Community Conversations

Tony Fisher & Omari Marsalis

Tony Fisher, a photographer & writer for over 50 years, and emerging poet & musician Omari Marsalis speak to your hosts Laura Guthrie and Jay Sandhu. The chat covers how learning never stops, the barriers disabled people faced in the early 1980s, and how things have changed for younger disabled artists today. We ask about the difference working with other disabled artists makes to your work. We discuss embedding intersectional experiences in creative storytelling. We ponder what the future might hold for disabled artists. Oh, and what on earth is an ‘Access Rider’?    TONY FISHER Tony Fisher is a photographic artist. He is interested in transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Tony’s work often explores loneliness and isolation, things he has personally experienced. He has worked in the field of Disability Arts for over 40 years, collaborating with organisations and individuals across the country.  Tony Fisher’s website: https://tony-fisher-photography.com/ Tony Fisher’s YouPic: https://youpic.com/photographer/tonyfisher0   OMARI MARSALIS Omari Marsalis is an artist from St Anns, Nottingham. He has performed at several venues and events around the city, including Hockley Hustle. With his poetic style he delves into relatable topics. His use of words and instrumentation encourages listeners to keep an open mind. Omari’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omarimarsalis/ Omari on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artis z/2V3CVJKFlkrBY0kgJPRoa4   INFORMATION ABOUT ACCESS RIDERS Access Rider Template: https://disabilityarts.online/magazine/opinion/access-rider-open-template/ Creating Your Own Access Rider: https://weareunlimited.org.uk/resource/creating-your-own-access-rider/ Do I Need An Access Rider?: https://www.shapearts.org.uk/news/access-docs-for-artists-resource   -------------------   Podcast Transcript

Zoe Milner & Izzy Hollis

Zoe Milner is a visual artist and Izzy Hollis is a theatre designer & puppeteer.  They both received bursaries as part of City Arts’ RESIDENCE project. Joining your hosts Laura Guthrie and Jay Sandhu, they chat about the impact the bursary has had on them and their work. Topics covered include: Turning a passion for protest into art Changing perceptions, and educating people, about Deaf identity and the misunderstandings around Tourettes Office work vs the sense of belonging you feel in a creative space How they might create work that is less connected to their lived experiences of disability It is clear the impact the bursary has had on these artists’ confidence as creatives. It is just the start of two intriguing artistic careers… ZOE MILNER Zoe is a visual artist. At the time of recording, she was studying Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University. Through her practice she seeks to address the struggles that she and most other profoundly deaf people have with writing and reading English. She does this whilst celebrating the power, beauty and freedom of sign language. As part of the City Arts’ RESIDENCE project Zoe created an installation of work combining typography with imagery.  Zoe Milner’s exhibition: https://city-arts.org.uk/event/21008/i-talk-with-my-hands/ IZZY HOLLIS Izzy Hollis is a theatre and puppet maker. She is a BA graduate of Theatre Design from Nottingham Trent University. Her last piece, Why Fish?, explored her experience of living with Tourettes. It was presented as part of a Puppet Cabaret held at City Arts. The work was supported through City Arts’ RESIDENCE project. Izzy’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Izzy_Puppets
 Izzy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/izzy.puppets/ INFORMATION ABOUT BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE BSL Act Information: https://bda.org.uk/bsl-act-now/ 
 BSL Training: https://www.nottsdeaf.org.uk/training/ 
BSL fingerspelling : https://www.british-sign.co.uk/fingerspelling-alphabet-charts/  ------------------- Podcast Transcript

Benny Shakes

Cheeky comedian Benny Shakes joins Laura Guthrie and Jay Sandhu for a fun and funny episode of 'Community Conversations'. Topics covered include road kill (!?), awareness raising and creating a community of disabled artists. Our guest explains how he works with children to change their attitudes to disability and build a more inclusive culture. We talk about how we can counteract the “brave and inspirational” stereotype of disabled people. Benny discusses the vulnerability disabled people can feel when they use humour to spread a message. Benny Shakes is a comedian who performs nationally with both his stand up (Second in the 2022 Best Midlands Comedy Show) and his comic Disability Awareness gameshow for children and adults. Benny finds humour in his own experiences of disability. He often collaborates with other disabled artists and performers, regularly broadcasting shows on YouTube. Benny's website: http://bennyshakes.uk/ Benny's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BennyShakesThings ------------------------ Download the Podcast Transcript

Max Marchewicz & Neal Pike

Your hosts, Laura Guthrie and Jay Sandhu, speak to Neal Pike and Max Marchewicz. Neal is a poet, playwright and performer. Max is a BSL interpreter, access provider, musician & performer. They discuss how they became artists and how their work has developed alongside life changes. Frustrations with poor access provision come up, and we ask, "why are accessible toilets still the place to store mops?" Our guests talk about how to raise your access needs if you are a neurodivergent person with intersecting experience of physical disability. Plus, they let us know which artists' work they seek out and admire. NEAL PIKE Neal is a poet, performer, theatre maker. He started writing in 2013 as part of Nottingham based group the Mouthy Poets. He has performed across the UK and internationally. Neal has published a collection of poetry, 'Identity Bike Ride', and has written plays. His first play, 'Five Years', is an autobiographical piece describing his time as a student in the local SEN school system. Neal's website: https://www.nealpikeprojects.co.uk/about/ MAX MARCHEWICZ Max is a performer, BSL interpreter, access consultant, audio describer and trainer. Max started their creative life as a dancer before studying physical theatre. They are also a folk singer. As a queer, disabled and autistic person, they are passionate about community work around intersecting identities. Max has performed and toured with Graeae Theatre as a performance interpreter for their recent chamber opera 'The Paradis Files'. ------------------------ Download the Podcast Transcript

MELONYX

For International Women's Day, Rachel is joined by Nottingham-based black-British Soul duo MELONYX. MELONYX is a collaboration between Georgia Copeland and Nadia Latoya. The duo have performed at Peggy’s Sky Light, New Art Exchange, Camden’s Electric Ballroom and Gilles Peterson’s 'We Out Here' Festival. They released their first single, ‘Worth the Wait’, in May 2020. In this podcast episode, the singers discuss sisterhood and the power of women supporting each other. They talk about how they came together as a group, their influences, wellbeing and self-care, and how they’ve continued to stay creative during the pandemic.