Digging out of winter
Been a mixed week. A mixed month. Quick and gone. Already. So fast, into thin air, evaporated. Where does time go? The month has been mostly spent worrying about over – due tax returns, loss of earnings, future projects that are on hold, building traffic and page rank for mutant space and looking and searching for new technologies, free technologies that will help our resource on its way. It’s been interesting learning about new methodologies, technologies. I never thought I’d find myself immersed in SEO, HTML, PHP and analytics (I was only vaguely acquainted with computers until 2004 and even after that it was only one finger typing in a word.doc until about 2008). The past year was a huge jump into a dark hole called web 2.0. And there’s only one way to go with it and that’s down – It’s a one way digging mission. It’s like the old adage, the more you learn, the less you know. Keep digging. You’ll get there. No you won’t.
I’ve been contemplating extending mutantspace.com into the UK. All that would be required is to create new bank and scrap store sections for Scotland, England and Wales. It comes on foot of an email I received after the radio interview last week. It was from someone working in The Play House in Liverpool who expressed an interest in what we’re doing and said that there would be many people interested in joining up. So what to do? I’d love to branch out (that was always the plan) but first need to find the money and second need to get in contact with alot of arts databases in the UK to kick start the whole process. Much work, much time and time is something I really don’t have at the moment. Currently, I’ve got daily updates on mutant space to keep on top of, the mutation ezine too run and mutant space productions to plan. Oh, yes and my day job to do which isn’t earning me much at the moment as events and venues are going down the tubes as sponsors are thin on the ground and punters have very little in their pockets. Did I mention I have a life too? The same as everyone else, we’re all in the same boat – it’s just a question of how we deal with the situation in hand.
The Arts Council Small Arts Festivals Scheme funding results came out this week – there are losses. There’s blood on the carpet. The reliance on the state for arts funding is well and truly gone, over, done with. With €9 million less to spend on the arts this year (that’s a 10%+ reduction on 2009 and bear in mind that the 2009 budget was a reduction on 2008) it doesn’t require an Einstein to figure out that it’s time for artists and organisations to begin looking towards themselves; to take responsibility, to find new ways of creating space, funding and opportunities to keep the ship afloat.
This year will be the toughest of the lot of them. No matter what the pundits say. This year is the key year, the one that will make all the difference in future years. We’re not over the worst, over the hump. We may be out of a cold, deep recession but the heat and warm glow of a rising economic temperature won’t hit us for many months to come. Having said all that, those that can hold on for their life, to their nerve, will come out smelling sweet. This is the opportunity to tighten up, focus, think long term and sow the seeds for a wonderful future that is ours if we start playing smart game now.
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