Tuesday 5 July '11
(from Farmyard Radio)

Can Art be Useful?

During the recent ‘Terminal Convention’ Symposium in Cork, our erstwhile Ruskinite-Reformer and keen Big J R blogger Alistair Hudson began his own presentation by showing David Shrigley’s animation ‘An Important Message About the Arts’. Intended as a useful propaganda tool for yet another UK institution threatened by massive government cuts – in this case the Arts Council UK – Shrigley’s animation used the characters of a farmer and his son to make a case for Art’s economic viability (as a key driver in both the Creative and Tourism/Leisure Industries) and, perhaps more predictably, for Art’s assumed cultural and civilising values. As Alistair pointed out though, the twin towers of economy and truth tend to overlook the question of art’s use-value.

In the light of this, Alistair went on to pose a series of key questions which tend to loosely underpin the Grizedale way - what kind of thing would artist’s do if they decided to make themselves useful? What can artists begin to do as citizens? What would art look like if it wasn’t reduced to monetary imperatives on one hand or the need to ‘inform’ the masses from the dizzying heights of culture on the other? What would happen if artists didn’t necessarily commit to producing luxury consumer goods for London centric art market? In other words, what happens if we began to re-look at the possible use-value of art?

As it turns out, these are also questions that big J R had begun to ask in the latter part of his career – the bit where he moved to asking questions about the morality of aesthetics (and also the bit where people began to think he was barking mad started to ignore him). It seems these questions also drove some of big J R’s thinking behind his support for Mechanics Institutes: as educational centers for the working class, as places where art, science, theatre and music would all combine to provide a rounded education.

These questions of art’s use value, and the role they can play in education, are perhaps more pertinent today than they were in Ruskin’s time. As Universities are now asking students to take up 9K loans per year to cover their Higher Education fees, and as the UK government is proposing ‘employability’ league tables for every HE course in the country (to help prospective students and their parents chose the courses of study most likely to get them a job), it’s maybe time to give this all a little more thought? Being involved in Higher Education myself (running the both the Fine Art and History of Art Degree Programmes at Liverpool School of Art and Design – part of Liverpool John Moores University which, incidentally, can trace its roots back to an Arts and Mechanics Institute that was set up in Liverpool in 1823) I’m really interested in continuing a critical Ruskinian re-invention by beginning to pose two key post-Ruskinian questions myself – Just what kind of job is to be done by artists in today’s increasingly instrumentalised and economically driven society? And, in the light of this, what kind of work does making art become?

So, over the next months I’m proposing to ask these questions, Flip camera in hand, of anybody who is willing to attempt an answer (admittedly this may not be many). I’ll also try to link this to some of the goings on down Coniston Institute way and, of course, attempt to seek some help and guidance from the legacy of Big J R as I go. I also have a feeling that cheese, vegetables and soup may figure prominently in this analysis.

Posted by John Byrne on 05/07/11 at 11:16 1 Comment

Friday 28 November '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Guestroom library proposal - CANCELLED due to unforeseen circumstances

somthing like this

Guestroom present their proposals for the Lawson Park and Coniston libraries - live. This really is them presenting their plans and ideas so may not be very radio orientated, more of a fly on the wall broadcast. 

Sad to say this weeks broadcast has been cancelled, could say it was due to heavy snow, but sadly rather more mundane reasons keep us from you - the train is late. 

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 28/11/08 at 07:09 0 Comments

Topics: 'guestroom' 'library' 'guestroom' 'library'

Wednesday 19 November '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Peter Hodgson in the Yard - 21st November

Village Kiosk films featuring Peter Hodgson

Farmyard radio is delighted to be welcoming Peter Hodgson talking about his life and works. Peter is a leather worker and artist based in Ambleside, his work has been the cornerstone of the Honesty stall and is currently represented at the myvillages village kiosk at the GSK season at the Royal Academy   

http://www.hidehornambleside.co.uk

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 19/11/08 at 14:31 0 Comments

Topics: 'GSK' 'Honesty Stall' 'Peter Hodgson' 'Royal Academy' 'Village Kiosk' 'GSK' 'Honesty Stall' 'Peter Hodgson' 'Royal Academy' 'Village Kiosk'

Friday 14 November '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Madam Alone

It's my shack

Adam on his own in the office, in a week of increasing building problems. It promises a lengthy blues moan over a disco soundtrack about buildings - actually that sounds fine

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 14/11/08 at 14:39 1 Comment

Topics: 'disco' 'moan' 'records' 'soul' 'disco' 'moan' 'records' 'soul'

Friday 7 November '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Back to bark

The usual team back in the yard for a change, plenty to talk about even if most of it is off record so to speak, just between the 2 of us - web radio - where that can really be true.

Appropro (spelling debate in the office) of nothing, well i ve just been looking at it, check this blog for farmyard chic http://greenhousevt.blogspot.com

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 07/11/08 at 15:53 0 Comments

Friday 3 October '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Dans le cour de la ferme

Farmyard radio goes French with a visit from La Drome and a group redeveloping a 1930's utopian community in the France profond.

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 03/10/08 at 14:06 0 Comments

Friday 5 September '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Back from summer

Alistair and Adam reminisce about the 'summer' including Alistair's adventures at Creamfields....

Posted by Karen Guthrie on 05/09/08 at 16:09 0 Comments

Topics: 'Creamfields' 'Creamfields'

Friday 29 August '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Summer break apologies

We'll be back in the yard next week Friday 5th September, welcoming autumn....

Posted by Dorian Moore on 29/08/08 at 11:51 0 Comments

Thursday 19 June '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

The rains came

Friday 20th June in the Yard, visits from artists Nina Pope, Stuart Bastik of Artgene, discussion likely to cover 'Song For a Circus' and Stuart's shack project in Barrow.

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 19/06/08 at 13:55 0 Comments

Topics: 'arnold circus' 'Nina Pope' 'shack' 'song for a circus' 'Stuart Bastik' 'arnold circus' 'Nina Pope' 'shack' 'song for a circus' 'Stuart Bastik'

Friday 13 June '08
(from Farmyard Radio)

Power back on in the nick of time

Improve my view for £15,000

Friday 13th, the heatwave continues, the power comes back just in time and Alistair flys in from Egremont in the very nick. Reports on Guestroom at the ICA, What Michaela RSA Crimon said, and Adam's holiday and the Folkstone Tirennale,

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 13/06/08 at 15:39 0 Comments