In March UNION and Artworks Alliance, with support from DIY Theatre, Engage and Creative Encounters, hosted Tough Times: A Gathering. The gathering was part of a series dedicated to exploring the issues we’re facing in these challenging times, marked by divisions, polarisation, anger, and violence. 

Activists, artists and community workers came together at the Bridge 5 Mill, Manchester’s sustainable centre for social change, to engage in creative discussions, exchange practices and tactics, and, of course, make some art! 

We started with the question ‘What’s Going On?’ inspired by Marvin Gaye’s 1971 song. Using Open Space Technology, we organised into smaller groups to explore the question with creative writing, cutting and sticking, and theatre. We then came back together to share our thoughts and creations. 

Poem: What’s going on?

Weighed down by the world

FEAR

trickledown

Drama is everywhere

Theatre like touch tour’s

from Salfords to London

How do I say the names?

Insidious

parasite class

standing on the beach – looking over the water 

feeling my insignificance

My attention is like flying diamonds

struggling to hold on to my optimism 

capacity deficit

Then

TIME        resources

MOVEMENT

Creativity is accessible

a tiara of magnificence

LUMINOSITY

A poem by Anna, Laura, Charlotte, Anthea and Abi

 

Conversations continued over lunch, a delicious bring-and-share vegetarian meal contributed to by many of the folk who attended. 

For the second part of the day, attendees were invited to think about the question ‘What do we do next?’ and propose group sessions. Some chose to take a walk, others had discussions using prompts, and others continued to make art and theatre. 

We closed the day and circle as a group, sharing our reflections and insights from the gathering. As with all important conversations, new questions emerged, which we’ll continue to explore. 

The next event in the series is Tough Places in Leeds on the 22nd May. This event asks what the realities and opportunities are for those working in some of the divided communities around Yorkshire and beyond, the communities that, in large part, are now targeted by those putting up Union Jack and St George flags? 

BOOK HERE