Appreciate The Art . . .

So. Our last day of poetry library installation at Norwich Fringe Festival saw us stack up another five members, two of whom, it has to be said, required a full explanation of what exactly the terms ‘free’, ‘poetry’ and ‘library’ meant, alongside the actual physical demonstration of how to borrow books in the ‘present moment’ (our librarian mimed taking, reading and placing back on the trolley a poetic title), which we thought was a bit much considering we were actually installed at an Art Exhibition innit, and thus it might not be a thought too far to realise that something slightly up, out and away of the usual might be taking place on the factory floor. Nevermind. Our librarian persisted, and these two members, once convinced of the merits of library membership in fact borrowed three items between them for several hours, whilst milling around the factory checking out the art. What did they borrow . . . ? One of the current favourites, Ho Chi Minh’s ‘Prison Diary’ was on their list, alongside ‘Poetry 1972’ which was favoured for the Ted Hughes and Philip Larkin poems it contained. All in a day’s recommendation. Job done! Five members also means . . . that Norwich slides into joint first position in the library membership stakes, alongside previous reigning champs Budapest, both with 34 fully carded-up new library members, with Prague stealing up the rear with a qaurterbacktastic 28. Maaarvellous. Meanwhile, back at the Factory, we also enjoyed some ART . . .

‘Indian Runner I, II and III (marble and resin)’ by Ann Richardson

‘Bronze work’ by Jen Fox

‘Sculpture’ by Helen Breach

‘Peoplescape’ by Chris Wade

‘Found Objects’ by James Epps

‘Thongs’ by Lena Ollmark and Marion Lindsay

We enter Thongworld . . .

‘Woman, man, why? Because it is a fish made from bicycles’ by Nick Ball

‘MOVE COUNTER MOVE ZUG UM ZUG’ by Jo Hincks and Susan Putnam Villers

‘ Portrait of Shirley’ by Keith Fox

‘Sculptures in wood’ by Sarah Caputo

‘Control Alt Delete’ by Papa 41

‘Digitally printed canvas’ by Richard Baker

‘Textile installation’ by Nnenna Anisiobi

‘Sticks and Stones’ by Rachel Greenwood

‘Cast (mixed media)’ by Andrew Campbell

‘Pomegranate’ Group Show

‘Slip (mixed media and cold cast marble)’ by Louise Richardson

‘Tide (mixed media)’ by Andrew Campbell

Norwich Fringe Festival: Library Members

We Keep On Truckin’ in a ‘borrowed’ shopping trolley cum mobile poetry library way

Hobo Road Style!

Art Innit

So. Norwich, it seems, after all, really is a fine city as since we’ve been here, we signed up 28 new library members, and we’ve still one whole day left to go. You know what that means? It means that if 6 members sign up tomorrow then Norwich is on a par with Budapest, currently crown champions of library membership. Can Norwich steal in there and grab their head gear? We shall have to wait for tomorrow to find out . . .

What’s going on tomorrow at the Norwich Fringe Festival . . . it’s all in a crypt . . . ooh spooky!

Total Library membership as of right now . . . One Hundred and Eighty! Yeah Baby!

Where we be . . .

Right. So. We are back in tha Nar-wich. It is slightly weird. Not least cycling around on Charlotte Morris’s bicycle which is stuck in third gear, only to find one’s own bicycle a few hours later conveniently chained up outside Norwich Arts Centre and ready to go go go. Luckily, this one librarian had her ELSHO device on her (see prevous post and diagram) which obviously has such useful things as bicycle lock keys on it. So we gonnagottabikeback innit! Hurray! Another bike with no brakes, dodgy gears and a very sticky right handlebar. At least it does actually belong to us though. Our librarian has also been heavy on the hardwork stakes, we promise, and Norwich has already thrown up and out twelve new members who signed up to the poetry library. We did our first stint at the preview for the Norwich Fringe Festival on Friday, and it was also our first exciting use of a stolen shopping trolley in order to be fully itinerant and roam around the Bally Shoe Factory with said library in tow to sign up members. We did have to stick a quid in the trolley to er, ‘borrow’ it from Homebase, which was our dinner money for that night, but hey, that’s the commeuppance of an Itinerant Librarian wethinks. Luckily, the people of Norwich have been fully forthcoming in the ‘Feed and House the Poet’ stakes so we are being well looked after. Apart from the events listed below, where we are setting up the library, broadcasting our radio show and facilitating some workshops you can ALSO catch the Librarian at . . . Norwich Arts Centre on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th October, from 12 noon until 4pm, on Thursday in the cafe/bar and on Friday in the foyer. Come along and join! Help Norwich beat Budapest in the library membership stakes! Or just come and laugh at our librarian! Whatever you like . . . we think we’ll enjoy it too!

Itinerancy Continued . . . (on UK National Poetry Day)

LIBRARIAN RADIO: Sundays 4 pm ’til 5pm (UK time) from 15th October up to and including November 5th

A one hour broadcast featuring spoken word readings of contemporary poetry, and exclusive to this broadcast, the highlights of our Itinerant Librarian's European Poetry Tour, including recordings of poetry in Slovenian, Hungarian, the sounds of the cities of Europe and interviews with poets from Vienna and beyond!

All backed to some fabulous ambient, soundscape music from the Leaf Label and others. Plus interviews and live sessions with poets and musicians; information on the latest literature and poetry events; and some damn fine tunes: Spoke; Jimi Tenor; HowlBackHum; Blue Note Divas . . .

Live on Future Radio 105.1FM (Norwich area) and streaming on a computer near you by going to the Future Radio site

You can also watch us on their webcamera. Erm. Yes. Thanks Future. It has taken us quite a few shows to realise we were being watched. Ooops. Big Bruva us here


Friday October 6th through to Sunday October 22nd 2006: 8th Norwich Fringe Festival

Itinerant Poetry Librarian seeks Norwich members. Dare you contravene our Poetry Library ByeByeLaws? Fancy picking a poem from our poetry washing line? Or borrowing some poetry in English, Farsi, Slovenian, Hungarian, German, Gaelic or Spanish (borrowing limited to the present moment only). We've just toured Europe & joined up 151 members in Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, Barcelona & London. Want to help make Norwich take the Poetry Library Membership crown? Then come on down & sign up today! To find out where & when our officious librarian is installing her library, text the word POETRY to +447797805300 (text charged@yr own network rate) & you will get a FREE automatic text message back with our current library address & times so you can turn up & join! For more information or if you have a poetry emergency email our Itinerant Librarian

Tuesday 17th & Wednesday 18th October at Norwich Fringe Festival

3-6pm Creative Writing Rocks!

Join 'inspiring' (The Guardian) Sara Wingate Gray from The Poetry Cubicle for some haiku, texting, performance and concrete poetry writing workshops. Learn how to create your own DIY pamphlet and record clips for radio broadcast. For children.

Wednesday 18 October, 7.30pm

‘The Naked Voice’ Poetry & Acoustic Showcase
At The Crypt, The Halls, St Andrew’s Plain, Norwich

Norwich Fringe Festival and New Writing Partnership present a night of poetry and song at this intimate and atmospheric venue with international poet George Szirtes plus Mark Miller, Mary Lovett, Ann Leech, Nathan Hamilton, Hilary Mellon, Bev Bishop, Sara Wingate Gray, Claire Hamburger and friends

Friday 27th & Saturday 28th October at YLAF, York racecourse

Itinerant Poetry Librarian seeks York members. Dare you contravene our Poetry Library ByeByeLaws? Fancy picking a poem from our poetry washing line? Or borrowing some poetry in English, Farsi, Slovenian, Hungarian, German, Gaelic or Spanish (borrowing limited to the present moment only). We've just toured Europe & joined up 151 members in Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, Barcelona & London. Want to help make Norwich take the Poetry Library Membership crown? Then come on down & sign up today! To find out where & when our officious librarian is installing her library, text the word POETRY to +447797805300 (text charged@yr own network rate) & you will get a FREE automatic text message back with our current library address & times so you can turn up & join! For more information or if you have a poetry emergency email our Itinerant Librarian

Activate The Poet

We've also figured out how to perform our PerformancePoetryArt installation, 'Activate The Poet' while touring round.

Wireless doorbells: aren't they great! Press Button to Activate Poet! This is one of the installations we performed at the Norwich Fringe Festival 2004, alongside our 'Head in a Box' installation. You can also see a video of me 'being activated' on the BBC's Video Nation site.