Exeter Phoenix later this September. More information and booking information for the premiere can be found here >>

    Finally, Exeter Phoenix is proud to be part of a collaborative project with Spacex and CCANW, which brings an exhibition of recent works by artist Theo Simpson out into the streets of Exeter. More information on the exhibition can be found here >>

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  14. Full house for Exeter Skate & BMX Night

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    Exeter Phoenix saw a full house for the launch of DUGTOWN, a retrospective on the Exeter Skate and BMX scene over the last 30 years.

    Skaters, BMX-ers and film fans flocked to view photos and new locally produced films reflecting on the rich skate park culture in the city. Tim Ruck, organizer and owner of The Boarding House said, “Last night was great. It was brilliant to see the auditorium full! Thanks to Death, and Paul Foster who’s work on skateparks, comps and videos have been a massive part of how great the scene in Exeter has been through the years.”

    The DUGTOWN exhibition is up for a month ON THE CORRIDOR LEADING UP TO THE MEIDA CENTRE at Exeter Phoenix, and one of the new films can be seen in the Imaginary Lounge: Monday to Friday from 10am – 5pm.

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  15. Lonnie Liston Smith CD Give-away This Bank Holiday Weekend

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    Cosmic Funk & Spiritual Sounds: The Best of The Flying Dutchman Years is a deluxe overview of Lonnie Liston Smith’s career with the famous Flying Dutchman label, mastered directly from the original tapes.

    Buy a ticket for Lonnie’s upcoming gig at Exeter Phoenix, at any point during this bank holiday weekend, and you’ll be in the running to win a copy of this deluxe CD.

    We’ve got 10 copies to give away, and as long as your ticket is booked between 12pm, Fri 23 Aug and 12pm, Tues 27 Aug, you’ll be entered into the prizedraw. Winners will be contacted on Wed 28 Aug. CDs can be collected in person at Exeter Phoenix prior to or on the night of the event.

     

    Lonnie Liston Smith
    Sat 31 Aug | Doors 8pm | £15 | Standing

    One of contemporary music’s most versatile musicians comes to Exeter Phoenix.

    ‘Catch this living legend whenever and however you can’.
    SOUL CULTURE

    BUY TICKETS >>

     

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    TERMS & CONDITIONS
    Each single booking (not each ticket) results in one entry into the prizedraw. Only bookings made through Exeter Phoenix will be valid. Bookings made via our website, on the phone, or at our box office counter (ie all booking methods) are valid. Only bookings made between 12pm Friday 23rd August and 12pm Tuesday 27th Aug will be accepted into the prizedraw. Subject to availability.
  16. Hope you enjoyed Big Screen In The Park 2013, we did!

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    We’re pleased to announce that Big Screen In The Park 2013 was our most successful to date, with a record number of visitors, one of our best film line-ups ever, and clear skies (well… for the most part anyway).

    Once again, a big thank you to our fantastic sponsors, Pyne & Lyon Property Consultants and Kitsons Solicitors. Another big thank you to our media partners Radio Exe, Exeter Life, and The Big Issue, and finally, the biggest thank you of all goes to you, the people of Exeter and beyond, for coming along to enjoy and support this truly wonderful event.

    Take a look at some of this year’s photos:

    (Many thanks to Heritage Imagery for these, heritageimagery.com)

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  17. New Events This Autumn

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    Exeter Phoenix has announced an exciting new season of programmed events for September to December 2013. New exhibitions, performances, comedy, music, classes and courses mean there is plenty to inspire, enjoy and embrace.

    Highlights include big name music acts such as Tim Burgess (lead singer of The Charlatans), The Magic Numbers performing their first ever acoustic tour, modern folk duo Turin Brakes and classic bands Big Country and The Damned. As well Exeter Phoenix welcomes American blues legend Eric Bibb and the highly rated American 10-piece The Youngblood Brass Band. Furthermore, this year’s Acoustica Festival presents over 60 alt-folk and Americana acts across seven stages during a two-day festival in early September.

    A particularly strong performance lineup has major coups with Carol Ann Duffy, Britain’s first female Poet Laureate sharing her work, and international theatre innovators Forced Entertainment bringing their new show Tomorrow’s Parties. Warhorse author Michael Morpurgo talks about his work as Theatre Alibi present an adaptation of I Believe in Unicorns, a family show based on another of Michael’s books. High energy, Devon-based, clown troupe Le Navet Bête will be premiering their eagerly anticipated new show Once Upon A Time In A Western and the captivating Quirk Theatre return with Treasure Island, a family show at Christmas time. The usual blend of cutting edge comedy including Robin Ince, Simon Munnery, Mark Thomas and many more, means the autumn programme is packed full of high quality, innovative shows.

    Art enthusiasts will be delighted to know that nine fantastic artists have been shortlisted for the eighth Exeter Contemporary Open (Sep-Nov) in what promises to be a diverse and stimulating exhibition. The Overall Award winner will be announced mid-September and the Audience’s Choice Award bestowed in October. Following this will be Kit Poulson’s intriguing After The Enlightenment, mixing paintings with a parallel set of short fictions.

    The Two Short Nights Film Festival returns packed full of screenings, seminars and industry insight. Coupled with the unbelievable 48 Hour Film Challenge, which involves making a short film in just two days, this distinctive festival is perfect for film fans. Autumn’s Monday night film lineup screens work by prestigious directors including Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen’s follow up to Midnight in Paris, Richard Curtis’ About Time starring Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy, and The Bling Ring by the Oscar award winning Sofia Coppola. A host of classes, courses and workshops will be taking place throughout this period. New skills in digital, art and performing can be accessed for families and people of all ages.

    Finally, Exeter Phoenix is going for something completely different this New Year’s Eve as they present Dr. Phoenix’s Spectacula Fantastica, a party full of themed rooms, fancy dress, live music, DJs, entertainers and performers.

    Have a listen to our playlist of upcoming gigs this autumn:

  18. Two Short Nights Film Festival wants your films!

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    Two Short Nights is calling for filmmakers to submit their short films for this year’s film festival.

    Two Short Nights film festival celebrates and promotes short film and the people who make them. Now in its 12th year the festival has featured thousands of short films from all over the world and this year’s festival will include the premier of six Exeter Phoenix Digital Short Film commissions as well as the 48 Hour film challenge, workshops and BAFTA screenings.

    Entries are invited from Monday 29th July. All films accepted for Two Short Nights will be automatically nominated for the ‘Two Short Nights Audience Award’ and will be screened at the festival on 12 – 13 December 2013.

    DETAILS:
    Films must be no longer than 15 minutes
    Films must be sent as either:
    A viewable, password protected link (e.g. Vimeo)
    (Or)
    DVD as a QuickTime files.

    FILMS MUST BE SENT TO: 

    Two Short Nights, Exeter Phoenix, Bradninch Place, Gandy Street 
, Exeter, EX4 3LS

    (Or)
    If submitting as a viewable link,
    Email a completed form to Digital@exeterphoenix.org.uk

    DEADLINE: Friday 27 September 2013

    Find out more or to download the submission form visit www.twoshortnights.co.uk

     

  19. Willkommen To Torquay

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    Exeter Phoenix’s first Crowd Funded Short film commission launches Monday 15 July.

    Host Familie, directed by award winning Devon-based filmmaker Tom Austin is aiming to raise £2000 for his Exeter Phoenix Short Film commission. Each year Exeter Phoenix supports and commissions up to 6 short films. This is the first commission of its kind by Exeter Phoenix, which demands the filmmaker raises a large portion of the funds themselves through the online crowdfunding platform, crowdfunder.co.uk.

    The film, Host Familie, is a dark comedy about Karl Dreher, a German undergraduate who hopes to work in the German automotive industry. He comes to the English Riviera to improve his English and is lodged with the dysfunctional Robinson family. Each one of them seems to be lacking something in their life and they hope that Karl can fill that gap.

    By showing support for the project and pledging some much needed money backers could be rewarded with perks such as limited edition art work, a personal choice of vinyl records from the director himself and VIP tickets to the premiere screening.

    Phil Geraghty, Crowdfunder MD, said: ‘It’s great to see an independent film maker crowdfunding his latest idea. It’s also fantastic to see Exeter Phoenix supporting Tom with his idea, we are all about bringing project owners and communities together and this is a great example of this.’

    Exeter Phoenix are offering £500 towards Tom Austin’s campaign and Jonas Hawkins, Exeter Phoenix Digital Manager, said ‘We are excited and very proud to be pushing our filmmakers in to new territories and we looking forward to seeing how this platform can take filmmakers a step further.’

    Shooting will take place this August and the finished film will be premiered at Two Short Nights film festival 2013 in December.

    For more information or to pledge your support please click here

  20. Artists Selected for Exeter Contemporary Open

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    The shortlisted artists have just been announced for the South West’s foremost contemporary art competition. As the only Devon-based competition that is open to artists from across the country and indeed the world, this year’s Exeter Contemporary Open promises to bring together a vibrant mix of disciplines and styles.

    Now in its eighth year and attracting thousands of visitors every time, this exhibition, highlighting some of the best new talent, has established itself as one of the most exciting events in the South West’s cultural calendar.

    Hundreds of submissions including some from as far away as Spain, the USA and even Japan have been considered by this year’s panel; independent curator Day + Gluckman, artist and curator Kevin Hunt, and Matt Burrows, Exeter Phoenix’s Gallery Curator, who said:

    ‘There was a fantastic response to this year’s call out and the selection panel had a grueling task to reach our final selection. The overall standard of entries was very high and we were extremely impressed by the breadth and scope of engaged, contemporary practice submitted.’

    The nine selected artists are: Rachel Busby, Malina Busch, Max Cahn, Anne Deeming, Hannah Mooney, Rebecca Ounstead, Julie Price, Oliver Tirre, Charlie Godet Thomas.

    The Overall winner will be announced at a private launch reception on Thursday 12th September, hosted by Exeter Phoenix and the event’s main sponsors, Haines Watts Chartered Accountants. The winner will receive a prize of £1000 and an Additional Award of £500 will also be presented. Visitors to the exhibition will have the chance to select their favourite work and the artist with the most votes at the end of the exhibition will be presented with the Audience Choice Award of £200, kindly sponsored by Exeter Natural Health Centre.

      #ExeterOpen

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  21. Exeter’s phoenix is brought back to life!

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    We are pleased to announce that the mechanical phoenix who sits at the entrance of our building has been reanimated after several years of inactivity.

    Now, at certain points of the day, you can witness this metal sculpture stand up, take a look around and flex it’s majestic wings.

    Come and see for yourself! It will awaken daily at:

    10am (when the building opens), 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7.30pm and 10pm.

    phoenix