“The poet, therefore, is truly the thief of fire.
He is responsible for humanity, for animals even; he will have to make sure his visions can be smelled, fondled, listened to; if what he brings back from beyond has form, he gives it form; if it has none, he gives it none. A language must be found…of the soul, for the soul and will include everything: perfumes, sounds colours, thought grappling with thought” ― Arthur Rimbaud
Hello! Have you stolen any fire lately? Or found any to light your way or warm your hands against?
Scroll down for some resources, opportunities, and events, but first here is your monthly
Creative prompt:
“A scientist can pretend that his work isn't himself, it's merely the impersonal truth. An artist can't hide behind the truth. He can't hide anywhere.” – Ursula le Guin
Go and find the last piece of creative work – book, poem, film, performance, Tik Tok video, sand sculpture, dessert-recipe – that stimulated you somehow (positively or negatively).
Go back and look at it again with this question in mind: What has the creator revealed about themselves?
Was the revelation deliberate and explicit (confessional, celebratory, reflexive)? Or was it oblique and perhaps unwitting?
How did the revelation, or clues of possible revelation, manifest themselves in the creative work? What choices in theme, content, format, and execution did the artist make that showed you something about themselves?
Now go and look at something you created. Pretend you are a stranger. Ask yourself the same questions.
Did the answers come easily? Did they surprise you?
Resources
I have written a couple of blogs you might be interested in:
One is on art, the collective imagination, and futures literacy.
The other is about hoarding ideas: are you as good at finishing creative projects as you are at thinking them up?
And here’s someone else’s blog:
Content Catnip – a “quirky internet Wunderkammer” is a treasure trove of stuff that is fun, inspirational, unusual, and interesting.
Events
Ongoing: Check out the calendar on the CreaTures website for online presentations about future transformational creative practices.
Throughout June: The York Festival of Ideas has a smorgasbord of fascinating events happening online and face-to-face.
9 June: Those of you in the design or GLAM sectors might be interested in this session on museums and the climate crisis.
20-24 June: The International Society of Education Through Art: World Forum (Mapping: Education Through Art).
27 June-1 July: The Science Fiction Research Association Conference.
Last Tuesday of each month: Cultural Gardeners – Australian Cultural Alliance for Climate Action.
Opportunities
Apply ASAP: Ideas Island is a privately owned island located near Stockholm. Its owner lets creative people stay on it for one week during each week of the European summer either for free or (if you can afford it) in return for a donation to charity. I just received this email: “If you are interested in staying this summer, we got a cancellation for the week of 11 June - 18 June and for the week of 9 July - 16 July. If you are interested in coming on one of those weeks do send a short email to Maria@fredrikharen.com and tell her why we should give that week to you :) Stay creative. Make time to be creative. And dream big.” Find out more about Ideas Island here.
Due 14 June: Submissions to the Sur-REEL Film Fest, a celebration of the cinema of the unconscious. More information here.
Due 30 June: “… attention has turned to the global fantastic that extends beyond a handful of former colonial centres.” Submissions due for ‘The Global Fantastic’ IAFA Online Conference.
I know that the opportunities and events I list are always pretty random; they are things I stumble across on Twitter or in newsletters and which catch my eye. I like to see creativity applied in different ways and within a variety of contexts. This comforts me; even if I can’t go to the events or apply for the opportunities, I like the idea of people being active in these ways somewhere in the world right now. I hope you find them interesting.
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