Future Radio

OUTPOST Arts Programme

3 May - 29 May 2004
25 October - 20 November 2004
9 May - 4 June 2005

Future Radio is a community radio station for the North Earlham, Larkman and Marlpit (NELM) areas of Norwich that first began broadcasting in May 2004.

OUTPOST has participated with a weekly arts programme, hosted by members Phil Gardner and Dave Ramage.

FUTURE RADIO INTRO TO OUTPOST:

 Though Norfolk is famously a county with a vast number of practising artists of all sorts, beavering away from Fenland to Riverside, until now there has been little opportunity for experimental non-commercial art to be shown. Commercial galleries cater for the art of the 3 W’s -  waterfowl, windmill and wildlife -  inherited from the great landscape artists of the C18th and C19th such as Munnings and Cotman, who thought up the Norfolk landscape and left an artistic legacy that has thousands of claimants. Young artists who graduate from NSAD and want to stay in the county have had few opportunities to show work and begin a career in Art that would culminate in success

The major galleries – Castle Museum, Norwich gallery and Sainsbury Centre - do not feature the work of local artists in a way that can be relied upon to assist emerging artists’ career projectories. So young artists graduating from NSAD pack up and set off for the gold-paved streets of East London, where critics, gallerists, customers and careers eagerly await the talented and single-minded.

 Many listeners may remember the Contact gallery, an artist-led gallery in St Benedict’s street, which had a successful run before collapsing under the weight of council expectations and artistic interests.

Other than that, small independently run  galleries like the Warheouse, the Frontier and the Queen of Hungary have provided some opportunities for innovative exhibitions that push the boundaries of what the artists of 2004 want to try out.  The downside has been lack of funds, with consequent low attendance, unremunerated artists and few means to make the most of their ideas. The classic situation for contemporary Norfolk artists is to be offered an empty shop space, free of charge, for a fortnight, to exhibit for the sheer pleasure of it.

Norfolk artists have cast envious eyes at cities of similar size and cultural aspiration, such as Cambridge, Bristol, Glasgow, Exeter, which have small but nationally recognised exhibiting spaces of their own, where exhibiting your work counts as a vital step in climbing the career ladder that will lead to your one-person show at the Tate.

Frustrated by this need for a properly supported exhibiting space, six artists are opening a gallery in Tombland.  Till September, the old scout hall that housed the Ironbed Company was snoozing under the dimming rays of a soggy Norfolk Summer. On November 3rd it opens with a blast of  noise and colour, our own white cube with a hot one-man show by Andy Marsh. Confidence in the project is proved by the generous grant given us by the Arts Council, which will underwrite our ambitous programme.

Andy’s exhibition, Siege Music, sets the tone for future exhibitions at Outpost, having both a Norfolk and a national aspect.  Andy graduated from NSAD and has been working in one of London’s most prestigious contemporary art galleries – the Showroom, but wants a chance to air some great new work in his home county.  Outpost offers him a first rate exhibition space in the cultural centre of Norwich, supported by experienced and passionate artist/curators who will make certain loads of people enjoy his one-man show.

Oupotst has plans to offer its members the chance to show their work in the gallery, as well take part in events such as talks by the exhibiting artists about their work; critical sessions; taking part in international exchanges to cities that twin with Norwich; visits to special events such as the Liverpool Biennial; and  professional practise sessions by specially invited experts.

The new gallery plans also to take part in next year’s Norfolk Biennial, when the artistic focus swings from this year’s massive Biennial event at Liverpool to Norwich.  By next July, with 9 terrific exhibitions under our belt, we will be up there in the forefront of the nation’s great venues.  Confidence in the project is proved by the generous grant given us by the Arts Council, which will underwrite our ambitious programme

“This is a jingle
to tell you
that I’m about to
have a discussion
with somebody
about their collection
or collections
and their ideas
about collecting
and how collecting
might relate to life.
This discussion
is part of a series
of discussions
that make up a collection
of discussions
that is called
“Collecting Collectors”.”