Loss and Gain

Hello All,

I had an intensely creative and demanding day yesterday downloading the material I gathered in Poland for a series of new projects, along with those we have already been working on. 

The day started in the most extraordinary way though. Arriving at the office at our Malthouse Studios I picked up a message from a colleague to ask me if we are a registered charity as she had a cheque for a substantial amount of money coming our way. 

I have always wondered what that Lottery winner call would be like, and for a moment I had it. Not, I must add that the amount we are talking about is going to fund Arc in perpetuity! I wish. But its arrival on a day of creative planning and idea development was uncanny. It gave me that feeling of wonder that often accompanies unexpected moments of synchronicity or apparent magic. We most often disregard the power of these moments which demonstrate so clearly that however much we believe we are in control, its a far reaching illusion. It reminds me of that famous Tibetan proverb 'Life happens when you are busy planning other things'. I have always liked that, and indeed that's exactly what happened yesterday.

The sweetness of this money, which I will talk about more when its official, is that it comes at a time when we have suffered two losses with projects. This happens when you run a business all the time of course, but some cause greater pain than others. As some of you will know we had a fantastic time making and producing the 2012 pantomime Cinderella for the Broadway Theatre, making a profit for the first time and getting wonderful reviews and audience response. The project captured our souls and hearts and all those who worked on it brought themselves fully to it, for which I will always be grateful. Many of them will work together and with us again in the future I have no doubt.

For me the special ingredient in that project was love. And it exuded from every pore, the team, the audience and it warmed the theatre. Sadly we heard last week that did not win the business for the 2013 pantomime at the Broadway. Our initial reaction was one of utter shock and disbelief and then disappointment, anger and pain. Of course we understand that the powers that be have their reasons, and that there are always many perspectives and competing factors on decisions such as this, some of which we can imagine. Of course painful as it is we do wish them well as we care deeply about the future of the theatre but for the time being we need to move on. 

Interestingly the grief of the loss of this project also passed quite quickly. As I have so often experienced in moments of letting go, a revelation lies underneath that propels you even further ahead into new territories that were previously unimagined. You thought you were going in one direction, and you had set your boat with commitment on that course, to suddenly find that something happens that demands a change. The magic is that that very change can quickly transform from loss to gain, as the arrival of the unexpected money does for us right now. This money allows one of our project ideas to be realised without the need to fundraise for it. How magical is that? I feel like a big thank you to the universe is in order here! Thank you universe.

As I met with another colleague from Children's Services at the council in the small rather messy gap area at our studios, we could hear the efforts of a young singer, Olivia filling the space as she rehearsed a song with Phil who is now Arc's Director of Music. The sheer joy, hard work, mistakes and tries again permeated the walls as my colleague from Education and I talked about the essential nature of the arts for all children. It was electric and living example of the power of music to raise the spirit and and touch the soul. 

This ignorant government in their wisdom, and Michael Gove specifically appears to have no appreciation or understanding of the glue that the arts bring to society, that they are a fundamental part of humanity. His new curriculum virtually exiles them from children's participation and learning. He does this at his peril. 

I believe that we must join together and take this on, or our children will potentially be impoverished and lose the joys and pains of a life understood through art, music, drama and poetry. Of course that is the fear, but underneath it also lies its opposite. Art is defiant, beautiful, soaring, soulful, smelly and ugly too at times, and it will weave its way with stealth into every life one way or another.The dangers of course in this type of political regime is that it also weaves its way in as a subtle means of control of people, as in soviet times. More on this later probably.

An exhausting but fruitful day, including listening to a wonderful song and half a song that Phil and Olly have written together that makes your heart leap! All will be well.

I am going to take a blog holiday now for a few days to digest and reflect on the huge creative inputs of the past week. Might take myself off to Abbotswick.

Until then.

Have a good one.