Around Town
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THE BEST EVENTS, TALKS AND SPORT
at: Funk Fair Retro styles of all eras from Art Deco to the 80s. Great ideas for presents, or maybe you deserve a little something for just getting through November. Ego, Edinburgh, Sun 5 Dec.
3|! Illuminated Umbrellas Catch the last promenading performance in mysterious symmetry as umbrellas tell stories and play music. Part of the Rabita Project at Tramway. See art listings. Portland Suspension Bridge, Glasgow, Thu 3, Fri 4; Fri 10 8 Sat 1 1 Dec.
3!! Festival of Light As we approach the depths of midvvinter, the Hidden Gardens continue to shine lights in the dark. This fortnight it's the Jewish festival of Chanukah sparking up. Hidden Gardens, Tramway, Glasgow, Tue 14 Dec.
It French Market Ooh la la. Stock up for Christmas as delicacies from les marches francais get the juices going. Castle Street, Edinburgh, ihu 2-Sun 5 Dec.
33 Winter Observer Evenings Gaze up into the night sky through mega telescopes andreadthestarswith helpfrom the observatory's experts. Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, Fri 3 & Fri 10 Dec.
Cell males
A new initiative in Leith is all about action and a little talk. Ruth Hedges talks to Naomi Garriock about her plans for getting people together and cutting out the bullshit.
n a cold winter's night I’m walking down a
road ol‘l~ Leith Walk and hoping this was the
right decision. I got an email a couple of days bel‘ore and something about it got my attention. Nothing l‘ancy. no catchy concept or design. It was totally plain — some documentaries made by new lilmmakers were to be screened.
Suddenly an archway appears and through it a path. leading to some big double doors. Naomi (iarriock. who sent the email. ushers me downstairs to a dark room full of a ramshackle of chairs and people. a makeshil't bar and a video projector. This is what we're here for: some lilms and a bit ol‘ a chat with the directors. We see. among others. BAl’l‘A-nominated Yiiking ('innngs by liwan McNicoll and Hidden (ii/is by Nick lliggins. It‘s an excellent night.
Garriock has started the project (‘ell 77 as an extension of her role as artist in residence. She was offered space by Newhayen Ad Agency after it bought some ol~ her work at the 2003 lidinburgh
(‘ollege Art degree show. She sees hersell' as a kind ol‘
match—maker ol‘ people from dil‘l‘erent creatiye areas. lt‘s‘ unfunded and uses the basement room at no 77 Montgomery Street. Next week a famine workshop rounds off this lirst season ol~ ey‘ents.
But the story began a long time ago. back in the ()(is when yisionary psychiatrist Victor llood bought the building which then contained a printworks. It was passed on to one Edward Longbottom. who wanted to set tip a working studio where people could share a resource in a kind of commercial creatiye collectiye. Newhayen recently took oy‘er the premises on the
Wht sin
understanding that this ethos would be preseryed.
When I go back to talk to (iarriock a week later a gym horse in the middle ol' open plan ol'lices signals 'blue sky thinking': a big jar ol' lilying saucers on a desk conlirms it. What could. li'ankly. be wank. is not. (iarriock. mother ol‘ two teenage kids and recent l:( 'A graduate. won‘t let it be like that. 'l‘lie jargon ol'len used to my'stil'y and obscure art annoys her the plain email. The l'irst eyenl here. 'llello Neighbour“. brought together drawing and painting host-grads lrom l{(‘A. Newhayen. l'reelancers and the neighbours. Work was specially created tor the windows ol‘ .\'o 77 to be yiewed l‘rom neighbouring llats for two hours. '()n the night it was like Sew/inc Slrccl.‘ says (iarriock. Al‘tei'wards eycryone inyolyed came down to the basement l'or a drink and a hlelher.
Ken l)i\on. one ol~ the directors ol' Newhayen. welcomes the disruption. ‘lt stops its being just like eyery' other agency who pretend to be creatiye but become yery narrow.‘ he says. 'lt‘s a really healthy thing to see dill‘erent people in heref
(iarriock has big plans lor the second season to be launched in the spring. and she wants to get a bit ol' cash in. "l'here needs to be some sort ol~ economy. I have to play the btisiness game it. I‘m asking them to play the arts game.‘
It's where blue-sky thinking meets grass roots action. and all l‘rom a dark little basement. l’lainly speaking. it‘s a Very good thing indeed.
llL‘llL'L‘
Fanzine workshops run until Tue 14 Dec, Cell 77, Montgomery Street, Edinburgh, www.cell77.org.uk
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