Lyric Lounge Volunteer Meeting June 26th 2010

Saturday June 26th was the first meeting of volunteers involved with Lyric Lounge Leicester. We met at The New Walk Museum and Art Gallery – where the festival’s set to happen from July 31st to August 1st. John Coster (Editor of Citizens Eye), James Black (Citizen reporter) and Tara Gatherer (Co - Editor for Community Action Photographers) all came down to see what support they could offer in covering this event.

The festival is a long weekend of poetry and spoken word. 10am - 10pm for 3 days. Last year when it happened for the first time at The Y Theatre, it engaged just over 2000 people. It was more than 30 new commissions, 25 workshops, 10 open mics, countless one-ones and much more. Citizens Eye were keen to get involved this year, to see how things had changed and what Lyric Lounge had to offer this year. After a brief introduction with the other volunteers we were taken round the Museum and explained what each room was going to offer. Involving Poetry Film showings, workshops running throughout the day, open mic’s, main performances each evening, caberets after hours and even scribbling on paper table clothes in the coffee shop! There will be nowhere that is not taken over by poetry over this weekend. Keith Allott, the Lounge’s film maker will be involved in showing the 2 films throughout each day at the festival. The first, ‘The Kushi Film’ will be about a group of older Asian ladies – and their trip to the seaside, (Kushi means ‘happy’ in Gujarati, how splendid!) doing ceramic and writing poetry about the coast. Notorious Book Doc (Alison Dunne of Leicester Libraries) and Fiona Meagher (sensible ceramist) will be facilitating the sessions. The Book Doctor and filmmaker Keith will also be behind the second film: ‘Little People’s Poetry’, which is for 6-10 yr olds, and as we were touring around Arts Director of the festival, Lydia Towsey, managed to recruit one young lady (of around 7) as she was visiting the space exhibit with her father. It was from this point I could tell this event was going to be engaging and worth while. After a short break we knuckled down to the main issues, as this was the ‘Events and Promos’ volunteer team, this mainly involved coming up with ideas to promote the festival. Citizens Eye have offered to help cover the event with citizen reporting, blogging, and CAP’s involvement. We are hoping to document as much of the event and all leading up to it as possible. Before the end of the afternoon discussed was the brand new WORD! Radio Show, that was launched today, 5 weeks ahead of the festival dates. The show, hosted by Panj Pani and run by WORD! (the longest running poetry night in the region) will for the whole of July, specifically cover ‘The Lyric Lounge’ and manned by volunteers.

The first show: Lydia, Lauren, Tara, Yvette, Karen, Nathan, Kishan and Diviesh…and exciting guests to be announced.the next meeting for volunteers is on July 10th, 3pm-5pm, In store will be a proper in depth look at the programme, and a chance to catch up.

All in all, a most productive start to the lyric lounge happenings!

By Tara Gatherer