Vortex Outdoors
Sunday May 9th 2010
1pm - 7pm
FREE
For information on the artists appearing at Vortex Outdoors, click here
Vortex Outdoors is a dynamic outdoor live music festival in Gillett Square, in the heart of Dalston. Curated by BrazenBunch and produced by Hackney Cooperative Developments and The Vortex Jazz Club, Vortex Outdoors aims to provide free access to the arts for the local and wider community. The project also provides an opportunity for local young people to participate in creative workshops leading to a performance as part of the festival.
Building on the success of the previous Vortex Outdoors, this year’s event once again features performances from some of the UK’s most innovative and exciting artists, both established and emerging. These include: Don-e, Zarif, HKB FiNN, Jamie Woon, Aruba Red, Me’sha Bryan, Elisabeth Troy, Kevin Mark Trail, Sharlene Hector, Shane Solanki, - plus the Lifeforce Band, special guests and local music students from Hackney and BSix Sixth Form College.
Vortex Outdoors is also working in partnership with the Arcola Theatre and Green Sunday’s to promote green living and sustainable communities. There will be an opportunity to participate with new local organisation Pangolin's Ark to create a ‘Junk Art’ sculpture. East London based Moustachio’s Bikes and Push Cycles will also be on hand with free maintenance and advice for those coming by bike.
Following the main event in the square, there will be a free aftershow party in the Vortex Jazz Club with guest DJs: Dusty Lungs (Urban Nerds), Aj Kwame (Afri-kokoa) & Koichi Sakai (Ghetto Lounge).
Vortex Outdoors gratefully acknowledges financial support from PRS Foundation, Arts Council England, Hackney Council and West Hackney Parochial Charity
Vortex Outdoors Event Partners:
The Vortex www.vortexjazz.co.uk
The Vortex is a world-renowned jazz club in Dalston established for over 20 years. It is a beacon for jazz, folk, world and contemporary music in the capital.
The Vortex Jazz Foundation www.vortexjf.org
The Vortex Jazz Foundation was set up as the charity arm of The Vortex jazz club during its closure and relocation to Dalston in 2001. It strives to help secure the future of live jazz in North and East London and to develop a programme of jazz education and audience development.
BrazenBunch www.brazenbunch.com
BrazenBunch is a not-for-profit organisation working with artists, musicians and filmmakers providing events and projects that benefit local and global communities – especially young, vulnerable and disadvantaged people – and have successfully produced projects in the UK, Caribbean and Africa.
Lifeforce Muzic www.myspace.com/lifeforceband
Lifeforce Muzic is committed to supporting and promoting high quality events featuring the best of UK musicality. The Lifeforce Band is made up from some of the UK’s finest musicians
BSix 6th Form College www.bsix.ac.uk
BrazenBunch will be working with BSix 6th Form College to provide music workshops for local young people in Hackney and BSix students. The workshops will be run by BrazenBunch with professional musicians Marcina Arnold and Leon Michener, and culminate in performances at the festival as a part of the launch pad for UK performers of the future.
Hackney Cooperative Developments www.hcd.coop
Hackney Cooperative Developments (HCD) is a Community Interest Company which has been creating opportunities for inclusive local economic development since 1982. HCD’s Gillett Squared project was initiated in 2006 to stimulate and promote the use of Dalston’s new public space, Gillett Square, for cultural activities and events which relate to local communities.
Associated Partners:
Arcola Theatre www.arcolatheatre.com
The Arcola Theatre is now one of the most respected arts venues in the UK and is a favourite of established theatre literati as well as young, upwardly mobile innovators. London’s largest theatre studio, Arcola has become well known for the variety of its programming– from new writing to classic drama, music and comedy.
Arcola Energy/Green Sundays www.arcolaenergy.com
Trailblazing sustainability projects as part of its core business, Arcola Theatre aims to be the world’s first carbon neutral theatre. To this end, Arcola established Arcola Energy in 2007 – promoting innovation in sustainability, through the Arts.
Additional Festival Activities run by:
Moustachio’s Bikes/Push Cycles www.pushcycles.com
Moustachio’s Bikes and Push Cycles are two new local run cycle enterprises. Push Cycles is a new shop based within walking distance of Gillett Square providing everything from cycles and cycle accessories to expert bike advice and the slightly less conventional Moustachio’s Bikes provides pretty much everything bike related as long as it gets more people on their bikes.
Pangolin’s Ark www.pangolins-ark.co.uk
Pangolin’s Ark is a creatives’ collective based in Hackney that provide open air workshops for those wishing to be involved in everything from junk art sculptures to art and music workshops. ‘Environmental arts for a sustainable community’
Gina Southgate, Artist in Residence
You can also watch resident artist, Gina Southgate, making live art in The Vortex Jazz Club in response to the day's events. You can see examples of Gina's work here.
Back to forthcoming events page
Gillett Squared is the management group led by Hackney Co-operative Developments for arts and enterprise projects on Gillett Square.