Arts and Cultural Events Diary

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LOL (LOTS OF LOVE) Friday 10 February
Rose Theatre, 24-26 High Street, Kingston

Luca Silvestrini’s award-winning dance company Protein is coming to Kingston’s Rose Theatre this February.

For their first visit to the Rose, Protein will be bringing their critically acclaimed piece, LOL (lots of love), hot on the heels of a highly successful tour and run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2011. LOL (lots of love) has been nominated for UK Theatre Awards and National Dance Awards in four categories, including Best Modern Choreography and Outstanding Achievement in Dance and Best Female Performer (Sally Marie). In an age of electronic communication this timely, critically-acclaimed production puts its six dancers on a quest for romance. Against a video wall of dozens of screen-gazing individuals, Protein’s cyber souls stylishly nail the language of life online. Tickets £8 to £12. Box Office: 08444 821 556 (booking fee), or in person. Protein will be delivering dance workshops as part of their performance in Kingston, supported by the borough's Arts Office.

“Exhilarating and funny … his best creation to date”

Guardian

“Savvy, highly entertaining dance theatre”

Times

“Right on the zeitgeist and on peak form”

Metro

Recommended ages 14 yrs +

In 2012 Kingston's residents and visitors will be able to enjoy in a programme of events as part of  London's Olympic celebrations. In Kingston our fourteen week programme of events will start on 2 June to coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Key events and dates will include:

2 - 5 June - Kingston Aviation Festival & opening of Kingston's Cutural Olympiad programme
5 - June - All Saints Kingston Jubilee Family Fete
24 June - Kingston's Big Sing
29 June - 22 July International Youth Arts Festival
2-8 July - Kingston Regatta and River Festival
15 July - Dragon Boat Challenge
2 September - Kingston Carnival

The full Cultural Olympiad programme will be added to this page at the end of February.

Volunteering is one of the key legacy commitments of London 2012. If you would like to be part of our Cultural Olympiad programme and would like to volunteer at one of our events please contact: GKV@gokingstonvolunteering.org.uk

Sunday 24 June, 1pm to 5pm

To celebrate the Olympics in Kingston choirs are invited to join the Big Sing, a huge outdoor participatory music event.  We are looking for choirs and participants of all ages to get involved and get Kingston singing with us. All you need is lots of enthusiasm and the willingness to learn a few new pieces in your choir. We'll be covering rock, pop, classical and many different genres. To register your interest and find out more please contact Kathryn Woodvine, Arts Manager. Email:  kathryn.woodvine@rbk.kingston.gov.uk or Sarah Lee, Kingston Music Service: Email: Sarah.lee@rbk.kingston.gov.uk  

To celebrate the Olympics in Kingston we are inviting composers of all styles and genres to enter a competition to write an 'Anthem for Kingston'. In addition to a £500 prize, the winning work will be premiered at the Big Sing and at other key Cultural Olympiad events in Kingston. The winning piece will be for choir (with optional keyboard accompaniment) and must be accessible for singers of all ages and all levels. Maximum duration 4 minutes. Deadline: 5pm, Friday 30 March 2012. Submissions to be sent to Dr David Osbon, Head of Collegate Music, Kingston University, Coombehurst House, Kingston Hill, Kingston KT2 7LB. Further details from: d.osbon@kingston.ac.uk

29 June to 22 July 2012

Applications are now open for the 2012 International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF). Organised by Creative Youth the International Youth Arts Festival is rapidly becoming one of the largest and most diverse youth arts event in the country. From 29^th June -22 July 2012 the streets and venues of Kingston will come alive as young people from all over the UK and Internationally bring the very best young artists, actors, directors and performers to Kingston. Applications remain open until the 31st January 2012.

Applications are open to any arts projects involving young people (5yrs – 26yrs) involving young people as performers, creators and artists or as producers and event managers. IYAF is also happy to receive applications for adult work which is specifically targeted at young people.

Applications are by post only. Guidelines and applications forms available from the International Youth Arts website - see link below.

Thursday 2 and 9 February from 6pm to 8pm
Walden Hall, Music Department, Tiffin School (off London Road)

October's Children is the fascinating story of a gang of homeless children who struggle to survive in the cellars of St. Petersburg during the Russian Revolution. They are thrown into the company of Natasha, a young aristocrat, lost and bewildered by the riots and turmoil in the streets of the city, as Lenin and the Bolsheviks confront the Provisional Government.  Written for The National Youth Music Theatre by Frank Whately, Jeremy James Taylor, and David Nield, who directed the original production at Edinburgh’s International Festival . The cast ranges in age from 8 to 26, and numbers about 24. The singing roles are relatively simple, except for Natasha who needs to be an accomplished mezzo-soprano of  16 -23. There will be a course fee of £25 for those who are successful in the audition. If you wish to audition, please email octoberschildren@gmail.com stating your age, phone number, and which of the two dates you prefer.

This new workshop production will be performed at the International Youth Arts Festival in Kingston in 2012.

2 - 29 January 2012

cornerHOUSE Community Arts Centre, 116 Douglas Road, Surbiton KT6 7SB

The cornerHOUSE will be running their annual Community Canvas Exhibition. For just £2 you can collect a canvas and submit your own work of art which will be included in the Exhibition. All canvases must be bought from the cornerHOUSE to ensure works of art are equal in size - these will then be judged anonymously. Work should be submitted on either Saturday, 31 December between 9am and noon, or Sunday 1 January  between 9am and noon, when it will be registered, and your details taken. The exhibition will run from January 2 until January 29, at the same time as the ever popular annual cornerHOUSE panto which this year will be Alice in Darcyland. More details available from the cornerHOUSE website.

28 January – 24 March 2012
Kingston Museum, Wheatfield Way, Kingston KT1 2PS

I see myself as a composer, colours being my keyboard and media, the instruments through which I embellish ideas and create meaning.”

For the first time in decades, Kingston artist David Whitaker’s (1938 - 2007) visually fascinating art will be on show to a Kingston audience in a major exhibition celebrating his career at Kingston Museum. Spanning five decades, David Whitaker: Composer of Colour is a retrospective exhibition that groups together work from his fascinating career.

At the age of thirteen Whitaker enrolled at the Blackpool and the Fylde School of Art before moving to London.  He was accepted to the Royal Academy Schools in 1962, where he explored landscape painting, then graduated as a painter of abstract works.

He finished his studies at the Royal Academy (1962-66) with a Distinction in Painting and was the first nonfigurative painter to win an Art Review Prize (2000). Whitaker taught at Wimbledon School of Art from 1984-2001, where he was able to run numerous colour workshops and projects alongside students. Although he continued to paint at this time, he rarely exhibited, and not at all with commercial galleries.

The New Malden Arts Association is looking to recruit new members. Established 45 years ago, it meets once a month and provides the opportunity for anyone with an interest in art and art history to come together to learn more about the subject at their monthly meetings.

Everyone is welcome - from the accomplished artist to those just dipping their toe in the water. The Group meets once a month at The Malden Centre, Cocks Crescent, Blagdon Road, New Malden, on a Friday afternoon from 4.00pm to 6.30pm  for its varied programme of lectures, demonstrations, competitions and picture criticism. If you would like to join this relaxed and friendly group please email Joyce Clay: joyceclay137@btinternet.com