Artists Breakout
ARTISTS BREAKOUT
Thie year we have two great artists listening in to our keynotes and discussion and interpreting what they notice through artwork and poetry.
Poet: Dave Pitt
Dave Pitt is an award winning playwright, performance poet and story teller. He has performed poetry around the country both solo and as part of the group, “Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists.” His plays have been performed as far afield as Seattle. His work is as likely to leave you crying with laughter as crying with emotion. He is Black Country born and bred and still lives and works in the area.
“Black Country Stormzy” – Jimmy Andrex. Performance Poet.
“Dave Pitt took an already superb atmosphere and turned it up a notch or two with a superb set. We definitely hope to bring him back to Oooh Beehive again in the future.” – Oooh Beehive, Swindon.
“Dave Pitt’s headline set was a brilliant bonus at our Fire & Dust night. He delivers his poetry with a Midlands brand of humour, poignancy and compassion that really engaged the crowd. It’s highly relevant material, which, just like life, hits all the emotional highs and lows. Now more than ever, our world needs the raw anger of poets like Dave. Importantly, we also need the laughs he brings – plus those glints of hope, romance and solidarity.”
Raef Boylan – Writer, Poet & Lead Editor of Here Comes Everyone.
Artist: Penny Mendonca
Dr Penelope Mendonca is an independent graphic facilitator, cartoonist and academic with more than 25 years experience of working across the UK public and voluntary sectors. Her graphics are widely published (including in major newspapers) and have been translated in to numerous languages. Originally from New Zealand, with mixed heritage, Pen has a background in social care, disability rights, facilitating co-production, working on health inequalities, anti-racist and interfaith initiatives. She is known for representing issues and systems which are complex and requiring sensitive, thoughtful responses, including violence reduction, poverty and domestic abuse.
Pen’s PhD at University of the Arts London developed the concept of Values-Based Cartooning, an ethical framework for practitioners, researchers and commissioners engaging visual methods for accessing and representing social issues. Pen is an associate lecturer, she writes about single motherhood, visual approaches and women in leadership.
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