The road to everywhere

It's now 10 hours until I leave for 5 weeks' work in the UK and Hawaii. For the next 35 nights my friend Claire and I will be sleeping on planes, in hotels and on friends' lounge suites on a whirlwind tour of creativity, inspiration and social innovation. Check out my new website, my itinerary below and come back regularly for updates on the trip...



16-24 March | Newcastle, UK
I take up a position as one of five international arts practitioners funded by Arts Council England, North East to visit the region between November 2007 and March 2008. The Inspiring Internationalists programme is “seeking to develop seminars and events that will bring international creative practitioners to our region for dialogue, debate and inspiration”. The Arts Council has chosen “high profile practitioners, thinkers and policy-makers operating internationally to contribute to this programme.” I'll be working with Disability Arts organisation arcadea, who will host me during my one week engagement.

Activities include:

❏ 2 hour meeting with the Board of arcadea
❏ 3 hour meeting with arcadea's Director
❏ 2 x 3hr workshops with Disabled artists
❏ 3 hour seminar with the wider arts community
❏ 20 minute performance to launch the Mimosa Lecture 2008.
❏ TBC 1-2 days one to one mentoring with arcadea's director

24-31 March | Oxford, UK
I'll be attending and presenting in the “Orange Programme” at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship – an international event attracting nearly 700 social entrepreneurs, thought leaders, policy makers, corporate representatives, financiers, philanthropists and students from more than forty countries. For three days, we will attend a series of plenaries, panel discussions, workshops and academic presentations designed for learning, problem solving and community building.

31 March-4 April | Manchester, UK
I'll be the keynote speaker at Fayre Exchange Artist Development and Networking Event 2. Their publicity says, “Fayre Exchange is committed to the individual professional development of disabled artists at any stage of their career. We recognise how ‘effective networking’ can play a key part during events and will provide a platform for individuals to share information around individual experiences, training, funding and professional development opportunities. It will encourage open dialogue, paying particular attention to professional development needs. Solution focused and action orientated, our aim is for everyone to go away with something that will contribute to their own individual professional development.”

5-8 April | Devon, UK
In-conversation with Philip Patston, part of the Entrepreneur ‘in-conversations’ – This is part of a programme of events bringing together inspirational entrepreneurs in dialogue with an invited audience, putting a spotlight on cultural entrepreneurialism and inspiring emerging entrepreneurs. The event is hosted by the Cultural Leadership Programme work-based learning networks.

12 April | Honolulu, Hawai’i
And last but not least I'll be making two presentations at the Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities at Hawai’i University, Honolulu. With its beginnings dating back to 1985, the Pacific Rim Conference has evolved into one of the top rated international educational offerings for and from persons with disabilities, family members, researchers, service providers, policymakers, community leaders, advocates, and nationally recognized professionals in the various disciplines in the diverse field of disabilities.