Give it a go...what's the worst that could happen?

By Thurms



What is the image of cultural exchanges? To some it is a week off where they can spend the week at home and relax because lectures and workshops are cancelled for one whole week. To others it is an opportunity to see some of the most inspirational people (that were available and could be bothered to talk to a load of university students) in Britain. Until about a week ago i was definitely one of the stay at homies, having a week relaxing...that was until i looked at some of the speakers. (And when i was told i had to see at least three performances)



Once i was told i had to see at least three performances, i decided to get behind the idea as there is no point in dreading something and expecting it to be awful because (even if you are 99.9% sure it will be) it will probably live up...or down to your expectations. So after re-looking through the Festival guide i have seen a number of performances and speeches that look very interesting and ones that i would like to go and see. These include Lemn Sissay, Charles Dance, Billy Bragg and Chris Cowey to name but a few.



Why am i telling you about my sudden, albeit forced, change of opinion about the week? Well there are two reasons: first i have been told to write a blog about cultural exchanges but secondly (and this is definitely the most important reason behind telling you) it is because it actually looks like it will be a very interesting week. If you are one of those stay at home people who is planning to go home or just stay in bed all of next week then i urge, nay i implore you to change your mind. To stay at DMU for the next week, go to cultural exchanges, save the world in the process...OK I'll admit it is getting very preacher like now...basically i think you should take a look at the Festival guide at the very least. If you don't know many of the performers then use it as an opportunity to learn something new.



Well isn't that what you are supposed to do at university?

Cultural Exchanges: My Week Ahead

By LD

Next week De Montfort University welcomes Cultural Exchanges. From the 2nd to the 6th of March the voices of leading creative forces will be heard echoing around the University’s Clephan and PACE buildings. Guests from the world of media, music and writing will be appearing (mostly) free of charge.

Ive booked up for three talks to get me started, Will Kaufman (“All You Jim Crow Fascists!” Woody Guthrie’s freedom songs) on Monday, Dr Stuart Price (“STOCKWELL: the overproduction of force”) on Wednesday and Billy Bragg (“In Conversation”) to end the week on Friday (Also my birthday!)

I can't wait! What a fantastic opportunity. I'm looking forward to my eyes being opened!

I'm not getting tattoos

by kb

There's something slightly alarming about this year's Cultural Exchanges brochure. I don't like needles - something to do with failing Needlework at school, I expect - and prefer to avoid them in all guises, from the large needles used for neat embroidery to the even larger implements employed for injections at the doctor's surgery. Tattoo parlours make me squirm though, at a previous Cultural Exchanges festival, I spent a happy hour or so listening as Joolz Denby talked to students about the joys of "body modification." Still, I find the new brochure cover slightly alarming.

All the more reason to open the brochure quickly and decide on my bookings. Pam Thompson on Monday for certain. She's a friend and I love her poems. And I can't miss Liz Lochhead on Thursday, though I'm not sure whether I have the nerve to attend her workshop. But I'm weaving my way through a series of painful clashes. Why does Liz Lochhead's performance clash with Lewis Wolpert? I want to hear Lemn Sissay but I'm also fascinated by the history of working-class gambling. And then there's the clash between the Granta evening and Billy Bragg "in conversation." Didn't the programme organisers know that these events would attract exactly the same people?

Hmm. ... Decision time.