Small Talk - archive

Since August 1999 the Live Art Development Art Development Agency has been hosting quarterly artist's forums in The Coffee House on the Truman's Brewery site.

The idea of an informal space for artists to gather came out of the specific artists' focus groups we ran earlier this year. The discussions suggested that the need for artists to be able to get together to talk are needed now more than ever given the looming changes in the funding system, the scarcity of dedicated performance spaces in London, an increasingly fragmented infrastructure and shifts in the nature of artists' practices and concerns.

In response to this situation, the Live Art Development Agency's Small Talk forums are conceived as being 'agenda free', open and safe places for artists working in Live Art in London to come together, share information, exchange ideas and discuss a range of specific and general issues.

 

The first Small Talk forum took place at The Coffee House on Dray Walk on the Truman's Brewery site on Tuesday 24 August 1999 from 20.00 to 23.00. Thereafter they will be at the same place and time on:
Tuesday 30 November 1999
Tuesday 29 February 2000
Tuesday 4 July 2000
Tuesday 3 October 2000

We are very grateful to The Coffee House for their support of Small Talk.

Small Talk was initiated by the Live Art Development Agency in 1999 as a quarterly event where artists could gather to meet each other and discuss various issues and ideas in a safe and agenda-less environment.

Small Talk evenings were interesting and fun, but as attendances were variable and our host venue often proved unreliable, we decided to put them on hold from October 2000 and reconsider how best to provide a regular space for artists' informal conversations and meetings. Following discussions with various artists and after receiving unanimous support for the idea of Small Talk, we relaunched the series in September 2001.

The Small Talk in September 2001 looked at recently released consultation papers from the Arts Council of England and London Arts. It was a chance for artists to discuss the content and implications of 'Working Together for the Arts' and London Arts' 'Cultural Diversity Action Plan'.

The next Small Talk will took place on 1 July 2002 . It looked at Platforms and was cohosted with Catherine Packard, Gary O Connor and Cindy Sullivan from EEL.This Small Talk looked at the platform from the perspective of the artist as well as the promoter, at their expectations and their experiences with the platform as a first step into artistic independence.