Want to know why your high street is full of shops that have been empty for years? It's not always because nobody wants to fill them. Here's a real life example of what we've gone through trying to get into one in Hillsborough, Sheffield (so far - the search is ongoing!)...
When we got Mabel from the rescue a year ago she couldn't use her back legs at all. We were told she may never walk again.
We would have adored her no matter what, but this amazing girl has gone from strength to strength and
TODAY SHE CONQUERED ALL 16 STEPS IN OUR HOUSE!!!!!!!!
A year ago Mabel couldn't use her back legs at all, and used a little wheelchair to get around.
She's been making amazing progress, but still hasn't been able to tackle stairs.
Until today!
This is a really good point from
@PatrickDuce
- people love to blame the council, but when it's all private landlords there's very little the council can actually do! Individuals in
@SheffCouncil
have been as supportive as they can be in our search so far.
This should be compulsory reading for every kEyBoARD wArrIoR on your local FB group complaining about the council or
#activetravel
infrastructure killing your local high street.
We had 160 people apply for an upcoming project. We invited 75 to tape, then 23 to audition. We will employ 6.
We are a team of two freelance people...and yet we got back to every person at every stage to let them know. It took 20mins to send the 'no' emails. It's NOT THAT HARD.
There are at least 15 more empty shops which could work, but aren't listed anywhere. We've written letters to every landlord we can find on the land registry, but hopes are not high. All we want to do is give someone money to fill an empty space. Why is it so hard?!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We need to leave our office by 12 April & urgently need to find a space in Hillsborough. We'd prefer a shop front but the one we wanted fell through - the landlord has decided to sell. Other possible spaces are too £££ or have absentee landlords. Can you help?
We want a shop space so we're more visible & accessible in our community: it will be part office, part community space. There are some brilliant schemes to get projects like ours into shop fronts in the city centre, but nothing that extends to our high street. So we're stuck.
Turned 32 today, in a birdwatcher's cabin in the Scottish Highlands. Woke up thinking things can't get better than this. Then visited a beach in the rain and IT TURNS OUT THEY CAN 😭🥰💍
Erm...so...I've got some news...!!! 😳😭
So excited and a bit overwhelmed (in a good way) to be a 2021 Clore Fellow. Still pinching myself...LET'S DO THIS
@CloreLeadership
#clore17
Leadership for Our Times
We are delighted to announce the 2021 Clore Fellows!
21 creative and dynamic Fellows will embark on the new and unique Fellowship, the 17th cohort of leaders from the arts and cultural sector.
#clore17
#greatcultureneeds
Property
#3
: Small shop, empty 3+ years. Perfect size & cost for us. Massive hole in the floor & only temp lease available. Made an offer based on taking on temp lease as long as hole was fixed, as it was an expensive job. Ghosted despite chasing over 10 times by phone & email.
Property
#1
: Large ex-bank, empty 5+ years. No landlord listed, found on land registry and contacted via LinkedIn. Agreed to viewing, but then sold the property to a developer. Now it's being turned into flats.
I have some news...
Super proud & excited (& lucky!) that I'm going to be joining the brilliant team at
@LeedsPlayhouse
as Senior Producer.
A proper Northern lass now. Can't wait to get stuck in.
Property
#2
: Large shop, empty 5+ years. Too expensive for regular lease (for us). Enquired about meanwhile use until they fill it. Told no chance, estate agent refused to discuss option with landlord, landlord refused to speak with us directly.
Property
#5
: Small shop, empty 15+ years. Not listed anywhere. Found landlord details on land registry but registered to the shop address only, which is empty. Wrote letter to flat above, but if no response/intel we assume this will remain empty until, I guess, the owner dies?
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Usually, every Tuesday I share 10 paid opps for artists. But this has been a difficult week, with orgs closing, lost income & uncertainty rife in our sector & the wider world.
So instead, here are some ways to help, or be helped.
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Property
#3
continued: Waited for temp lease to end & full lease to be advertised. Immediately contacted estate agent. Ghosted for 3 weeks despite chases, then told landlord has decided to sell instead. Asked if they'd consider selling with a let in place. Ignored.
Today is
#OpportunityTuesday
but it's also
#BlackOutTuesday
. This is not business as usual.
This week's thread shares opportunities for Black creatives & activists, & some ways to help for everyone else. If you are able to add any to this, please do.
Black lives matter.
THREAD
Property
#6
: Small shop, empty 2+ years. Not listed anywhere. Found old shop FB page, & found therapist who used to be based there on instagram. They shared that the landlords own the nail bar down the road. Visited nail bar, got landlord contact...they're selling it so no lets.
Property
#7
: Small shop, empty 20+ years. Not listed anywhere. No useful details on land registry. Another shop owner suggested a name of someone who used to own it. Wild goose chase via 3 other shop owners to eventually find out that person sold it on & the new owner is unknown.
This is important.
I had an abortion. I am an adult & I made a choice. It wasn't a medical emergency. I wasn't ready for a baby, & my birth control failed. This bullshit going down in NI & Alabama is cruel & dangerous.
Women matter more than fetuses, for goodness sake.
#YouKnowMe
Property
#8
: Small shop, empty 15+ years. Will only consider full repairing & insuring lease. Went for viewing & shop in extremely poor state, nothing working, needs full renovation which we can't afford. Made offer based on reduced rent to account for renovation costs. Refused.
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tues I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon, but this week I'm sharing 20 to celebrate TWO YEARS OF OT!!
ALL PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for mix of artforms, emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Twitter is on fire, so I need to find a new home for
#OpportunityTuesday
! Subscribe below to get 10 PAID opportunities for artists, creatives & freelancers sent to your inbox every week instead. Still free to access (or you can choose to give £1 a week):
Usually I just support others with their DYCP apps but last round I threw my own hat into the ring too. Was certain it wouldn't get funded. But...it has been? I am getting some ££ to focus on my writing! Arts/culture writing & also playwriting for large casts (youth/community) 😭
There's been some appalling practice from a few orgs recently - thoughtless rejections, bad communication, lack of transparency. Which got me thinking, freelancers & artists: what's the kindest thing an org has done/can do for you? Can we collate some examples of best practice?
A few (white, male) friends have recently shared their frustration because opps are 'only looking for minorities now'. It's hard to articulate why it's vital without getting angry or defensive. Thankfully have just come across this PERFECT line, which I'll be using all the time!
Just had my first proper cry since this all began. For no real reason other than it's all a bit bloody much. It's hard feeling so overwhelmed & unfocused when it's usually my job to be clear-headed & make stuff happen. We've gotta be a bit kinder & more patient with ourselves, eh
It's
#OpportunityTuesday
!
Every Tuesday I'm sharing 10 exciting arts projects, opportunities, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon.
Always paid & for a wide range of artists, from emerging to mid-career, from 16 to 80+
Starting now 👇🏻👇🏼👇🏽👇🏾👇🏿
I love my job so, so much. But that doesn't mean I don't sometimes think about packing it all in, moving to the middle of nowhere by the sea, and opening a lil bookshop/habidashery/community garden/artist retreat.
Gotta take a week or two's break from OppTues I'm afraid team. Someone I love very much is going through serious cancer treatment and so I'm taking a bit of time off to help. Love to you all, please keep sharing the opps, I'll RT when I can and will be back soon x
REPEAT AFTER ME:
'Regional' theatre is not bad theatre.
Children's theatre is not bad theatre.
Panto is not bad theatre.
Community theatre is not bad theatre.
In fact, they describe some of the best shows I've seen, with the best audiences to boot. Diversity of stories is VITAL.
Regional theatre bosses including Roxana Silbert,
@MrSamHodges
and
@CJStafford01
have warned of "discrimination" against regional theatre – arguing that actors are increasingly being told to turn down roles to keep themselves free for the West End
What a day. Cancelling, rescheduling, difficult conversations. A little cry. Then reimagining, finding solutions, finding hope & ways to connect, despite everything. It's not all bad. It's still one of the best jobs in the world. But it does feel significantly harder this time.
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
: LOCKDOWN EDITION! 📣
Usually on Tuesdays I share 10 paid opps for artists. We've been hit hard, but our amazing sector is working hard to offer opportunity, hope & help.
So here are 10 isolation opps, ways to help, & ways to be helped
THREAD👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Hi team,
#OpportunityTuesday
will be on Wednesday this week. Not sure how many people will care as I think this tweet is hitting the TL while both the football and Love Island are on haha, but just in case...
I both love and hate the fringe, but right now I'm missing rainy summerhall pints and forgetting what day it is and dancing til sunrise and sprinting between faraway shows and seeing brilliant stuff and seeing terrible stuff and too many flyers and mosque kitchen curries and and
First major protest since moving out of London. Wasn't sure what to expect but my goodness it made me feel glad to live in this city. Sheffield says
#BlackLivesMatter
loud and proud.
Just seen a 2-star review for something which effectively boiled down to "it's not as good online as it is live". Is there really any need? I know reviewers gotta review but we're all trying to adapt in impossible circumstances, the least we can do is not condemn folk for trying.
@dog_rates
This is Mabel. When we got her from the rescue her back legs didn't work so she used a wheelchair, & had to sit in a little backpack on long walks (which she loved!)
Over many months she has gone from strength to strength and now she can run, jump & roll with the best of them! 🥰
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
!! 📣
Usually every Tuesday I share 10 PAID opportunities for artists, writers, producers & theatre-makers. During isolation I'm sharing 10 ways to still get paid to make art, & ways to help or be helped. Stay safe!
THREAD👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Some really bloody excellent news to receive on day one of my holiday...the first of my post-lockdown ACE apps has been successful ☺️ excited that
@kit_green
& I are going to be working with care homes again, for an R&D we hope will bring some joy. Watch this space! 🥳🥳🥳
Today I had to cancel a Christmas show. Something I & a team of brilliant, dedicated people worked very hard to make happen against all odds. It's gutting & at this point I'm running on empty. So many sad, difficult conversations. Solidarity if you're in the same melancholy boat.
Relief. I don't know if it's enough money. I don't know if there will be strings attached. I don't know if it will reach individuals & freelancers in a direct way. There will be more work to do. But for now, relief. Thank you to everyone who has campaigned so hard & so loudly 💛
I've written a thing. I don't know if it's right, or if I'm the right person to write it.
It's a little bit in response to the RashDash blog. And a little bit in response to theatre twitter over the last few days.
I hope it's in some way useful x
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
My timeline is full of theatres & arts centres closing, with thoughtful, compassionate statements & potentially at their own cost. It is both refreshing & terrifying that during this pandemic there is more leadership, support & clarity from our sector than from the government.
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Last night I accidentally took myself - alone - on the most romantic date of my life. Eating ramen by the ocean, watching the sunset behind Mt Fuji from an illuminated garden on a beautiful island, stargazing from rocks by the sea. I totally recommend a self-date once in a while!
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Arts funding is broken.
Just received a rejection email from a funder. Their applications have increased BY 3000% 🫠
ACE success rates are dire right now, & more general funders are rejecting arts due to huge increases in applications from vital services like food/housing.
I am officially a freelancer as of today! WAH. Please hire me in 2020, y'all.
Feeling grateful and excited to have some super exciting projects lined up already though 👀 👇
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Hope you're ready for a bumper two-year-anniversary
#OpportunityTuesday
thread this evening...prepare yourselves for TWENTY PAID OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS!!!! Incoming in an hour or so 👀🎉🎉🎉
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
(on Wed this week sorry!)
Every Tues I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Ever since I first moved in with Tom, who back then was just a stranger I'd met on spareroom, we've been organising each other's advent calendars. Themes have included star wars lego, the nutcracker, dinosaurs (of course) and more. This year we've both gone homemade 👀🎄
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I'm sharing 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon.
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
We'll this has blown up! 😅 Will be on
@BBCSheffield
on Friday breakfast & potentially some other press soon too. Was a bit nervous about burning bridges with agents/landlords, but this issue needs policy level change & figured that will only happen if we all talk openly about it
Want to know why your high street is full of shops that have been empty for years? It's not always because nobody wants to fill them. Here's a real life example of what we've gone through trying to get into one in Hillsborough, Sheffield (so far - the search is ongoing!)...
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Almost didn't post
#OpportunityTuesday
tonight, what with the lockdown announcement and the election and the world just generally crumbling around us...but glad I did. We all need a little hope at the moment, eh. Love to you all x
I always tell artists to see as much as poss - all artforms, stuff you love, stuff you hate, stuff you don't get - it's all useful. People (rightly) say it's too expensive to see everything, so in the spirit of
#LoveTheatreDay
here's a thread on how to see theatre for cheap/free!
So...I guess I started a company during the pandemic?! I am extremely proud & very excited to introduce
@RivelinCo
. It's a concept I've been developing for nearly 2yrs in collaboration with local people, artists, businesses & community groups in Hillsborough. Watch this space! 👀
Hello from RivelinCo! We are a new neighbourhood arts centre without walls, based in Hillsborough, Sheffield. Our creative programmes take place in public & community spaces & are intergenerational - all ages welcome. We can't wait to create with you!
Hi team. I've had a really tough few days. Tonight I just want (or maybe need) to curl up under my duvet, wrap xmas presents, & watch rubbish on telly. Still got a cracking
#OpportunityTuesday
lined up for you but I'll post tomorrow instead. Hope you understand 😘 x
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon.
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Oof. Under 30k rejection. Project had 50% match funding & 25 confirmed partners. A continuation of something twice funded before. Feedback: other apps preferred 😬
Doesn't feel like a great sign for funding in general but maybe I'm just a little sore 😢
In we go again, I guess
Hi friends, I'm looking for a creative quirky illustrator who also does (or is up for having a go at) branding for small creative/arts companies. Need a thoughtful logo & style/assets that can be handed over to a designer to make a website. Small budget, but there is one! Pls RT?
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
(On Wednesday this week, sorry!)
Every Tues I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & apps closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon.
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
UPDATE: I'm meeting the government's Levelling Up team this afternoon. Our search, & the wider impact/more perspectives on this, will be featured on
@BBCSheffield
on this week's Friday breakfast show (from 7.15). I'm speaking with national press today/tomorrow. LET'S MAKE CHANGE!
Want to know why your high street is full of shops that have been empty for years? It's not always because nobody wants to fill them. Here's a real life example of what we've gone through trying to get into one in Hillsborough, Sheffield (so far - the search is ongoing!)...
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
My neighbours' little boy turned 4 today & he's not asked for a single thing apart from a birthday party. They posted in out street's WhatsApp group, and so the whole street have put happy birthday signs in their windows so he could see them all on their family walk 💚
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
Spoke to a pal today in dire straits because her invoices aren't being paid & she's running out of ££. I know orgs are struggling, but it's unacceptable that freelancers are in overdrafts or paying interest to live off credit - DURING A PANDEMIC - when owed ££ for completed work.
This has been seen by more people than I'd anticipated (!) so if anyone is feeling rich/kind (or perhaps if you're a landlord feeling guilty 👀) please consider donating a little something to our organisation. It would be a very real way to help! Thank you
It may be 1am but I have just finished a funding application which involved converting everything in the budget from pounds to euros and back again so I AM REWARDING MYSELF WITH A 1AM JELLY AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I share 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon. Here are this week's!
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿
📣 Happy
#OpportunityTuesday
! 📣
Every Tuesday I'm sharing 10
#artsopps
, commissions, open calls & applications closing soon.
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) & for a range of artists; emerging to mid-career, 16-80+
THREAD 👇🏻👇🏽👇🏿