A huge thank you to the 6 hardy souls, who braved the rain and the confusion surrounding the "unofficial" Gloom festival. We lay on the floor, with artists on our forehead and got the attention of many curious people, Police did ask us to stand, so we stood still for some time, talking to people about the reasons for being there and the issues we were trying to address. Hope to see people tonight at Bill and George for Gloom conversation.
cheers
Jeff
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Legal at unoffical gloom
If you want to do the action at the Opera House tonight legally, you can do the action at the bottom of the stairs, just outside, it will still have impact.
THE UNOFFICIAL GLOOM FESTIVAL!
In case things are NOT clear about the cancellation of Gloom Festival.
I can no longer OFFICIALLY endorse the activity related to Gloom Festival.
However if individuals do engage in activities suggested by Gloom Festival of the their own volition because they believe that the ideas and actions proposed by Gloom Festival, that is up to individuals. I personally as an individual citizen of my own accord will be engaging in the activities suggested by Gloom Festival, while I do not encourage such activities, if other individually are motivated to do so that is up to them.
I met with Opera House staff relating to emergency planning and response. While the staff member was polite and amenable and respected our right to fee speech and protest, there are rather strict rules related to such activities. This has a lot to do with both the perceived threat of terrorism and the premier position the Opera House holds in the national landscape.
The Opera House did not want to allow any activity in the foyer and in fact prohibits it. This is also for “public safety” as the foyer is being renovated and space is restricted and restrictive causing potential OHAS issues. They have insisted that all activity happen outside.
I also contacted local police command and they had wanted the event to be registered under- SCHEDULE 1, SUMMARY OF OFFENCES ACT 1998.
This would have required me as the organizer of the event to sign the above document to take responsibility for the actions of all people engaged in the event. Which makes me personally liable for the actions of everyone involved. I do not have public liability for this event and therefore that was not an option. To not sign the document would render the activities in the Gloom Festival illegal and still render me liable.
This also would have brought to the attention all the other proposed activities of Gloom Festival and caused the close monitoring of the activities by authorities. This would have potentially caused a threat to Bill and George, in that there is not the appropriate licensing for the proposed activity and I did not want to risk that great artist’s space.
In the short time that I put Gloom Festival forward there was a great response of goodwill from artists and supporters, however not enough time to really organise people’s engagement and register people’s commitment. By that I mean people’s commitment to action.
If anything, Gloom Festival was not only asking people to engage in ideas around issues but a call to take action. Not sure if the suggested actions were the best? But they intended to be a light-hearted way to address the real issues at hand.
What is the real issue?
EQUITY
The NSW government, through Events NSW is spending $7 MILLION dollars on the VIVID Festival. This is when Arts NSW funding is at an all time low.
The argument that the NSW are spending this money “creatively” does not wash.
Not one Sydney dance, theatre, visual artists is being showcased, employed by VIVID Festival,
In a festival that highlights how wonderfully creative Sydney is.
BULLSHIT!
OK- the Opera House looks pretty with lots of lights on it,
OK- Brian Eno and co are wonderful artists
OK- Lets talk about the issues at Creative Sydney BUT no amount of taking can hide this fact that this festival is a farce. Like the Federal government’s 20/20 summit what will happen? Talk, talk, talk……. And then nothing. We still get fucked over by the government.
I have had enough of talk and complaining and have sort to take action, rightly or wrongly?
If people feel passionate about the above issues then feel free of your own volition to take action.
I can no longer OFFICIALLY endorse the activity related to Gloom Festival.
However if individuals do engage in activities suggested by Gloom Festival of the their own volition because they believe that the ideas and actions proposed by Gloom Festival, that is up to individuals. I personally as an individual citizen of my own accord will be engaging in the activities suggested by Gloom Festival, while I do not encourage such activities, if other individually are motivated to do so that is up to them.
I met with Opera House staff relating to emergency planning and response. While the staff member was polite and amenable and respected our right to fee speech and protest, there are rather strict rules related to such activities. This has a lot to do with both the perceived threat of terrorism and the premier position the Opera House holds in the national landscape.
The Opera House did not want to allow any activity in the foyer and in fact prohibits it. This is also for “public safety” as the foyer is being renovated and space is restricted and restrictive causing potential OHAS issues. They have insisted that all activity happen outside.
I also contacted local police command and they had wanted the event to be registered under- SCHEDULE 1, SUMMARY OF OFFENCES ACT 1998.
This would have required me as the organizer of the event to sign the above document to take responsibility for the actions of all people engaged in the event. Which makes me personally liable for the actions of everyone involved. I do not have public liability for this event and therefore that was not an option. To not sign the document would render the activities in the Gloom Festival illegal and still render me liable.
This also would have brought to the attention all the other proposed activities of Gloom Festival and caused the close monitoring of the activities by authorities. This would have potentially caused a threat to Bill and George, in that there is not the appropriate licensing for the proposed activity and I did not want to risk that great artist’s space.
In the short time that I put Gloom Festival forward there was a great response of goodwill from artists and supporters, however not enough time to really organise people’s engagement and register people’s commitment. By that I mean people’s commitment to action.
If anything, Gloom Festival was not only asking people to engage in ideas around issues but a call to take action. Not sure if the suggested actions were the best? But they intended to be a light-hearted way to address the real issues at hand.
What is the real issue?
EQUITY
The NSW government, through Events NSW is spending $7 MILLION dollars on the VIVID Festival. This is when Arts NSW funding is at an all time low.
The argument that the NSW are spending this money “creatively” does not wash.
Not one Sydney dance, theatre, visual artists is being showcased, employed by VIVID Festival,
In a festival that highlights how wonderfully creative Sydney is.
BULLSHIT!
OK- the Opera House looks pretty with lots of lights on it,
OK- Brian Eno and co are wonderful artists
OK- Lets talk about the issues at Creative Sydney BUT no amount of taking can hide this fact that this festival is a farce. Like the Federal government’s 20/20 summit what will happen? Talk, talk, talk……. And then nothing. We still get fucked over by the government.
I have had enough of talk and complaining and have sort to take action, rightly or wrongly?
If people feel passionate about the above issues then feel free of your own volition to take action.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
GLOOM FESTIVAL IS OFFICIALLY CANCELED!
The over my dead body event is officially canceled. The organsiers of Gloom Festival no longer officially endorse this activity and ask the public officially not to engage in such activity. Those members of the public still wishing to engage in such activity unofficially, do so under their own volition. Please if you do engage in such activity, do so with care of public safety and please take advice from Opera House staff.
The Darkness performance event at Bill and George is officially canceled.
Bill and George will be open from 8.30pm for those still wishing to unofficially gather and discuss the gloom festival and issues it provoked.
The Bonfire of the Vanities is officially canceled.
Those still wishing to engage in elephant in the room activities should feel free to do so under their own volition- unofficially, however the organisers of Gloom Festival do ask that you respect the people talking at event and to please do not disrupt Creative Sydney too much.
Gloom Festival wish to thanks to those who did pledged their support to Gloom Festival and the many letters of support.
We hope we got the message across and that artists and the public continue to engage in the issues provoked by the Gloom Festival.
The Darkness performance event at Bill and George is officially canceled.
Bill and George will be open from 8.30pm for those still wishing to unofficially gather and discuss the gloom festival and issues it provoked.
The Bonfire of the Vanities is officially canceled.
Those still wishing to engage in elephant in the room activities should feel free to do so under their own volition- unofficially, however the organisers of Gloom Festival do ask that you respect the people talking at event and to please do not disrupt Creative Sydney too much.
Gloom Festival wish to thanks to those who did pledged their support to Gloom Festival and the many letters of support.
We hope we got the message across and that artists and the public continue to engage in the issues provoked by the Gloom Festival.
Monday, May 25, 2009
COME ON PEOPLE!
Good intensions, “my thoughts are with you” or “I will be there in spirit” just does NOT cut it. Here is an opportunity to stick it to the man- to the NSW government! We can have polite conversation later but lets get the point heard NOW!
COME ALONG AND HAVE A SAY BY JOINING IN ON THE MANY FUN WAYS TO TELL THE NSW GOVT. THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND CULTURE IN SYDNEY AND NSW BY
PARTICIPATING IN THE COUNTER FESTIVAL- GLOOM
4 fun things to do to be part of Gloom Festival
1) Come dress as an elephant or make elephant sounds at Creative Sydney at the MCA. Also download elephant sounds to your phone and play.
2) On Friday night at 7.15pm come lie on the ground in the THE OPERA HOUSE foyer of the Opera Theatre for 15mins with artists written on your forehead (artist stickers will be available for those who don't want to write it from gloom operatives lurking in the foyer from 6.45pm).
3) Bring a torch and come to perform and hang out under candle light on Saturday from 8.30pm at Bill + George Studios: Level 1/10 - 16 Williams St Redfern NSW 2016; www.billandgeorge.org
Register online to perform at www.gloomfestival.org go to contacts to email your interest or call Jeff.
4) Come burn an art object at a bonfire on Sunday night at a secret location. Register online to receive notification of location.
Register online at www.gloomfestival.org
Any questions contact Jeff Stein on: 0433661311
COME ALONG AND HAVE A SAY BY JOINING IN ON THE MANY FUN WAYS TO TELL THE NSW GOVT. THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND CULTURE IN SYDNEY AND NSW BY
PARTICIPATING IN THE COUNTER FESTIVAL- GLOOM
4 fun things to do to be part of Gloom Festival
1) Come dress as an elephant or make elephant sounds at Creative Sydney at the MCA. Also download elephant sounds to your phone and play.
2) On Friday night at 7.15pm come lie on the ground in the THE OPERA HOUSE foyer of the Opera Theatre for 15mins with artists written on your forehead (artist stickers will be available for those who don't want to write it from gloom operatives lurking in the foyer from 6.45pm).
3) Bring a torch and come to perform and hang out under candle light on Saturday from 8.30pm at Bill + George Studios: Level 1/10 - 16 Williams St Redfern NSW 2016; www.billandgeorge.org
Register online to perform at www.gloomfestival.org go to contacts to email your interest or call Jeff.
4) Come burn an art object at a bonfire on Sunday night at a secret location. Register online to receive notification of location.
Register online at www.gloomfestival.org
Any questions contact Jeff Stein on: 0433661311
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Join the Gloom
The NSW government through Events NSW is producing a new Festival- Vivid Sydney.
The Vivid Festival is hypocritical in that the NSW Government through Events NSW is celebrating how wonderfully creative Sydney is and at the same time the NSW Government through Arts NSW is increasingly not supporting the Arts, especially the small to medium independent sector.
How can you celebrate something you don't support at a grassroots level?
The spin-doctors at Event NSW can talk up how wonderfully Creative Sydney is but that is mostly despite not because of the NSW government.
The small to medium independent sector is vital to the Arts culture of Sydney. It breeds innovation and is the cultural undergrowth that sustains and nourishes the arts sector as a whole. That sector is on the brink! Right now, this sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. Not only from diminishing State government funding, but also severe rent hikes leading to an exodus of artists from the city. This is compounded by the strangulating risk-adverse culture in Sydney.
According to their press release:
“VIVID will feature a four-prong bombardment of exciting arts events.”
LETS BOMBARD BACK AND TELL THEM WHAT WE THINK ABOUT STATE OF ARTS IN NSW!
JOIN IN THE COUNTER FESTIVAL- GLOOM
The Vivid Festival is hypocritical in that the NSW Government through Events NSW is celebrating how wonderfully creative Sydney is and at the same time the NSW Government through Arts NSW is increasingly not supporting the Arts, especially the small to medium independent sector.
How can you celebrate something you don't support at a grassroots level?
The spin-doctors at Event NSW can talk up how wonderfully Creative Sydney is but that is mostly despite not because of the NSW government.
The small to medium independent sector is vital to the Arts culture of Sydney. It breeds innovation and is the cultural undergrowth that sustains and nourishes the arts sector as a whole. That sector is on the brink! Right now, this sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. Not only from diminishing State government funding, but also severe rent hikes leading to an exodus of artists from the city. This is compounded by the strangulating risk-adverse culture in Sydney.
According to their press release:
“VIVID will feature a four-prong bombardment of exciting arts events.”
LETS BOMBARD BACK AND TELL THEM WHAT WE THINK ABOUT STATE OF ARTS IN NSW!
JOIN IN THE COUNTER FESTIVAL- GLOOM
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