Sculptor of experiences Ewan Allinson spins through a week of art, commissions and being true to Hip-Hop’s Freddie Foxxx: working from the ground up. Ewan AllinsonSwipe / click to begin WednesdayHere in wintry Edinburgh, I’m chained to my antique laptop. I have a collection of hats and today I’m wearing my CEO of Landscape and Arts Network bowler hat. The deadline for Westminster’s Countries of Culture inquiry was extended to this Saturday, enabling me to finesse my ‘constructive criticism’ of the UK’s arcane structures for public funding of the arts. Bring on the 21st Century. ThursdayI have a Skype call first thing this morning to Wolfgang of Aurora Nova in Berlin. He represents The AniMotion Show, which is the creation of Russian artist Maria Rud. I am its Artistic Director and there’s a lot to get done today. We’re launching a new work at the Edinburgh Fringe in August called ‘Peace/War’ in which Maria will be performing every day for two weeks with a flautist and dubstep DJ. Before this, the show is heading to a rock festival in Munich and an outdoor ‘happening’ in Shanghai. FridayI’m organising a symposium in September at The Bowes Museum called ‘Artists, Farmers and Philosophers’. There are a lot of elements to juggle and I’m drafting in some support to help coordinate the 27 speakers and contributors. The website and online registration is about to go live and the new Landscape and Arts Network website went live today as well. SaturdayI’m starting a carving commission in a friend’s garden today. The ‘brief’ is a Green Woman. I’m using Cop Crag sandstone from Northumberland, it has a glorious honey colour – I adore it. There is loads still to do but I’m happy with the brisk beginnings. My carving is so out of kilter with ‘contemporary art’ it’s hilarious. Anyway, the way I see it, our little crew of metaphysical mavericks is way ahead of the curve. SundayOf an evening, my twitter activity shifts to Hip-Hop so as to catch New York and Los Angeles. Twenty-odd years ago, I was amongst the first wave of Hip-Hop scholars and journalists. I bowed out in ’97 as the ‘culture’ morphed into a commodified travesty of itself. #BlackLivesMatter is bringing some sting back into proceedings, so I’m arranging an interview with LA underground legend Ras Kass to promote his crowdfunded new LP. MondayA day late, I turn my Dry Stone Walling Association calendar to May and, lo and behold, it’s my pyramid. Another day, another hat. I’m Vice-Chair of the £3 million HLF Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership in County Durham. I’m adding detail to our legacy document to secure a wider role for our cultural landscape approach in the North East. Artists are adept at taking in the full gamut of landscape interests and weaving together a narrative around which those interests can unite. TuesdayI’m travelling down to Newcastle today for three meetings. Two are to do with the ‘Artists, Farmers and Philosophers’ symposium and one is to do with the Landscape and Arts Network’s efforts to build a new grassroots infrastructure of artist/locality engagement. They all go well. Austerity is creating openings that independent arts initiatives can occupy, from the ground up. Later on, I read about Frisco 5’s 14th day of hunger strike. The next two days, I completely clear my diary to reach out and support. Ewan Allinson is CEO of Landscape and Arts Network and Artistic Director of The AniMotion Show. www.ewanallinson.com landscapeandartsnetwork.org Tw @EwanAllinson Arts PeopleLink to Author(s): Ewan Allinson Published: 09-05-2016 Log in or register to post comments