27 min
Art, activism, authenticity & a touch of crazy! The Aperture
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- Society & Culture
Episode 6
BAFTA nominated international prize winning Lemn Sissay MBE joins Steph Cutler on this final episode of this series. They talk about the unique way in which creativity provides a means for cathartic expression, a platform for the truth to prevail and supports storytelling from the heart. They discuss the role of improvisation in uncovering ideas and innovation. Liv Torc provides an imaginative creative response
Transcript
Quotes & timings
4:05 “I didn’t know I was being an activist at the time.”
6:00 “…And maybe it is about mental health as well because when your core is challenged by being institutionalised you start to ask yourself questions.”
8:22 “Artists talk about not just the condition we find ourselves in politically, but the emotional state. Matching those two things is a powerful concoction.”
14:32 “Maybe as we get older we play less and we invest less in play”
19:38 “Your poems can be like flags in the mountain side of your own personal journey”
21:15 “Right now, Art and creativity is the best translator of the human being”
24:37 Liv’s poem
About the guests
Lemn Sissay
Lemn is a poet, playwright, artist performer and broadcaster. His work is renowned and award winning. He has read on stage throughout the world: from The Library of Congress in The United States to The University of Addis Ababa, from Singapore to Sri Lanka, Bangalore to Dubai, from Bali to Greenland and Wigan library.
He was the first poet commissioned to write for the London Olympics and wrote the official poem for the FA Cup.
In 2017 he launched The Equity and Merit Scholarship scheme in Ethiopia with University of Manchester. University of Huddersfield hold the Lemn Sissay Scholarship for Care Leavers.
His photograph is exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery and in 2020 he was the sitter in the final of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year.
Website
Twitter
Liv Torc
Liv Torc is a razor blade skating performance poet and performer. She is a Radio 4 Slam winner and former bard of Exeter. She is the current co-host of The Hip Yak Poetry Shack. She has performed at Glastonbury festival and runs the spoken word stage at Womad.
In 2020 she was chosen as one of four Siren Poets by Cape Farewell for a commission on climate change in the time of COVID and wrote and filmed a poem for the BBC’s Make a Difference campaign.
Website
Twitter
About the host
Steph Cutler is a speaker, trainer and coach. Her inclusion consultancy, Making Lemonade specialises in disability equality and she is a Clore Social Leadership fellow.
She was recognised as one of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK in 2018 on the Disability Power100 list and has been a judge since.
Huge thanks to VIPodcasting for their support and skills in producing this podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you access your podcasts from. Please leave a review and be sure to tune in to future episodes for more insights from social changemakers
Episode 6
BAFTA nominated international prize winning Lemn Sissay MBE joins Steph Cutler on this final episode of this series. They talk about the unique way in which creativity provides a means for cathartic expression, a platform for the truth to prevail and supports storytelling from the heart. They discuss the role of improvisation in uncovering ideas and innovation. Liv Torc provides an imaginative creative response
Transcript
Quotes & timings
4:05 “I didn’t know I was being an activist at the time.”
6:00 “…And maybe it is about mental health as well because when your core is challenged by being institutionalised you start to ask yourself questions.”
8:22 “Artists talk about not just the condition we find ourselves in politically, but the emotional state. Matching those two things is a powerful concoction.”
14:32 “Maybe as we get older we play less and we invest less in play”
19:38 “Your poems can be like flags in the mountain side of your own personal journey”
21:15 “Right now, Art and creativity is the best translator of the human being”
24:37 Liv’s poem
About the guests
Lemn Sissay
Lemn is a poet, playwright, artist performer and broadcaster. His work is renowned and award winning. He has read on stage throughout the world: from The Library of Congress in The United States to The University of Addis Ababa, from Singapore to Sri Lanka, Bangalore to Dubai, from Bali to Greenland and Wigan library.
He was the first poet commissioned to write for the London Olympics and wrote the official poem for the FA Cup.
In 2017 he launched The Equity and Merit Scholarship scheme in Ethiopia with University of Manchester. University of Huddersfield hold the Lemn Sissay Scholarship for Care Leavers.
His photograph is exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery and in 2020 he was the sitter in the final of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year.
Website
Twitter
Liv Torc
Liv Torc is a razor blade skating performance poet and performer. She is a Radio 4 Slam winner and former bard of Exeter. She is the current co-host of The Hip Yak Poetry Shack. She has performed at Glastonbury festival and runs the spoken word stage at Womad.
In 2020 she was chosen as one of four Siren Poets by Cape Farewell for a commission on climate change in the time of COVID and wrote and filmed a poem for the BBC’s Make a Difference campaign.
Website
Twitter
About the host
Steph Cutler is a speaker, trainer and coach. Her inclusion consultancy, Making Lemonade specialises in disability equality and she is a Clore Social Leadership fellow.
She was recognised as one of the 100 most influential disabled people in the UK in 2018 on the Disability Power100 list and has been a judge since.
Huge thanks to VIPodcasting for their support and skills in producing this podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you access your podcasts from. Please leave a review and be sure to tune in to future episodes for more insights from social changemakers
27 min