User:J.skudkid/sandbox

History of the Arts Catalyst.

The Arts Catalyst was founded in 1993 by Nicola Triscott, who is now the Director of the organization and its programmes, Triscott is also a cultural producer and writer who specialises in the fusion of art, science, technology and community. Triscott also co-founded the microgravity interdisciplinary research group, as well as being co-chair of the International Astronautical Federation's committee on cultural utilisation of space. Triscott has written and published many papers and articles available from her profile on The Arts Catalyst website,which mostly concentrate on performative science and explorations of technology and space. She has also been involved in academic writings in such books as 'Interfaces of Performance.'

The first project funded by the arts catalyst took the form of a one man show, in the year that the organization was founded, Presented by Artist Jack Klaff. Klaff took character as an exceptionally rational scientist named Professor A A Singleton-Guiness (Also the name of the project.) A A Singleton-Guiness is a fictional character, who has apparently won the nobel prize on an occasion for keeping science dignified and untouched by the arts. In this performance, Klaff Performs Singleton-Guiness as a Hard faced scientist who is unconvinced by logical yet drastic conclusions within science, focussing his performance on comedic value, as well as the character’s opinion of nothing being true until proven, providing a cold and entirely relentless attitude towards unproven theories. Since 1994 the Arts Catalyst has managed to commission artists from around the globe on over eighty different projects, produced by over 100 artists, arts organisations and performance groups from specialist fields such as Live Art (art form) and the sciences, such as Kira O'Reilly, The Critical Art Ensemble and The Otolith group.

The Arts Catalyst not only commission artists to develop performance based works, but also have a large dedication to education, in 1994 the Arts catalyst launched a series of six week projects in primary schools around the country. The project continued until 2007, in schools (in underprivileged boroughs of London) such as Tower Hamlets, Merton, Lewisham, Barnet, Haringey, and wandworth [delete?[boroughs]delete?]. The project, entitled, ‘In Music and Science, consisted of music and science workshop leaders guiding sessions which eventually led to a performance by the students. Pieces composed completely by the classes were then performed at the end of this six week period. The project helped students aged six to nine learn about vibrations, patterns and the mind and body, directly correlating with the curriculum assigned for the students that term. The project resulted in the production of a Teachers’ Pack to support Music and Science lessons which were not directly linked to the project. Since the Arts Catalyst was founded it has helped develop performances and experiments, as well as symposiums, workshops and group participation sessions,low gravity flight experiments,family days and conventions.--J.skudkid (talk) 15:48, 28 October 2011 (UTC)

Important People

Along with founder and director Nicola Triscott, there is a team of Eight others who provide the administrative support that the company needs to operate to its full functionality, aswell as a board of Five trustee's, supplying support not only financially, but also by actively supporting the Arts Catalyst in roles such as strategic development and curational aspects. Below you will find a section on each of the 8 other Administrative Persons involved with the arts catalyst.

Rob La Frenais (curator.)

La Frenais began curating for The Arts Catalyst group in 1997, but has been curating and writing as a critic since 1987 in various countries throughout europe as a freelance curator and events organizer. La Frenais also founded The Groundbreaking Arts Magazine that played a vital role in the world of performance up until 1992. He also spent time as the artistic director of Belluard-Bollwerk International in Switzerland. La Frenais has a [[[pHd]]] in curatorial practise and is also an honorary Doctor at Dartington College of the arts. To Download Papers and articles by La Frenais, or browse his CV please visit: Arts Catalyst,Rob La fresnais

Gillian Dickie (Producer.)

Dickie has Produced work for the arts catalyst since joining in 2002,producing projects such as 'Interspecies' in both London and Manchester, and the International Artist Airshows(Versions 1 ,2 and 3.) Dickie graduated Edinburgh Art College with a degree in painting, and has previously worked as exibitions assistant at the Third Eye Centre in Glasgow, As an administrator for Blast Theory and as a producer for the Imlata Dance Company and People Show. Dickie Also worked as a producer in the film industry for a number of years, spending two years producing for Merchant Ivory Productions.

Jo Fells (Head of Marketing and P.R.)

Fells became part of the Arts Catalyst in 2009, After spending 9 years Involved with Large Institutions of art and culture, such as the Museum of London and several institutions that are part of the National Museums Liverpool. Fell only works for the Arts Catalyst part time, whilst continuing freelance work in museums, galleries and charities around the UK.

Peipei Han (Admin and Marketing P.R.)

Han works part time at the Arts Catalyst, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Her contact information can be found here.

Nahum Mantra (associate for space projects.)

Mantra is Events Programmer for the Kosmica series at the Arts Catalyst, as well as being the coordinator of The International Astronautical Federation's Technical Commitee onthe Cultural Utilisation of Space. (ITACCUS for short.)

Others involved involved in official administrative positions of the Arts Catalyst are Raffie Hosein (Accountant,) Ele Carpenter (Curatorial Associate) and Janet Scott (P.R. Associate.) --J.skudkid (talk) 19:36, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

Educational And Public projects.

As mentioned earlier in the History section of this entry. The Arts Catalyst not only fund performance based experiments and scientific experiments that challenge the boundaries that lie between performance and science, to present to what one might call a typical audience.The organization also attempt to make science more accessible for a wider public audience. Family days, workshops and symposiums are also developed and funded by the arts catalyst and the performers, scientists and forward thinkers involved with the organization. Triscott writes in her chapter from the text 'Interfaces Of Performance,' That in both the US and the UK, Artists involved in art/science experimentation field (such as The Critical Art Ensemble,) feel that:

"Their has been a disconnect between science's progress and society's involvement and understanding, and that people may not understand the implications of Biotechnology and its commercial applications." 

The Arts catalyst interactive projects form an interface for the public, without any discrimination towards age, to begin to gain accessibility to sciences and allow curiosity to inspire and spawn creative interaction within the field of science. A project presented and curated by the arts catalyst called 'Interspecies London,'(also presented earlier as 'Interspecies Manchester,) in 2009 combined a collective of artists and their work presented in a public space, the events performances, talks and workshops all revolved around the idea of working with animals as equals, and further understanding the relationship we have as a species with other species of animals, Works By Kira O'Reilly,Nicolas Primat and Antony Hall Where all presented as part of the event, along with talks from the curator, Rob La Frenais, aswell as workshops from Rachel Mayeri and Sally Hampson. The objective of the event was to create debate and inspire questioning, around the relationships we hold with animals , the power relationships and the way we understand these interactions and relationships. What made this event specifically important is its ability to utilize interaction to demonstrate and pass on knowledge.

Triscott is clearly attempting to remove or repair the tenuous connections and problems between science and the wider public, making experimentation and forward thinking more accessible to the general public. Funding projects that supply the audience with the inspiration to discuss and possibly even develop ideas further, attempting to fix the problem projected by The Critical Art Ensemble. Another project Funded by the Arts Catalyst ran with simlilar implications much more recently. Laboratory Life open Lab Was a one day interactive installation, supplying the public with on an interactive laboratory in which the public could openly enter and discover. The project invited young scientists, medical students and emerging artists to develop arts-science projects later showcased at Lighthouse in Brighton featuring such experiments as DNA tatooing and microbiological textiles, The laboratory was classed as an open house, giving the public free reign to visit and witness during the development of the project, allowing them to more clearly experience the development and organization of the project.--J.skudkid (talk) 17:21, 28 October 2011 (UTC)

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