CYBL Art Project in January and A Letter From Jen Ruskey

[Cemre]

Dear Bold Leaders From all Programs,

This is a note from Jen Ruskey. Those of you from the 06,07 & 08 programs all know me. Those from 05 & 04 I look forward to meeting you! I am writing you via this Bold Leaders from the August 08 program to accomplish two things.

1. To inform you about an upcoming BL project Saturday January 31, Sunday February 1 & Saturday & Sunday Feburary 7, 8 2009.
2. To gather information from you about your level of participation in the project.

Bold Leaders – Tile Mural, Inspiration, Installation and Celebration
This project began with a small tile project with the Cyprus Bold Leaders in July and August, 2007. The participants were given a physical design already in bisque clay to interpret in a meaningful way and then to decorate accordingly. This central circular design was then expanded upon by subsequent Bold Leader Programs ending with the August 08 group who have “value tiles”. Currently the various tiles are scattered around the island.

My vision is for a project spanning two weekends Jan31 –Feb1 AND Feb 7th-8th

The first weekend Jan31st –Feb1st would involve workshop activities on both sides of the island. One workshop delivered on Saturday in the South, and one workshop delivered on Sunday in the North. Both workshops would be open to all participants and be located in a “hub” area where transportation issues could reasonably be facilitated. The workshops would include art & writing (possibly music & theatre) structured around the platform of “Inspiration, Installation and Celebration”

The second weekend Feb 7th-8th would take place within the buffer zone and in nearby facilities (on both sides?) The activities would revolve around the installation of the tile mural and other “beautification” projects on Saturday (as well as preparations for the Sunday celebration with food, music, (theatre?) Sunday would be an unveiling of the mural with an afternoon of celebration with great food, music and theatre.

The Objectives of this project are:
1. To gather Cypriot Bold Leaders from many years
2. To install a beautiful work of permanent public art
3. To learn more about ourselves in the workshops
4. To celebrate with art, music, theatre and food
5. To add to the public awareness of “Bold Leaders” in Cyprus

Will you please respond to the following questions? The Bold Leader who sent you this e-mail will gather this information to facilitate our next steps and will contact you accordingly.

Are you interested in participating in this project?
Do you have a tile from any of the 07 – 08 programs only.
Would you be willing to pay 25 euros for food and materials for the workshops?
Do you want to participate in one of the organizing groups to make this happen?
Which of the following groups are you interested in working with? *(more detailed descriptions of each job area is below.)
1. Communication
2. Transportation
3. Finances
4. Program
5. Celebration
6. Public Relations

Communications: This group would create and provide a communication network that would insure that every BL be contacted directly by phone and notified of the project to determine 1.) who is interested and or available to participate, THEN: the project progress, local components of the project, transportation options and solutions, opportunities to get involved, etc. THIS must be set up first!!!
Transportation: This group would identify local transportation needs for the two weekends and find solutions for all who want to attend.
Finances: This group would create a budget for the many aspects of the project. They would also locate financial supporters, create local fundraisers as well as keeping track of the actual spending reports needed for overall success.
Program: This group would design and deliver the workshops for the first weekend. This could be a big or small group depending on the numbers of participants. (This is why the communications group is first on the list.)
Celebration: This group will ORGANIZE the second week in the following categories:
Location / Permission / Supplies / Program / Food / Entertainment
Public Relations: This group would create and facilitate information and connections to the public for a positive cultural sharing (on both sides)


Thank you for your interest and support
I Love you all,
Jen

P.S:People who have tiles(mostly 07 and 08 groups) if you won t be able to make it...pass your tile to someone that wil ltake part in the project...thanks

[andrea eleanor godshalk]

cool this discussion is started here. I am on a learning curve with this forum. thanks sweeties for the messages on my own personal page. i am learning about all the "rooms" on this forum. Ok so the mosaic in the end of january ARE you All Up For it! now that you are seasoned organizers with the concert and all.


So i know there is discussion going on about this project on email and by phone but i wanted to give energy to this space as the project gains momentum.

i just spoke with jen and she said there are bold leaders hard at work on this gathering the bold leader tiles that you all made when you were in colorado and gathering other tiles as well.


perhaps the people who have been working on this with jen could fill me in via this forum so others who are interested can be filled in as well?

is it true that there is a wall already arranged on the cafe? it is so great that you all are enrolling that cafe which is in the buffer zone and near the embassy. first they were interested in putting your art up now they are interested in having a mosaic on the wall, which is a gesture of very deep partnership.... and that will lead to all sorts of other things. Are they interested in having live music... you know a lot of bands. Poetry readings? Hosted conversations... open to the public facilitated by bold leaders.

who is gathering the tiles up?
if the wall is agreed on would someone get the measurements and take a picture of it... a "before" picture?

love you all looking forward to this

Andrea

[costas]

Andrea nice to hear from you. At the moment we are trying to contact and reach every boldleader about this project in order to know how many will participate. The tiles will probably be brought by each Boldleader to the project unless if someone can't partcipate on them dates he can give it to another Boldleader that's coming.

[Filia]

Hey !!!!! Thanks Cemre mu for taking the initiative to post the event! It's been a long to hearing from you Andrea, happy about seeing you here!
Well, there are some BL's responsible for gathering as Costas said. A BL for each group. We have already sent an email and we are trying to contact the BL's with tiles in order to gather all of them and to make them take part in the project.
Also I want to tell every BL who has received the email, to respond. Reply to their gorup responsible BL on email or answer by writing on the walls here on the site. Make it easier for all of us, take part!
I am looking forward to seeing you active!

[andrea eleanor godshalk]

hi friends sounds good gathering the tiles.

also i have heard there is conversation with the cafe in the buffer zone to put the mosaic on that wall. will someone please up date here about that cafe... did they host your art? is this a place for concerts, poetry readings? If someone would take a photo of the cafe... a "before" picture because after the mosaic the who space will be transformed with bold leader energies.

As you gather the tiles and the energy of making the mosaic perhaps the musicians can coordinate a concert.

here is a great web site to check out about what is possible with large scale community art.

http://www.barefootartists.org/

you all are amazing keep going big BiG!

andrea

[costas]

Yes Andrea we are actually working on finding a place where it could be viewed by many people somewhere where a lot of people passs through every day and it is easy to see it. The cafe is one of the options we are looking at.

[andrea eleanor godshalk]

how is the dialogue going with the cafe? would that wall be a good place for viewing. also think about would the cafe be a good space to develop for other events. a perspective about the mosaic is that you are not just decorating a wall but initiating a space... publicly. the space can continue to evolve.

who has spoken with the cafe already? I think Cemre 2008 peer leader has had contact with them... though i am not sure. it would be good to find this out so that you all are able to communicate in a organized and coherent way... there by saving time for the people at the cafe and training them to take your ideas and ability to follow through seriously.

engage them... and yourself in a conversation of possibilities.

love you.

andrea

[jennifer]

Hi Andrea,

I have gathered from the BLs and from Anna at Fulbright that the cafe is limited in terms of historic significance AND usage. I guess it is a private owner and not really frequented by many. Both Anna with Fulbright and Juilette with the Embassy said they would keep thinking about a likely and significant site. Really though WE NEED TILES the most!!!!!

so far we have not gathered any and it will be a joke to arrive to set it up and not have the 07 tiles especially. WE DESPERATLY need the 07 groups to be reached and to get their tiles NOW!!!
I can make some here to suplament but we need those initial tiles.

[Doros Nestorides]

i will participate, and i dont mind in being in any of the groups. for example, if a certain group needs more members, i can get in that group. I would like to be in the Celebration group mostly, but as I said, I can be in any group.
Glad to hear from all of you!

[jennifer]

Awesome Doros!

You are the first to CLAIM an area to work on! So you know what that means - TA Da You are in charge! It will be GREAT! Here is what I know so far about the celebration. Fulbright has agreed to let us use their space as a starting point. Ellada - an 08 escort belongs to a bi-communal theatre group and they have agreed to either work with the BLs to make a theatre piece (likely improvisational) or to present one of their own. Anna from the Fulbright wants to invite local dignitaries.

What we need and do not have is: 1 - FOOD and drink donations, Music, Other ideas???
I would recommend that you find at least two other BLs to join you in this part of the project.
Keep me posted!!!!

[costas]

Jen for the music iu think we can ask the bands that played in the rock concert to also take part in this project!!

[OMORfos!!!!!]

hi guys i can't wait for this to happen! I' M so there

[Iacovos]

so guys obviously we need to collect the projects parts so we need to arrange small meetings for every district and let one person have all the tiles..
for example i can collect the larnaca tiles.. how about we meet on phoinikoudes somewhere on monday 3rd november at abt 3 pm.?
please inform anyone you know from larnaca district and tell them to text me on this number : 99 123 568.

everyone who wants to arrange other meetings in other city write it down here and http://www.cyprusboldleaders.info/.
thanx..