Folk event reconnaissance mission

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 04:19 PM

Anahata

We cross posted there.

There won't be anything on the site that indicates the local authority. That was the only way to get the boroughs, districts and unitarys to join in on this coordinated campaign.

Afraid only greater Essex venues and events can go on it. That is clear, due NI 11 funding and on-going survey of Essex residents to determine the success of the campaign to get residents take up cultural activities and to recognise when they have done so.

I am using info from EFN to build few profiles of folk clubs. Next I will do a few dance and morris.

Sorry I can't add and Suffolk info but i will look at it for my own benefit.. :0)

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 12:20 PM

Hi Ricahrd

I only need to put up a few that I know are going and whose info is up to date.

Then when the site goes live I can contact organisers of other clubs and ask them if they would like to put up information or if they are happy for me to do it.

The way the site is designed I have to put clubs up as venues not events, because the events database requires specific start and finish dates. Poor planning that there is no capacity for long term running events.

The annoying thing is if people only search on events, they won't find any clubs, unless someone adds an entry for each date they meet from now until infinity. And that is creating the same page over and over. Dumb dumb dumb.

Don't understand why the steering group did not make it clear to the designer that there would be continually running events. Just another data table and page. Simples.

Well we are stuck with the machine we have.

Thanks Sandra. There may be something like that available through the library. I will check it out.

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: treewind
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 12:17 PM

How amenable are organisers likely to be to having their events/organisations publicised on this website?

I've have thought they'd be delighted to have the extra publicity!

how should introduce the project without making it feel like "bloody govmint (central or local) pokin' it's big nose in

Why should it look like that? As long as it doesn't have irrelevant government stuff plastered all over the page I don't see how the problem arises. You could mention its provenance somewhere on the site ("about", contact details etc) and leave it at that.

EFN is a very good place to start for folk music in Essex.

Don't forget your neighbours: Suffolk Folk takes an interest in Folk music in Essex, especially the northern parts. Two regular contributors to Mardles magazine live in Essex, and the magazine lists club and events in Essex as well as Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. In fact the current edition's cover photo shows the Morris Ring's 75th anniversary event at Thaxted. I'll be happy to link to your site from the Suffolk Folk web site when it goes live. In fact if you'd like a news item published in Mardles please send it to me, [e-mail].

Anahata

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 03:19 AM

... crafters clubs and hobbyist painters and foreign language clubs.

Tam, you might like to have a look at a Sydney initiative - local Govt.s collect info about organizations in their areas & send to Community Information Database I've used it to find craft & local history groups & am also responsible for updating entries for 2 folk clubs.

sandra

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 03:03 AM

I think the most important thing will be to check every piece of information you gather other than directly from respective club organisers - and re-check it very frequently. You only have to go to existing internet information about folk clubs to find references to clubs that vanished up to a decade ago!

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 31 Jul 09 - 02:44 AM

Will do, Sue

and put in link here when it goes live which is end of August.

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: GUEST,Girl Friday
Date: 30 Jul 09 - 06:21 PM

Hey Tam. You can put FaB Club on there please..... EFN is not too reliable at present.. under new management and all that, so check out the info very carefully.

Here's a link to the website

Fab Club

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Jul 09 - 06:17 PM

Thanks Don

This website I will be working on is only for Essex events and venues, I am afraid. And I was asked to contribute from the folk side because I am vocal about it at work. It gets overlooked by the art development service but mainly because no organisers or groups are promoting it.

The obvious stuff is promoted like galleries, museums, libraries and theatres, etc. And to be honest I don't think the central government is looking beyond just the bleeding obvious "cultural" activity.

I am lucky (and so is Essex as a whole) that we have an Arts Development Service and who are open minded. I mentioned today about the crafters clubs and hobbyist painters and foreign language clubs. All of it is grass roots kind of culture that often is over looked. Head of Service said that is exactly what they want to see promoted through this campaign.

Well I will start tomorrow calling and asking a few organisers ans start putting the info up if they agree. The site is supposed to be set up so organisers will eventually be able to go in and add events themselves.

Would be great if there was a National database for this, but I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

Subject: RE: Folk event reconnaissance mission
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 30 Jul 09 - 05:52 PM

I would guess, Tam, that any organiser with sense will welcome ANY sign that Central Government is coming round to the idea that we actually exist.

I will want anything that I am involved in to go on the site, because it will increase the awareness of potential audients and performers, of the existence of venues that currently don't appear above the horizon of many websites.

A truly National listing should be invaluable, and when government finally realises how many VOTERS there are involved in this minority pursuit, they might even cut down on the excessive regulation.

How to go about it? Just ask! The worst that can happen is that some will say no. My guess is that there won't be many of those.

Don T.

Subject: Music & Dance reconnaissance mission
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Jul 09 - 04:24 PM

Hello everyone and especially organisers of folk clubs, music sessions and dance sides.

I have been charged to gather intelligence and invite organisers (as above) to provide details of events on the Essex exploreculture website (not live yet).

The website is going to include any and every type of cultural activity/event/attraction in Essex, UK that people might be interested in attending.
It is all part of the UK Cetral Government NI 11 Campaign to raise awareness of and participation in cultural activities.

As I am quite vocal about folk music and dance at the work place, the head of service asked if I would take this mission. I jumped! I plan to start with Essex Folk News Magazine to gather contact details. I figure since most contacts are phone numbers, it will be cold calling from list.


So my questions to y'all are:

How amenable are organisers likely to be to having their events/organisations publicised on this website?

What is best approach or how should introduce the project without making it feel like "bloody govmint (central or local) pokin' it's big nose in where it'ain't wanted."

I know I can get some really good advice here.

Please please please. I ask that we do not let this thread devolve into another why folk clubs are dying thing.

Thank you in advance for your contributions.

Tam