Day 352: My Guerilla Knitting Experience

For those of you who don't know what guerilla knitting is, it's basically anonymous knitting left in public spaces. So, people will do a bunch of knitted patches and then cover a tree or a lamp post in it.

Being into knitting I thought it was about time I got involved in a bit of knitting graffiti, so when the opportunity came up on campus, obviously I jumped at the chance.

This particular guerilla knitting is in aid of the 'Red Thread' exhibition going on at Bath Spa campus this Saturday, 28th May 2011.

Here's me preparing next to the lake on campus. Oh, the concentration...

Then I headed over to the site where guerilla knitting would commence and off we went. Now I have to tell you that it was guerilla knitting, but we weaved them into the installation with bits of fabric and wool and pom-poms...

The red knitted bit in the middle is my handy work!

Check out some more guerilla knitting on Google. It's amazing! How could you use your skills to have some fun and help a good cause...?

Day 347: Anima Circus and company...

Tonight I have been to a charity concert at Uni and it was brilliant. It's funny, you spend three whole years studying at a place and have no idea what kind of talent is in a couple of buildings down. There were choirs, performances on french horn, saxophone and even a bassoon. They were fantastic. Then to add to the classical flavour, there was a few tracks from a jazz/scar band called Anima Cricus who were AMAZING! I mean, these people have been right under my nose with so much talent and creativity! I didn't even know.

I had a great evening, but there's a part of me that came away sad. Sad that I'm leaving that creative place in a month and sad that I didn't go to more concerts, plays and events that could have given so much inspiration. It's good to share in other people's creativity.

So what I'm saying is, don't miss out. What's going on at your school/college/town? Be inspired by what's under your nose, before it's too late...

Day 288: Rhianna, U2 and Justin Bieber sing to help Japan

These three musical phenomenons are just some of the artists clubbing together to make a digital album to raise money for those struggling in the Japan tragedy.

Big music label, Universal Music are putting it together and hope to have it out for the world to purchase by the end of the week, so keep your eyes peeled.

What a great way to use your creativity to help others. It got me thinking; what could us creative thinkers do to help?

Obviously these artists have fame on their side. If I made an album to help Japan, I don't think it would be as successful, but the point is, we are all creative and if we did our bit, then it will definitely help, even if only a little bit. 

What are you good at? What are your friends good at? Could you club together to make a difference? Think about other people/organisations you could include. Maybe your school/college/work?

What better way to put your creativity to good use than help support those struggling across the world? Put your creative thinking caps on folks and let's see how we can help.

Day 248: Just Volunteer

Goodness knows why today's entry is brought to you at 6:25 in the morning! I have been awake since 4:15 and thought, after two hours of rolling around in my bed, it was time to get up.

The truth is, I'm worried. I'm worried about life after I graduate and what anyone creative can possibly do for the world in a time of resession. No one's hiring, no one wants to invest in creativity and I just don't know what to do with all my creative enthusiasm.

But, after two hours of thinking, I have come to this conclusion. Us creative folk just need to volunteer for a while.

Last year I went into two secondary schools to teach creative writing (for free) and I loved it. In the summer I volunteered with the Bath Kids Lit Fest and loved it. This year I am volunteering with Bath Festival's educational department and, yet again, am loving it! It's amazing what people will let you do when you'll do it for free.

All of this stuff looks pretty good on my CV and so, I'm hoping that one day it'll get me a job I really enjoy too, but until then, I'm gonna keep on doing stuff for free. Life's too short to get caught up in making money.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you enjoy being creative, then just do it. Get involved and see where it takes you. What do you enjoy doing? What's going on in your area? Could you get stuck in? Doing stuff for free in a time of global resession is what's gonna make the world keep turning I reckon! I'm telling you, it's the way forward...

Day 186: A little help please...

Today I want to talk to you about a project I'm doing. I'm proper excited about it and all in all, it's coming on a real treat.

So, I'm going into a secondary school in Bath to run a creative writing competition. Anyone in years 7, 8 or 9 can enter and I'll run workshops and one-to-one sessions to help them out. All entries will be turned into an anthology sold at an awards ceremony with readings and prizes. Oh, and the anthology will be sold to raise money for the school and a charity chosen by the winner...

...but, I need a theme. That's where you guys come in. I want it to be an abstract noun like, risk, so it's not too concrete. That'll give people's imaginations plenty of room to floowwww.

Any ideas...?

I might use two contrasting themes, like love and hate (but not that 'cause it's been done a million times!) Then they can chose...interesting...

So, put your creative thinking caps on please and help me out! You know what to do, put a little old comment below!

Thank you and goodnight.

Day 162: RCA Secret

Everyone likes a good secret, don't they? Well this one involves famous artists, illustrators and art students from all over. More than 1000 artists have designed a postcard, which go on sale this weekend at Royal college of Art in London to raise money for art students. The catch, you don't know until you buy it who it's by. What a cool idea!

Each postcard is £45 and you can buy a maximum of four per person. It's getting everyone excited about owning their pocket sized Tracey Emin or David Bailey. But you might get work by a student who could go on to become the next Picasso! How exciting!

What a great way to get the community interesting in art. Not only that but raise cash to help creative people like you and me get to uni and do what we love. With the way thing are going in government, we need all the help we can get, so thank goodness someone is sticking up for us, eh!

Check out their website for more info. If you live around London, you can go see them for free before the sale. Maybe you can guess whose is whose!

So, who'll get the postcards worth millions? We'll have to wait and see...

Day 140: Innocent smoothies' Big Knit!

You know those yummy fruit drinks which are ALL fruit and count in your 5-a-day thingy?

Well, they've got a creative challenge for you! They are asking people to knit tiny little hats for the bottles. It gets pretty chilly in the fridge!

It's all to raise money to make winter warmers for elderly people across the country. What a nice thing to do for those in need, eh.

'How do I get involved,' I hear you cry. Well, to play your creative part, check out their website. There are patterns, info, instructions and you can even win stuff. So, I won't here any excuses! All can join in the fun. Me and my housemates are on the case and I need you to join me.

Now go, be creative and help make the world a warmer place!

Day 88: The Arts Council

Today I thought it right to bring your attention to The Arts Council. Basically, every tax payer in the country pays 17p a day to The Arts Council and they give the money to companies and charities all over the country who give the money back to society through the arts. Things like the Tate Galleries get money through The Arts Council, but small local things do too.

It could be anything creative; art, drama, dance, music...Take a look at their website to see what inspiring things they are involved with at the moment. A lot of what they support is up and coming stuff. It may look small at he moment, but it is doing big things for the community. Pretty exciting!

Be inspired by what your money is doing for the country! What a great way to spend tax, eh!

What could you ask for sponsorship for from The Arts Council...?

Day 62: YOUR world vision...

Every so often I get this magazine through my door called Bug. I must have signed up for it at an event I went to or something. It's sent out to young people by the charity World Vision, a children's charity dedicated to ending world poverty and injustice. This is Bug magazine's slogan;

"If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been to bed with a mosquito in the room."

Pretty cool, huh!

Anyway, I was flicking through their latest magazine and on the back page was a competition I think you might be interested in. Here are the details as written on the back of the mag;

"Start imagining...
Imagine our crazy-mixed-up world has had a makeover...
It's no longer a place of injustice, intolerance and suffering.
Global citizens have put the planet on a 'get gorgeous' regime and it's become a wonderland...
What does it look like now? Have things changed for the better?
Email us an inspiring sentence, or two, for your chance to a win a newly-released Alice in Wonderland DVD. bug@worldvision.org.uk "

So, there's your challenge guys and gals. The creative part is up to you. What do you imagine...?

(Find out more about Bug here. Sign up for your own copy here.)