Young islanders are being invited to see the positives in lockdown and snap pictures of the landscapes they explore or the nice moments they experience as part of a photo competition.
Every Friday, Express presents a selection of online and offline exhibitions, performances, workshops, events and other historic and creative content to help islanders get their weekly dose of culture.
Here's this week's offering...
Pictured: The photo competition is for children aged seven to 16.
Glimmer Events Jersey, an educational pop-up events business, has launched a photo competition for young islanders aged seven to 16.
The theme of the competition is the ‘Lockdown Lift’ and the company is asking kids children to take a picture of some of the “more positive aspects of lockdown”, such as the beautiful landscapes they see while exploring outdoors, or a nice moment with their loved ones that means something special to them.
The idea for the competition was sparked by a series of online articles about the increase in screen time during the pandemic and how the current situation is taking a toll on young people.
In addition to “lifting the mood”, it is hoped the competition will spark youngsters’ creativity and encourage them to go outdoors to take some photos.
The winning shot will be selected by local photographer Daisy Barnard, who will be offering the lucky winner a professional shoot and sharing hints, tips and advice. She will also be editing the winning photo.
Daisy said she was excited to judge the competition, adding: “This past year I’ve been finding happiness in the time I’ve been given to explore my beautiful island with family and friends.”
The competition winner will also receive £50 in cash and the ‘National Geographic Guide to Photography’ book.
Budding photographers can submit as many entries as they wish until midnight on 28 February.
Video: The music video was filmed in Tom's childhood home.
Rhumba Club, the band of musician Tom Falle, has teamed up with Mystery Jets’ Jack Flanagan and “rising gem” Abbie Ozard for his new indie-pop single ‘(I’m Gonna Construct) An Image’ out today.
Following a string of high energy queer synth pop tracks, ‘(I’m Gonna Construct) An Image delivers a new vocal register and style for much of the single with Tom’s soulful vocals and playful lyrics taking the centre stage.
Filmed from his childhood home, the accompanying video shows the nostalgia of Tom’s upbringing as he ponders on the artifice in and around his life.
“An image is concerned with the construction of my identity, both personally and artistically,” Tom said.
“In my view, it’s part of the human experience to try and fit normative moulds - whether that’s through displaying the attributes of gender, meeting the expectations of your parents, or meticulously curating your lifestyle on Instagram. The track is about both the pressure to conform to certain ideas of success and masculinity whilst growing up, as well as a reflection on the image I have constructed as Rhumba Club.”
After a big year that saw the release of four singles - ‘2020’, ‘Pocket Machine’, ‘The Rhumba Club Is Waiting For Me’, and Guilty - as well as nods from the British Edition of GQ Magazine who listed him as number 2 in a list of new artists to watch in 2020 and Facebook who named him ‘Artist of the Day’, Tom is starting 2021 with a bang: ‘An Image’ is his first release through a label - Hey Hey Jay Records and follows Tom being named as a’ BBC Introducing 2021 One-to-watch’.
Paul Bisson is launching a satirical podcast called Blak Butter, featuring a series of comedy sketches with a distinctly local twist.
Pictured: In 'Blak Butter', Paul Bisson presents a series of comedy sketches with a distinctly local twist.
“I've always been a fan of satire,” Paul said. “As well as providing comic relief it's a great way of giving established views, ideas and assumptions a poke through a simple shift of perspective.
“The title of the show is a nod to Chris Morris’ late nineties’ Blue Jam, a darkly satirical radio show of which I was a huge fan at the time.
“In similar style I’ve used music to link the sketches together to lead the listener on a surreal journey touching on number-plate fetishes, voyeuristic seagulls and an attempted alien takeover of St. Brelade’s Bay.’ “
Paul is hoping to attract other comedy writers to the show, which he hopes to be able to release fortnightly.
ArtHouse Jersey has launched a new blog and podcast series, ‘The A Word’, to share insights from artists, creators and decision-makers who make the arts happen in the island and around the world.
Available on ArtHouse's website and Spotify, the first episode of the podcast is an interview with the new Assistant Minister with responsibility for arts and heritage, Deputy Kirsten Morel.
He discussed funding for arts and culture, the possibility of a cultural hub and the importance of the new arts strategy that he hopes will be completed this year.
With elections next year, Deputy Morel set himself three key goals for the arts and culture sector: funding, getting arts venues back on their feet and answering the question, ‘What do we want from the arts in Jersey?’
The next guest will be visual artist Sue Hill, who is the Associate Director of international theatre company WildWorks, and was the brains behind the 'Artist Lock-in' in Jersey.
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