Day 284: Sundance Film Festival hits the UK

The Sundance Film Festival celebrates all that's good in independent American cinema each year and has introduced the world to directors like, Quintin Tarantino and films like, Little Miss Sunshine (one of my favourites, I have to say). The Sundance Institute, which is where it all stared, provides support all year round for emerging artists in the film world away from all the commercial pressures of Hollywood.

But, in April 2012, America's bringing it's inspiration over to us Brits! Sundance is setting up their Festival tents in London at the O2 Arena. Robert Redford (who started up the Sundance Institute in 1981 and is in this lovely picture) announced the news on Wednesday. I don't know about you, but I am excited! Now, I realise it's still a while away, but there's no harm on getting in on the action early. (I feel a bit like a kid getting excited about their next birthday two days after their party.)

 Just think; film makers, actors, directors, script writers, set designers...you name it, they're coming. So why not jump on the bandwagon and get involved? If you're into film, then get on their website.

Just to start you off, here's a quote which heads up their website, from Mr Redford himself:
''Storystellers broaden out minds: engage, provoke, inspire and ultimately connect us.''

Inspired yet?

Day 270: Who will write the next all-time Classic?

Over the past few days, I've been to a few more Bath Literature Festival events and have seen quite a few authors speaking about their work, about writing process and about books in general.

One interesting question that came up in the The Classics talk on Wednesday was who writers write for. Books like Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy  have been entertaining readers for decades, but did their authors imagine that their stories would still be enjoyed in the 21st Century? Were they writing for us or were they writing for their own generation?

I think this idea is really interesting. When I write my stories or even my blog entries, I am writing for you, right now, for the youth of this generation, not those who are going to live in 50 years time, but maybe other people do write with future generations in mind, trying to make it timeless. I wonder if they have a reader in mind as they sit there, plotting and creating characters. Perhaps these things just happen. To plan to be a international best seller decade after decade is probably not the best way to write, but what do I know?

If you wrote/are writing a book, who would/are you writing for? Do you have someone in mind? Do you write for yourself? Something to think about... 

Day 263: Bath Literature Festival

It's today, it's today! The Bath Literature Festival is finally here!

There is soooo much inspirational stuff going on this week. I've booked up for 7 talks so get ready for some serious inspiration in the next week or so. there's bound to be tons of creative thinkers around...

Check out whats going on over the next week here.

Day 260: Get invovled in your town's creativity

Being at a creative uni like mine is such an amazing place to be. As you may know I have teamed up with film students and graphics students in various projects this year, but that's such a small representation of what's going on.

On my way to Sainbury's today I saw a friend who is running a film competition. She gave me a poster to put up at work and I thought I'd email the film student I'm working with to tell her about it too.

Last night was knitting group, which was loads of fun. We had new people come too, so it was great to see them joining in the fun. Tonight I'm going to an open mike night with musicians, poets and comedians. This weekend sees the launch of the Bath Literature Festival too. So many students I know are invovled in some way, doing readings, volunteering and loads more.

Creativity is part of where I am and I feel really lucky to live here in Bath. It's just a case of being active and getting ivolved.

What's going on in your town? What about your school/college? Can you get invovled? If you can't find anything you fancy, why not start it up yourself? What's stopping you? Why not share your creativity with the people around you...

Day 161: Illuminate Bath Festival and Ice Book

Over the past few weeks I've been helping out with my uni's arts festival. Most of this included standing out in the cold, making sure no one stole the projector, but actually, I'm really glad I did 'cause it showed me what's going on around me. There is so much creative stuff happening at my uni by students and teachers. A lot of the time people don't get to see it.

Here's some of the thing that I saw:

Perhaps the most amazing thing I saw was Ice Book made by Davy and Kristin McGuire.  It's basically a pop up book, but animated by light. It tells a touching story about two characters in an enchanted land. I watched it in a dark basement in one of Bath's pubs. Atmospheric! Definitely check it out on Davy's website.

Sam Drew also had his poems projected on a the Bath buildings for all to see and read. They had been animated by graphic students and caught the attention of thousands walking the streets of Bath.

There were so many other things going on to show Bath what talent there is around. These two things inspired my creative ideas and I hope they help you too. Their creators are real people taking their work out into the world and showing it off! It's good to go and see what's around. You never know what might spark your own creative work, so get out there and see what's about in your area.

Day 84: What's the difference?

This weekend, I found myself being entertained by musicians, performing poets and comedians at a small festival called Aeon in the middle of Devon. Although I was really excited about all the creative potential this festival had to offer, I must admit, nerves definitely filled my tummy as I rolled up on my bike. The were loads of people with wicked looking dreadlocks, hippy cloths and face paint. I felt really out of place in my ordinary jeans and blue t-shirt. I thought putting pig-tails in my hair was making a considerable amount of effort but apparently not! I didn't fit in here. This wasn't my creative 'area'.

But, you know what? I had the best time. All of the poets I heard were fantastic. There were tones of bands, a mixture of ska, jazz, gypsy, reggae, hip hop...you name it, it was there. I was dancing, singing, skipping and quite frankly, jumping around like I just don't care!

I think the thing I was most worried about was the thing that made it so amazing. It was different to what I'm 'used' to. As I listened to those bands, musicians and poets, I found myself being memorised by all this creativity I knew very little about. It caught me, got my hips moving and I was away...

What do you listen to? Perhaps, more importantly, what don't you listen to? Today I encourage you to listen to something you wouldn't normally. Go to a local gig you wouldn't normally go to. Check out that last summer festival...

The best inspiration often comes from those things you're not used to. So push yourself, push your creativity...I dare you!