Welcome Offer - 20% OFF RRPs over £30

2020 Vision

I've been around a good while, this year is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 and 'One small step'. I was there, not in person, but it was my Birthday and we stayed up to watch it on TV, a small orange glow from a big box. Wonderful really.

Then we see the wonderful arrangement of knowledge and imagination in the picture above in glorious black and white. Because in some ways we don't always need colour, just clarity and tone.

Maybe we need to be Frightened, there is a 'scary fairy' of sorts an Aberration at the top of the tree...

You see, I'm being obtuse, because I think differently, in many ways that is a problem, it sometimes means I'm just ignored or not understood, but, it doesn't mean I'm wrong either.

I've spent the last 7 years enduring a lot of heartache and pain, I've observed much of wonder and also much of abject misery. It seems the world has evolved and sped up to a pace beyond reality and in many ways it's not good.

But, I have a vision of the future, I'm calling it 2020 Vision and it starts a year from today and I do hope it's bright, beautiful and inclusive and we are part of it...

I work alongside Libraries, Schools and Creatives and always find it's a worthwhile experience, but, also find the biggest problem is costs/funding and times. So, I want to make things better and I want you all to be able to join in.

My aim is simple, to run Events connected with Culture and Creativity in areas near me, but, we can travel...

Let's say we find spaces we can use, indoors or outside, weather dependant as Sally-Anne and I found when we set up our Storytelling Wig Wam in September for we hoped 3000 potential guests, to find, it was pouring down so much we only had 300... But, it was still special and immense fun! Always pop to www.purplepenguinpublishing.co.uk 

She also started a Monthly Open Mic Poetry and Singer Songwriter Session on the 1st Thursday in Hightown, that's been going really well, do come and again see on the website...

But, we want to be seen and heard and joined by more and it can be done...

The events we've done with Nikki Lamb and her fab team at Halton Libraries at the Widnes Vikings Rugby Stadium have proved it can be done, but again, one offs... we want regulars...

We do loads of school/library events, again always brilliant, but too exclusive, not inclusive as sometimes others just can't come or fit in.

The point is this... with support and maybe Corporate Funding we can make a difference, we know Libraries and Schools don't have enough funding, we know most Cultural Ambassadors don't either, even when on PR budgets from their Publishers, it's aimed at sales and not creativity and growth, so we need a Research and Development Fund from the big companies for what we want to do, they gain huge exposure for their Community Cohesion, and also it's Tax Deductible.

We find the places, we bring the children in from nearby and they get to spend time with singers/poets/writers/artists etc... we then allow them to take their turn and produce their work, we can even then showcase it with a sort of exhibition and performance extravaganza... Add 'Sponsored by...' and away we go.

I've written to Liverpool FC, Disney, Nestle, Hauwei and others all would have validity in being involved, but how do we get them to be? So far I usually get, it's a nice idea, we do a lot for... but we WON'T BE helping you... this saddens me, because we all should be willing and able to support and educate and enrich the lives of others by Communal actions. Most of the artists I've worked with manage to find a way to help, often for little or no fee, they want to use their time and talents for helping, but, they can't continually do it for free, neither can I.

I genuinely believe that the Arts and Creativity based partly on a Love of Reading, but also on a love of music and drama and art... is the best way to make a better future, it will lead to science and nature and food and technology, but it starts with understanding, expression and creativity and joining in, inclusivity not exclusivity...

So, what I hope is this, we have a year, I know I can put my part in place, I can help run these events, I know people who can be part of it, but we need the funding, I do have an Arts Funding Bid in preparation, but previously I found they had run out of funds before they got to plans like mine, I know sadly that the Govt itself and the LEAs won't have adequate funding, so it needs to come from Corporate Resonsibility.

I want these events to be from the very heart of communities, not from the posher suburbs... I really hope some of you read this and can help, in an ideal world, it is easy, this can work anywhere, it can be done for relatively low costs in comparison with what is spent on certain budgets, but, I just hope there is someone out there from a huge PLC who sees the idea and agrees to help, otherwise it just is One Offs and that is NOT the way to make things better on any level, that's a snapchat moment not a gallery of wonderful images...

If anyone can create #2020 'VisionforCulture' or #2020V4C maybe?
 I'd appreciate it, we'll use it anyway from @purplepengpub 

I know others have similar plans, maybe we need to form an alliance...