Untrained Effort

Welcome friends,In this episode I sit down to chat with producer Michelle Barnette who is currently on furlough from the King's Head Theatre in London. For the past month, Michelle has been following parliamentary debates and re-posting valuable updates about the future of theatre. Her twitter feed has become a source of citizen's tools to lobby MPs, sign petitions and get the latest news from the Commons.On June 9th, I stumbled on her analysis of an evidence hearing by the parliamentary committee in charge of scrutinising what the Department of Culture, Media and Sports are up to. What sounds like a dull thread is actually a riveting read, the perfect mixture of factual account with personal touches.Hear Michelle give the highlights and lowlights of the event and delve deeper into why it might be a very bad idea with the State was a theatre producer.To follow Michelle hop on twitter @Mich_Barnette or visit www.michellebarnette.comDo not miss Michelle´s artistic recommendations:Arun Blair-Mangat @arunblair and the Musical Alphabet @MusicalAlphabetGemma Orleans-T @GermmaOrleansT and @SculptressTAs always, if you like what you hear / want to know more / point out an omission, mistake or f*ck up you can find me also on twitter @lorakrasteva #untrainedeffort

Welcome friends,for the second episode of Untrained Effort I deep dive in UBI - Universal Basic Income to understand what that mechanism could do to our understanding of work, institutions and our relationships with the State.It leads me to ponder how artists and other creatives could achieve a greater freedom in their occupation and what other mechanisms exist that aim to do that.I speak to Clemence Huckel (in her English voice by Victoria Valcheva), a producer from France who works in dance, theatre and radio. She explains to me what "l'intermittance" is - a specific state benefit that compensates artists and technicians for periods of unemployment.To hear the full, unedited interview in French , check out the bonus content available.Like what you hear? Want to know more? Point out an omission, mistake, f*ck up? Find me on twitter @lorakrasteva #untrainedeffortWith thanks to:Clemence HuckelVictoria ValchevaFriends who continue to listen and give feedback

Welcome friends,This is the pilot bonus content for the very first episode of Untrained Effort - a podcast about performance, politics and the people they have in common.Every two weeks, I investigate a current cultural topic and interview an interesting figure who can bring a different perspective. For my very first episode I attempt to tackle the prickly topic of "the money" and why we haven't yet heard plans of the UK arts bailout package.I called Claudio Fuentes, director of the festival and foundation Santiago Off in Chile. I wanted to speak to him and hear about how they have been organising over there.Hear him eloquently explain where Chilean artists get their activist streek, the way Pinochet's dictatorship has shaped the arts and what are their contemporary battles now, in the face of COVID-19.For a highlights version with English translation, head to the main episode.Like what you hear? Want to know more?Follow Claudio´s work at www.santiagooff.com and STGOOFF on social mediaFind me on twitter @lorakrasteva #untrainedeffort

Welcome friends,This is the very first episode of Untrained Effort - a podcast about performance, politics and the people they have in common.Every two weeks, I investigate a current cultural topic and make a link with the world of policy making and activism.For the pilot, I am reflecting upon the financial aid the cultural sector needs from the UK government, in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. I am asking why we haven't seen a proactivity from the state to salvage the second fastest growing industry of the country.I call Claudio Fuentes, director of the festival and foundation Santiago Off, based in Chile. I call him because I have heard that artists there recently rejected the financial aid from their government and I want to find out why. I want to hear from his and his sector's experience so far with the hope that another perspective can add to our own plans and understanding.To hear the full, unedited interview with Claudio, see the bonus episode available in Spanish.Like what you hear? Want to know more? Point out an omission, mistake, f*ck up? Find me on twitter @lorakrasteva #untrainedeffort