Arts Council for Woking
Summer newsletter 2009
Arts Council for Woking
Newsletter Summer 2009
Send news of your event for inclusion in the next newsletter to Anna Molesworth
16 Eastbrook Close Woking GU21 5DQ
closing date for Autumn Newsletter 1st September 2009
CONTACT DETAILS
ACW Chair Julian Keeley 01483 768797
Grants: WBC Arts Officer Hannah Smith
Subscriptions: ACW Treasurer Keith White
Newsletter: Anna Molesworth
NEWSLETTER DEADLINES
Autumn Newsletter 1st September 2009 Winter Newsletter 1st December 2009 Spring Newsletter 1st March 2010 Summer Newsletter 1st June 2010
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Woking writers circle
The circle meets twice a month throughout the year. On the first Sunday of the month for a breakfast meeting at the Cafe Continental in Goldsworth Road to discuss the business of the group and to circulate details of literary festivals, competitions as well as any recent newspaper reports. The second meeting is in the evening of the third Thursday of the month at the Strollers Drop-in Centre, Goldsworth Park, to read member's contributions.
Contributions cover a wide range of writing from short stories, essays, poems, extracts from forthcoming books through to playlets. Each reading is followed by time for comments and constructive criticism or suggestions for possible opportunities for publication.
While members are free to write about anything that takes their interest, each meeting ends with a suggested title for the following month's contribution.
Suggested titles this past year have included `A Spring in your Step', `Just don't ask about the Landing Strip',
`Waiting in the Wings', `A Film Title' and, June's suggestion, `Lost and Found'.
The circle has formed a loose but encouraging association with Radio Wey. Member's contributions that fit the Hospital Radio's requirements are read by their authors for use in subsequent programmes aired for the patients. No statistics are available for any consequent effect!
While the circle welcomes potential members as guests to its meetings there is a limit to the total number of members that can sensibly be accommodated given the time restraints; so full membership cannot always be guaranteed.
Dermot Hoare
Hon Secretary
01276 858284
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From: Robin Ebers, Publicity Officer, Tel: 01932 340352. email: robinebers:tiscali.co.uk
WOKING PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
LAUNCH NEW YEAR BOOK
A book containing 100 photographs taken by members of Woking Photographic Society during 2008 has just been published. It is the first time that the Society has produced a publication of this kind and is an indication of the quality and standard of pictures taken by members, both advanced and beginners alike.
Woking Photographic Society was formed in the autumn of 1955 by a group of local enthusiasts who wanted to share their interest and ideas and to promote an interest in photography.
Over the years the Society has attracted many talented and high achieving photographers who have gained distinctions and acceptances in national and international exhibitions. An important feature of Woking Photographic Society is that it has always offered the free exchange of ideas and information, particularly helpful to new members.
The book is available for purchase by members of the public at a cost of £7 and can be ordered by telephoning the Club's mobile on 07954 196142
The Society had success at the recent Silver Jubilee inter-club print competition held on the 21 April 2009. The competition was judged by Peter Morss ARPS DPAGB who awarded first place to Woking, followed by Guildford, Northants and Newbury. As mentioned in the forward for the Society's Year Book "Photography is alive and well in Woking".
DR TIM RUDMAN WINS PRINT AWARD
At Surrey Photographic Association's recent Inter Club Competition won by Woking Photographic Society, there was an additional bonus for the Society. From the four panels of prints submitted by the clubs competing with one another in the final round the Judges chose an overall winning print.
This was "Yosemite Point" taken by Dr Tim Rudman who is a member of Woking Photographic Society. Dr Rudman, who practised medicine in Woking for many years, has had his photographs exhibited in international Salons in over 50 countries around the world and has gained many awards.
Among his many titles, Dr Rudman is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and an Hon. Lifetime Fellow of the British Professional Photographers Association. He recently held an exhibition of his work at the Lightbox Woking and is the author of many books on the art of photography and darkroom techniques.
He retains a special memento given by Surrey Photographic Association in recognition of his winning picture.
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The next
New Woking Jazz Circle
concert on Sunday 9th August 2009 at 8 pm, will feature :-
Scott Hamilton (tenor sax)
Enrico Tomasso (trumpet)
Rossano Sportiello (piano)
Dave Green (bass)
Steve Brown (drums)
On Monday 10th August, we will again be treated to a concert by Rossano Sportiello remembering what a fine concert we had on 28th September last.
Talking of fine concerts, when Enrico Tomasso contracted bronchitis, and was unable to play it was Mark Crooks who stepped in at the last moment to save the day, and what an evening we had! I was most impressed. We must have Mark back again before too long.
I have tickets now for Ken Peplowski and Alan Barnes on 27th September and I fancy we may get another concert in again this year.
I'll keep you posted as I get more news.
Alan Hearn.
The venue is the Parish Hall behind All Saint's Church at 564, Woodham Lane, Woking, Surrey.GU21 5SH (close to the "six cross roundabout")
Doors open at 7-15 pm.
Members £15, tickets on the door £17.
Send a cheque and stamped addressed envelope
to New Woking Jazz Circle,
5, Priory Close,
Woking, Surrey GU21 5TN. For further details
telephone 01932 406242 or e-mail
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The Arts Council for Woking is planning to repeat its successful showcase for members on Saturday 5th September in Mercia Walk, Wolsey Place, Woking.
We thought we might try slightly later in the year, so that most people will have returned if they went on holiday and get that autumnal feeling of new beginnings.
Last year we had ten ACW members promoting their activities and trying to attract new members. Woking Amateur Operatic Society provided face-painting and Jonathan Steffen strummed his guitar. Woking writers Circle, Knaphill and St Johns Operatic Society, Woking Society of Arts, Genesis Chorale and Woking Community Play Association all took part. Woking Photographic Society were particularly successful in signing people up, and it really is a great way to meet people and raise your profile in the town.
This year it would be nice to have a couple more member groups taking part, and it really gives a great impression of all the interesting things going on and all the creative people in the town.
If you are interested in taking part please contact ACW Chair Julian Keeley 01483 768797 or
And remember you need to have paid your membership subs!
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LIGHTBOX
Workshops for Summer 2009
Tues 28 July
Free Drop-in Workshop - Photo Frames
Recycle cardboard, paper and fabric scraps to create a photo frame to take home.
Drop in anytime between 1:30pm - 4pm. Suitable for children aged 4+.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Free Entry (Donations welcome)
Wed 29 July
Improving on Nature Workshop
Join Susan Attenborough who will show you how to combine natural objects with colourful scraps of fibre and yarns to make ornamental forms. Great for decorating your summer holiday finds.
10.30am - 12.30pm (4 - 8 year olds)
1.30pm - 4.00pm (8 - 12 year olds)
Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. All materials included. Advance booking required.
£10 per child, accompanying adult goes free.
Thurs 30 July
Drop-in Family Workshop in the Courtyard
Join us in our courtyard to make some large scale drawings to take home.
Drop in anytime between 1:30pm - 4pm. Suitable for children aged 4+.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Free Entry (Donations welcome)
Exhibitions
Wed 6 May - Sun 5 July
Visionary Victorians: British & European Painting 1850 - 1900, Pre-Raphaelites, G.F. Watts and The Symbolists (Main Gallery)
Take a trip back in time this spring and see the way the Victorians saw their world. The Main Gallery will be decorated with furniture by William Burges and iconic works by Pre-Raphaelite painters including Ford Maddox Brown and Rossetti, and Symbolist artists such as Eugene Carriere. The collection includes loans from our exhibition partners, the Watts Gallery and The Cecil Higgins Gallery and Peter Nahum. (Free Entry)
Tues 19 May - Sun 26 July
The Colourful World of Black and White (Upper Gallery)
Woking-based Tim Rudman is internationally regarded as a fine art photographer and known for his pioneering work in the beautiful process of the Lith print.
Free Entry
Tues 7 July - Sun 12 July
Woking College Summer Exhibition
An exhibition showcasing the next generation of Woking's Creative Artists. Featuring work from their Textiles, Photography, Fine Art, Applied Art and Design A level courses. (Free Entry)
Tues 7 July - Sat 26 July
Mary King Paintings
A retrospective exhibition that explores the work of post-war artist, Mary King. This 25 picture tribute consists of a beautiful selection of abstract images that depict King's true love of nature and ability to use and combine a variety of techniques on a multi-layered system known as her "Loom of Life" Series. (Free Entry)
Museum
Permanent Display
Woking Story
Visit our interactive museum, all about Woking from the 19th century to the present day, and discover what makes our town so special. Featuring our new `Local Heroes' - Alec and Sir Eric Bedser, the great English cricketing twins of the 20th century and a new military display on 100 years of the Territorial Army.
Free Entry, (Donations welcome)
Coming Soon
4 August - 1 November
Da Vinci - Inventions, Leonardo and his Machines
First showing in the UK, discover the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci through his inventions. Stunning full-scale models, interactives and smaller exhibits will be on display throughout the building and include machines for flight, war and civil engineering. The Lightbox is also proud to have one of Leonardo's rare original notebook on display, courtesy of The Victoria and Albert Museum.
Tickets: £6 adults, £4 children and concessions, under 3 free, family tickets £15 (2 adults, 2 children)
Sun 7 June
Brookwood Cemetery's Artists Walk
Organized by The Brookwood Cemetery Society, Jenny Mukerji will lead visitors on a walk visiting the graves of famous artists; including Pre-Raphaelite painters Marie Spartali Stillman, Evelyn de Morgan. To book your place contact Margaret Hobbs on 01344 891041 or email meghobbs@ascot75.fsnet.co.uk
Walk Starts at 2pm
£3 donation
General Events
`Late Fridays' at the Palette Wine Bar
The new cafe and wine bar Palette will be open till 9.00pm every Friday. Enjoy a glass of wine with friends, live music and special events such as wine tasting and film screenings. Free Entry (A small cost for some events, please see website for more details)
Friends Events
Monday 22nd June
Arundells - Former Home of Sir Edward Heath, Salisbury
Go on a conducted tour of the house and a visit to the gardens, combine your visit with a visit to the nearby Mompesson House (National Trust), The Rifle Museum and Salisbury Cathedral. Numbers are limited to 20 places.
(Tours of Arundells booked for 12.30 pm and 1 pm)
Advance booking required
£8 Friends (transport not provided)
To book call The Lightbox on 01483 737837 and visit www.thelightbox.org.uk for details of all forthcoming exhibitions and events.
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ACW is pleased to welcome new members First Dance Studios
SUMMER WORKSHOPS!
First Dance Studios will be holding a variety of professional workshops in all style of dance and performance over the summer months. These workshops are open to adults 16yrs+ and any level of ability. For more information, please contact First Dance Studios on 01483 750075 or email info@firstdance.co.uk
Tango - Saturday 27th June, 1.30pm - Beginners / 2.30pm - Intermediates. £8 per class per person
Bethan Ryland was the UK under 21's Latin Champion and will be teaching two tango workshops at the studio. The first workshop will be for complete beginners to the Tango and the second workshop will be more suited to those that have learnt the Tango before. People are more than welcome to start with the Beginner class and stay on for the Intermediate lesson - if they have enough energy!!
* All places on this workshop have to be pre-booked with First Dance Studios (01483 750075)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - end of June date TBC. £10 per person
Vicky Butcher trained at Italia Conti's and has performed on television as a dancer for Leona Lewis at The Brit Awards 2008, and for Same Difference on the X-Factor. She's also appeared in Channel 4's soap opera Hollyoaks. Vicky recently auditioned for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and will be coming in to teach the audition routine to Toots Sweets! This workshop is perfect for anyone interested in Musical Theatre or wanting to know what a professional dance audition is like!
* All places on this workshop have to be pre-booked with First Dance Studios (01483 750075)
Beginner Tap & Ballet. An introduction for complete beginners - Saturday 18th July 12.30pm - Ballet/1.30pm - Tap. £8 per person
This workshop is designed for anyone who has ever thought about taking up tap or ballet, but been too afraid to start a class. No ballet shoes or tap shoes are needed and each workshop will last an hour. The workshops will explain a little about each dance style and teach the basic dance steps, which will give everyone the confidence to join a regular class.
* All places on this workshop have to be pre-booked with First Dance Studios (01483 750075)
Belly Dancing - July date TBC. £10 per person
What better time than the summer to have a Belly Dancing workshop?! Melissa Hoare is coming in to explain and show us all the fundamentals of Belly Dancing - the exotic Arabic dance style. No experience is necessary - just some hips to shake!
* All places on this workshop have to be pre-booked with First Dance Studios (01483 750075)
Charleston - Saturday 1st August. 1.30pm-3pm. £10 per person
Come and be a First Dance Flapper for the afternoon! Katie Brewer (Director of First Dance Studios) will be teaching the basic Charleston and ragtime steps from the roaring 20's and putting them all together to make a full Charleston performance routine by the end of the afternoon. All dance levels and abilities welcome.
* All places on this workshop have to be pre-booked with First Dance Studios (01483 750075)
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THE OCKENDEN PLAY PROJECT
Promoted by Woking Community Play Association
THE VISION
Tales from Ockenden
A community play for Woking, a community Play for our times
THE VISION is a large scale community play for the people of Woking about the people of Woking -the project commenced in February and you will be pleased to hear that this exciting project is gathering pace, at the time of going to press we are currently waiting to see if we have been successful in obtaining a shop front for use as an information pod in Woking Town Centre, more on this exciting news in the next newsletter.
We are also delighted to announce The Arts Council have granted us the sum of £20,000, THE VISION is a play that embraces the whole community and everyone can be involved in it. This grant will help us achieve a high artistic standard.
We have 10 researchers giving up their time researching the huge list of files/archives etc at the Surrey History Centre, and are extremely grateful to the staff at the Surrey History Centre in particular the project Archivist who is working closely with the researchers. Some of the research information will be used for the scriptwriting of the play.
We are also extremely lucky to have a volunteer film crew made up of year 10 Winston pupils who are filming various aspects of the "behind the scenes" work that is going on currently from now until the play is staged in April 2010.
We recently held a very successful musical evening at the Lightbox where we had the chance to listen to Anna Tabbush and the Odd Socks who are the musicians commissioned to write the music and perform it for the play etc.
The official launch date of THE VISION will be the 17th September 2009
We currently have vacancies for paid positions of Theatre Designer and large-scale prop-maker, Stage Manager, Costume Assistant and Stage Manager. If you are interested in any of these posts please contact enquiries@thevision.org.uk. The closing date is 3rd July 2009.
We are also looking for volunteers to help in many different ways with the play. If you are interested please visit the WOKING COMMUNITY PLAY ASSOCIATION website or email enquiries@thevision.org.uk or telephone 07588 058503
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WAVS Volunteers Week
Woking Association of Voluntary Services ran a very successful festival on 5th June to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Volunteers week for local groups to encourage people to volunteer in Woking.
Volunteering can give you increased self esteem, help you make new friends and enhance your CV as well as making a difference to society.
It was a great day despite a bit of drizzle with a diverse range of organisations taking part. Each had been asked by WAVS to provide some kind of activity for the public and with quizzes strictly banned; everyone really had to put on their thinking caps to come up with something different.
I went round to talk to some of the groups taking part to see if they had had an encouraging response.
Surrey Wildlife Fund was demonstrating how to make "bug-hotels" out of bundles of bamboo, and had provided compost, seeds and pots for children to plant their own sunflower.
Rhys, James and Kat from Link Leisure who provide recreation for adults and kids with learning disabilities had recreated a soft-play area under a gazebo and showed me "Makaton Monkey" a toy orang-utan who helps in the teaching of sign language and they said they had had a good response.
The Woking branch of the Alzheimer's Society, who provide day-care, advocacy for dementia sufferers and a carers support group, proudly told me that their Woking volunteers had recently won the Queens award for Voluntary Services for exceptional volunteering.
North West Surrey Association of Disabled People had a "guess how many sweets in the jar" competition and were asking people to try out some aids to disabled living. Picking up a pen with a "grab-stick" is quite tricky, I can tell you!
Veronica Thomas and Wendy Pritchard who work for Victim and Witness support said that during the day of the festival several people had really opened up to them and revealed personal stories of being victims of crime.
I was there with the Community Play Association stand to publicise and attract volunteers for our play about the Ockenden Venture "The Vision" and we were asking people to put themselves in the position of being a refugee asking them if they had only a few minutes to pack, what would be the vital things they would take. Our headline "A Civil War has broken out, leave your home immediately" and a recording of an air raid-siren certainly spooked some people, but really made them think.
It was The York Road Project who got the Mayors award for the best display when she came round near the end of the day. Tony Hutt from WAVS commended York Road for putting together a visually arresting display on a shoe-string budget.
Brooklands museum brought along a wonderful vintage car, and Surrey County Arts displayed a selection of costumes from the Surrey Wardrobe, and with the steel band from BDB School, a bouncy castle and a five-a-side football goal there really was a lot to attract attention.
Well done to WAVS for arranging a wonderful and productive day for all concerned.
If your interested in either volunteering yourself or attracting volunteers to your organisation contact
Anna Molesworth