Hillaballoo

A major inspiration for Hillaballoo is the view from the hill and the history of the hill as site of an optical telegraph station. So, I was really excited at the Goldsmiths degree show to come across an artist called Ellie Chaney who has been researching and making work about the optical telegraph. See http://www.elliechaney.com/artwork.php?templateid=2&artworkid=30

She has been walking and filming the route of one of the chains to Great Yarmouth and plans this summer to film the route from Telegraph Hill. She has agreed to take part in Hillaballoo, which is fantastic.

In a bit more than 6 weeks, it will be Hillaballoo.

We have done some of the hard work, organising activities, getting forms filled, raising some funds, putting leaflets in 4,000 Hilly Telegraphs which will be hitting mats this weekend. There are a few things still to sort out, and we could still do with more contributors of activities or helpers on the day. If you’re interested to find out more, come along to a drink (hopefully in the garden) at Skehans on the corner of Kitto and Gellatly Road, at 8.30 on Wednesday 11 June.  

Here is the final programme for Hillaballoo. You can download it from this link http://www.box.net/shared/kfvt8bk61o

We were a bit worried about the weather earlier, but it looks as if it should be just a bit cloudy, perhaps a bit of a shower in the afternoon, but nothing to put us off!

Please bring donations of art materials (especially card, heavy paper, thick felt pens) - for the art tent.

Useful items to bring include picnic tables, chairs, big umbrellas or tents, plastic sheeting, and a recycling bin or two.

If you are a musician/group and feel confident to do a spot without amplification, you can pitch in following the performance by Nouvelle Croix in mid-afternoon.   

You can help support art activities, such as drawings of clouds and shadows, and the skyline, and portraits of dogs & people.

The event is unfunded, but is costing some money, so there will be a donations box.

Please upload any photos to the Flickr group ‘Telegraph Hill Visions’.

A cloud-spotting or shadow-catching game? A strawberry stall? A giant group poem about the view? A photography challenge? Paint the view? Dress up as the invisible man? Wear a London Eye hat? Levitation? Spinning plates? A seaside-style your-face-in-the-hole portrait? A giant skipping rope? Teach people to do cartwheels? Paint your face? Dress a tree trunk? Let us know…

The Cafe Orange art group has created its own website to showcase their digital photographs http://www.cafeorangeartgroup.blogspot.com
With their tutors, they are organising demonstrations, an exhibition and a children’s art activity for Hillaballoo. And one of the tutors, Mhari McMullan’s own work can be seen here: http://www.madebymother.blogspot.com

A new contributor has signed up, perfectly suiting the mood of Hillaballoo. Liz Akers from Vesta Road runs a national charity called Team Nice, which has an anti-social behaviour campaign called Niceties Tokens. Liz is planning to run a stall giving away free cakes and with fun games, hoping to get new recruits to Team Nice. Here’s the blurb about Niceties Tokens:Being nice costs nothing, so why is that Londoners so rarely take the time to see and acknowledge the people who share their city? On public transport, in the supermarket, walking down the street, we often hang our heads and avoid eye contact… we can be slow to acknowledge our fellow Londoners as people… just like us…

But we can change, we can make London into the open and friendly city it should be, and that is what Niceties-Tokens is all about.

For more, see http://www.team-nice.co.uk/index.php

I reckon Phil Nice ought to be the first in the queue to join up!

Inspiring people are signing up to be interviewed in Inspiration Cafe, taking place in Cafe Orange, and they will be inviting your ideas to help power up their projects.

Cafe Orange also plans demonstrations by their art and craft tutors, as well as exhibitions of digital photography and art, about views of the Hill old and new. They will also organise a children’s activity - chalk drawings of the view.

Around lunchtime, willing volunteers will be asked to grab a rake to help clear the pond in the lower park. When it’s clear as a mirror, we can take a photo of our reflections in the water.

Activities for younger children are to be offered by Oak Hill Nursery.

There will be face painting.

Vanessa is organising a knitting workshop - all ages and levels welcome.

Helen Moore and her band, Nouvelle Croix, have agreed to perform in the afternoon.

The Telegraph Hill Centre will be open and a display about their work put on.

There will be a Name the Landmark competition.

You will be invited to have a go at drawing clouds and shadows.

Help spread the word to people outside the hub of Hill activity. Invite your friends from afar. All welcome. Remember to bring your own sketchpads, cameras, picnics and games, music or activities to share.   

Hillaballoo will include an event in Cafe Orange, called Inspiration Cafe. Inspired and inspiring people are invited to book a ‘top of the hour’ slot to have a conversation with facilitator Sandra Gilfillan. Sandra will draw them out through questions about how they link their personal life with the community and wider world, how they feel about time, what words, art or thoughts inspire them and what specific projects they are trying to achieve. Everyone else is invited to join them at a big table, to just eavesdrop or to share thoughts. We’ll be sending an email to some particular people we know of, but if you want to be involved, please email sandra.gilfillan@gmail.com to book a slot.

Today was Farmer’s Market again, and several people agreed to consider a contribution to Hillaballoo. I won’t mention their names, until they are sure. These include three musical offerings, a children’s book stall and ’something’ to explain optics or telescopy, and at least three people saying ‘I’ll have a think’. 

There will be no fixed programme, and contributors will be responsible for their own activity (equipment, placing, timing, help needed etc). About two weeks before the event, I’ll send a group email to everyone who has signed up, describing what everyone is going to do. That way, you can see if you need to contact anyone directly if you need to share resources or work out timings (e.g. music) between you.