What's on

Magic Me Director Susan Langford and Associate Artist Sue Mayo spent an exciting week from April 7 – 13 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as guests of SESC, a nationwide organisation of cultural centres. There are 32 SESC centres in São Paulo alone that house theatres, galleries, art studios, sports, IT and other facilities, serving members of all ages. Sue and Susan led 4 days' training, for around 100 managers and front-line staff, in using intergenerational approaches to get members of different generations learning and mixing together. SESC were keen to gain our insights and expertise to support their ongoing intergenerational strategies.

The trip was supported by the British Council, within their TRANSFORM programme of cultural exchange between Brazil and the UK, a legacy project linking London 2012 and Rio 2016. SESC is keen for Magic Me to deliver further training and consultancy in 2014.

SESC met Susan in 2011, when she was a trainer on a course in intergenerational practice, run by Dr Mariano Sanchez, at University of Granada, Spain. Keen to learn more, SESC staff visited London in June 2012, meeting staff and participants, and seeing Magic Me groups in action.

A SESC centre in São Paolo

This year marks our tenth project at The Women's Library and the group are exploring the lives of women who have made a difference. They are creating a unique performance featuring women from the history books and stories from their own lives, and those of family and friends.

As part of the project thegroup have launched a Twitter campaign to collect 1,000 tales of women that have made a difference. Help us make it happen by posting yours on Twitter using #wildwildwomen and  @magicmearts. You can also submit your story to Clea or post it on our Facebook page.

We are looking for adults 55+ for a a singing and storytelling project, Songlines, starting in January. You will work with Magic Me artists Surya Turner (writer) and Roshi (musician and singer), alongside primary school children from a local school.The workshops will finish with a performance for friends and family at Hoxton Hall, as part of theSpitalfields Music Festival.

Previous Magic Me projects have led to special and memorable performances, where participants have enjoyed showing off their new skills.Magic Me provides a friendly and sociable environment to explore new skills and ideas. You do not need any previous experience in singing and storytelling, just enthusiasm! If you have memories of the eastend please bring these with you as we would like to use these in the project.

Sessions run from January-June
At Oxford House E1 6HG
Thursday afternoons from 1.30 - 3pm

Places are free but limited, to book or for more details call Sarah on 020 3222 6064.
 

Detail and Daring by Sue Mayo with Charlotte O’Dair and Dr Caoimhe McAvinchey is a research report that explores the beauty and challenges of arts projects with young and older people, in particular Magic Me’s Weekend at Wilton’s in partnership with Duckie, January - May 2012. Two key questions frame the enquiry:

·         How do different art forms enable the building of relationships in an intergenerational setting? 

·         What is the impact on a creative project of a partnership that brings with it a high profile performance opportunity?

The report was launched at a seminar at Clifford Chance LLP on November 14th with presentations by Sue Mayo, Associate Artist Magic Me and Goldsmiths, University of London; Dr Caoimhe McAvinchey, Queen Mary, University of London; David Cutler, The Baring Foundaton; Chaired by Susan Langford MBE, Director, Magic Me.

Click on the thumbnail below to read our report online:

On 30th July our Cocktails in Care Homes volunteers were treated to a very special training course. Shoredtich House have desigend a retro cocktails menu for our parties and did a mixology session with our volunteers to show them the basics of cocktail mixing and how to prepare the items on the menu. 

If you are interested in becoing a Cocktails in Care Homes volunteer contact Clea.