Side Effects
Arts comrades come with a variety of symptoms:
Supportive interventions
Great conversations
Jolly nights out
Projects that will be a ton of fun when tackled together
Strengthened connections
These sort of symptoms appear after years of working together and from the deep honesty of interaction this can promote.
During the past five weeks, this has been the case in my own work.
In July, I was invited to record a series of PODCASTS on ‘Women of Activism in British History’ with my long time arts-comrade Ruth Urquhart.
And right at the close of August, I was lucky enough to be asked to get involved in the latest film of another talented arts-comrade, Jane McGee.
For my own part, the entire summer of 2024 has involved ‘fingers of fire’ being applied to my keyboard with work on my first book ‘Discovering Joan’ gathering apace.
The book is a true story about a radical working-class woman who changed the face of British theatre and scorched the ‘rule book’ to ashes in order to do it.
It’s been a joy, and I’ll be beavering away into September too.
But, I digress!
My point is, the friends we make across the years in this crazy game can occasionally provide challenges and excitements which create a solidarity which is all too rare in the world.
My point? Cherish it.
Gather yourself with the colleagues who sing to your soul, whether it be that you are lit up by their ideas or they are are lit up by yours. Make these people your tribe. Add time and effort in the friendship part and always be wholly yourself, socially and politically - then magical, authentic things can begin to unfold.
So, watch out for Ruth’s podcast and Jane’s film (more info, nearer to their completion, on this blog).
I’d also like to add; with or without me, these creative projects will absolutely knock you bandy.
“We all have parts that scare us, parts that we run from and parts that we’re afraid to look at”
“Conscious art, political art leads to the necessity and desire for change”