Into The New Year

As 2014 is four days away from gone forever, this post is not so much a refection on the past as it is a possible of the future that is based on the successes and failures of the past year.

Also, as I was doing my music research I have come across this boy. Still can't figure out if he's English or American but can't say it matters. He dope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjZwHhiCMfo

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!

What now?

I went back yet again to L-B office, this time finally got to speak straight to the director. Same old story though: Sorry, we’ve no job to give you, same old reaction: I’m sure it’s a lie. We spoke a little and in the usual midst of ‘I love your passion’ and ‘Just keep following your dreams’ (what happens, btw, if my dream is to work at your company?) out it came: ‘I choose to work with people I grew up with’. F-ck me, is this an actual quality??? How can one ever learn and master THAT? Was this from the beginning a battle I would never have won? For what it’s worth though, it was a good fight – I look back and I know I could not have done more than I did. I have to repeat to myself that whether you win or lose is unimportant, what matters is did you fight hard enough. This time, I did, and of this loss, I’m [almost] proud.

OK, so I won’t now learn anything from L-B but I NEED to learn from somewhere. I am on a mission, haven’t you heard? Rap is a legitimate art medium (says I), too many people shy away from the idea of ‘art’ and it’s ridiculous – art is fun, and relatable and beautiful! (says I). I want to mix everything and everyone and achieve the elusive nirvana. This comes from an outsider in so many senses, I KNOW what I’m talking about when I’m talking about inclusiveness.

Oh and throw a party on top of it J

Thoughts keep looping around Rap-Art. Now that I’m on my own I kept sh-tting myself but I’ve assessed and admitted my weaknesses – such as I can’t go out at night and A&R the fresh talent – and I seem to be extremely pressed for time – single motherhood has its ups but good god!  So I’ve started to wake up at 6am now (instead of 7.30) and I’ve looked for someone who can help with the talent search. A poster/ flyer was designed so I could hand them out at gigs and colleges but then my sister said she knew someone who’d be happy to help. His name is Maye. We’ve met and he has the same sound tastes and preferences (my only requirement for the ‘job’) but after the initial high came the familiar low – it’s been two weeks and only one artist found. Well that’s no f-cking good. I would need eight artists by now to feel secure enough to go on with this. (By the way, is there anyone, ANYONE who actually does what he says he would do? Excuses are EVERYWHERE.)

So I felt like I had to start looking myself. Which is how I discovered STEEZ. Have you heard of STEEZ? Go ahead and have a look, don’t do it on your lunch break: you won’t come out of the STEEZ black hole until well into the night. What a goldmine! Listen to that music! So I guess my search starts here. I have already emailed Loyle Carner and got absolutely no reply. 

Paranoia that no one else will ever reply aside, gotta work harder, gotta look harder.

Oh and I’ll be going to STEEZ night in two weeks – on my own, to Lewisham. This will be my first all-nighter in years… and the first ever for work. By the way, how does one get home from Lewisham in the middle of the night?

In the meantime, I’m all inside YouTube. That is when I’m not writing the blog, or searching for visual artists, or being with my daughter.

Finally, here’s another situation assessment I have done: to build a brand I need time, and time is the privilege that I no longer have. If I am to go through with Rap-Art, I’m going to have to take out a loan. Who needs to train themselves to wake up at 6 when you are no longer able to sleep at all!?

Failing at it

It's time I stopped making you strain your eyeballs and you could just listen to what's up. This one is a soppy one, nothing, and I mean nothing, has been getting me places. Ughh

That said (cried?), after my MC Ty post, I received a sweet, complimentary message from James Vice from The Delegates Of Rhyme (Bristol) asking if I minded posting their music on here. Why would I mind? It's a pleasure. https://soundcloud.com/delegatesofrhyme

Rap-Art - night

Let me just say, 14 July 2014 – the Rap-Art night – was AMAZING! I am most definitely being biased, since this was my own event, my project, my baby and of course I would have loved it more than anyone else BUT… that said, people. had. fun. Which is all I cared about.

The gallery’s manager Catherine, herself a hip-hop fan, admitted at the end of the night that she knew it was either going to be a sh-t turnout or a great one. Well duh. Once all this was finally taken care of, turnout was ALL I had on my mind. Also, the turnout was largely out of my control (60 followers on twitter, no contacts in the industry and no friends who are into hip-hop). Beautifully enter Xavier and the musicians. They promoted and I watched in nail-biting state and pretty much prayed, or was close to it. You probably see by now how I am NEVER satisfied with the process. There’s always more sh-t that I feel must be done (there is!!!). But here, I had to let go. Which was prettttty painful.

Guess what though… People came!  They came and they talked and they drank and they danced. And they totally filled up the venue. It’s been months now and I still see myself watching these people come and hang out, and not actually realising that the venue was full (I hung outside, it was too nerve-wrecking to wait for people inside the actual space) until Xavier told me to come in. Well f-ck, turns out people really love a party with music and free booze. Tip of the day, fellow entrepreneurs.

Can I please take the time now this second to thank again ALL of the boys who came and performed – I appreciate how I actually saw that they loved being there, doing what they did. I thanked and hugged each one of them at the end of their set but really, I can’t thank them enough. They. Threw. It. Down.
General Havok
Creative Elevation
Shane Chubbz
BEV LDN

During the night, my name was called a few times haha well this is a situation I never thought I’d hear the sound of my own name in! Two years ago I’ve no idea who Drake is and now I am organising an ‘underground’ rap event. Weird. It feels wrong though – I just want to work and hide.

Oh and all of the Asylum33 boys came and that was super lovely – I don’t see them often and I miss them. I think my sister kinda sorta fancied one hehe cute! Obviously can’t say which one.

Fast-forward to the end of the night, I am drunk (yes, ok, this is terrible and never again, seeing as how I don’t actually drink, and even if I did this was NOT the time) and Xavier is telling me people are asking when the next event is. He is thinking of making it regular. Me, I’m always in doubt, especially when drinking, but I LOVED the sound of it, no lie.

Now to the ‘problems’, or rather what ~I~ saw as problems (seriously, why am I so uptight? Therapy when I can afford it). Looking back, the whole thing actually went pretty smoothly. We hadn’t decided on the order of performances and had to do it right there. We ran out of wine – which, there never IS enough wine. Brothers were smoking weed outside – this one, actually, I had been warned about, by someone with tens of years of experience, and at the time I brushed it off (What matters is that ~I~ don’t smoke or drink, I said) but f-ck when you don’t know the people who are doing it you kind of don’t know what to eventually expect. Luckily, they all happened to be the peace-and-love type. And really, I think that’s all that ‘seemed’ to be going wrong on the night. Not bad, huh?

Not bad.

Next morning, 8.30 I was tweeting the sh-t out of the night’s events whilst waiting for boarding to fly to Cyprus and be with my family. Hungover, but SO happy.

Update: Xavier and I have ‘uncoupled’. He’d been acting distant for some time and I think he’s got quite a bit of sh-t to deal with and I might have acted impatient about that. But I won’t front, I miss him and I am super upset. As well as losing someone I liked it’s also a professional blow: good-bye Rap-Art, you were bloody great, and you could definitely have become even greater. I will cherish the memories forever.

Rap-Art - idea

Three whole months, eh? That's LONG. Ok for the whole of August I was in Moscow and had two-minute-a-day internet access - a good time to read haha - but for the rest of it I do want to apologise, although who cares about my sorry's when I have been giving them right left and centre whenever I don't post. I am disgusted about my long silence, I feel like sh-t about my laziness, I pay the price with proper depression spells when I don't do this, so let's just move on. To what's up.

I guess I start with introducing to you Xavier (have I mentioned Asylum33? Ray is a part of it. And so is Xavier). He has got in touch with me on Twitter and wanted to meet and share ideas. We did. Except he didn't come to discuss A People's Art, he was like: "Hey, I've these friends who rap, we could find some pictures of them and put it all in a gallery". It was vague at the time, with nothing really tying the idea together, and then I slept on it, then slept some more, until 'some pictures' became 'pictures that would portray the life of today's UK rapper'. The idea was to start showing the public that 'gangsta rap' is out (I hope) and giving way to new, more peaceful sounds and life styles. I love the idea that rappers of today come from different backgrounds and are united through the genre. This is a wonderful, inclusive concept. Rappers ride bikes!! :D

So that was that: we brainstormed on the name and called it 'Rap-Art'.

Sh-tload to do though (Xavier suggested we do it in the next 2-3 weeks and I fell off the chair - that would leave no time for my paranoia): find the space, find the sound system, find the pictures, print them, frame them, etc. Xavier was invaluable. But at the same time, it was tricky. I lose sleep, literally, when sh-t doesn't get done, like, yesterday. I'm on one side of the phone: 'Where are the pictures?' 'Where is the flyer?' 'Where are the pictures?' 'Where is the flyer?' - Xavier on the other side of the phone: 'Chill, Marina'. It's just that I can't chill, you know? Not least because the gallery was asking about the pictures and the flyers, but it's also that I was creating this event where I had no idea how it was going to go or how it would end up, what I did know is that I wanted to do the possible best - to make it as good as I physically could. I wanted to make it f-cking great, and for people to have the best time.

So, like, #pressure.

I contacted the Hackney Council about places (they replied with an extensive list of all the spaces to rent for events), I google-searched and emailed every little gallery in Hackney and out of whoever replied, I chose three of the cheaper ones and went to have a look. A-Side B-Side was a perfect space - it was small and it had white walls - I needed nothing else. Its founder Catherine so so helpful and so involved with the project - it was an absolute pleasure. She had her partner help us on the day, she invited a few friends, she answered my dumb questions.

Xavier took care of finding the artists and the sound system - I am very grateful to him, and to everyone who said yes and who just helped out.

As for the prints, at first I imagined them big, A1 or A2, and that was expensive. I don't even recall now how much as I think I've repressed the memory. THANK GOD a few of them had too small of a resolution and couldn't be made big. So ok, last minute decision, already at the printers, was to have them small, and by small I mean tiny… A5-tiny. (You can imagine the sweat on my forehead where from A1 I have to downsize my own vision of the entire exhibition to A5 in a matter of seconds - not a good look for me, felt like I was collapsing together with the vision.)

By then I had already gone to IKEA and got the massive frames (not clever, next time - prints first, frames second) - my extremely pregnant best friend Katie drove me there and back. I had to ask my extremely pregnant best friend Katie to take me on this joyous trip again to exchange them. She agreed (I am lucky!) The cheapest frames, in smaller sizes - black, white and red for extra sexiness.

Came home, framed the prints, laid them out on the floor and you know what, they really looked good (Look! Look!)

I was happy. I was happy enough to admit that I was happy, which is rare. Although the print size  didn't fit my initial plan I thought if I like them, a few others are bound to like them, and at the end of the day it's all that mattered (this was a surprise epiphany).

Then came Xavier, looked and said we ain't got enough prints. Well f-ck, for two weeks I'd been telling him we need more prints but because of the clear instructions to 'chill out' I stopped. Anyway, story cut short, I was back at the printers on the day of the exhibition (by that point the do-it-last-minute situation had stopped being so scary, the real fear by then was revolving around the potential turn-out of guests) doing what needed to be done. (The photographs, by the way, belonged to the musicians and their archives, and a few were done by Ray especially for the event.)

I will write about the evening in a separate post though, this is getting super long. One more thing here: finding alcohol sponsorship was a futile idea that of course I still pursued. Local Hackney breweries are a joke. By that point though, as much as I wanted the audiences to have as amazing time as possible, I decided that Rap-Art would have to happen even without the drinks. As soon as I thought this, my ex mother-in-law brought me two cases of wine for the event. (Which is when I finally cried.)

Out of my own pocket, however, came some money - for gallery hire, sound system, prints and frames. And by my own pocket I mean my parents' pocket. It was quite a bit of money and now I owe it.

Next up: the Rap-Art Night.

Shoot with MC Ty - Part 2

I know, I know, it's been a while - my laziness will be the end of me. Literally.

Anyway, back to 22nd of May. The photo shoot was scheduled with Ty for 11.45, I requested the studio and asked Ray to meet me at 11 (I've a paranoia about ever being late, or other people being late, so I do what I can for it not to happen - being late is disrespectful, always was, always will be, and I won't change my mind about this). So I'm on the tube making my early way to the studio in Hackney and who do I see on the same platform waiting for the same train? Ty. Oh sh-t. So much for having everything ready for his arrival. With my heart sunk, I approach him and introduce myself. We talked a little bit about the exhibition and this and that, but my mind was going crazy, I had nothing prepared, I didn't even know where the studio is! I've always been a panicking person but I've also been working so hard lately on learning to "accept and let go". This was definitely a good time to practice it haha. 

I did get myself together though, and Ty and I managed to find our way to the studio and had a lovely conversation in the meantime. 

And Ray was late. Not very late but late nonetheless. Despite my having called him at 9 in the morning to 'confirm' he was going to be on time. It ended up being ok though, I knew he was on his way so I was in my 'staying calm no matter what' mode (I think I got Ray feeling pretty traumatised with all of the hundred calls I'd made to him in the days leading up to the shoot). 

And then it all fell into place. Ray came (yes he makes me stress but gosh I love this boy and it was so nice to see him), a couple of his friends came, Ty was there, I was there, pictures were taken, conversations were being had - it was raw and it was fascinating and I was sitting in a photo studio with one of UK's hip-hop legends. Thank you, life - except I was the one who made it happen. 

I wish I had video footage from the day so I could just post the debates that arose regarding the culture's current and possible future states. This videoing thing - I don't know how to go about it, what the rules are, how to edit it. And it's really annoying. 

Two and a half hours later it was a wrap. So there you have it, as I mentioned in the previous post, for two and a half hours Ty didn't even look at his phone - this is how committed he was to the task at hand. Combine that with his arriving EARLY and you know why he is what he is. Amazing.

I did ask Ty to help me get in touch with Shortee Blitz but as far as asking for favours goes I only managed to make that one. I just already felt so grateful for him supporting this project in the first place, asking for more felt wrong. Am I right? Ty would most probably have most, if not all, people I'm trying to reach in his phone book, but these aren't things I feel comfortable asking for. So the hard way it is then - one done, 19 more people to 'hunt down'. Help me God.

Shoot With MC Ty - Part1

Man.. I will write a proper lengthy one tomorrow - tell you all about how our shoot with Ty went! The day has been so hectic I've literally got 10 minutes before I've to go. Sofia's got sick in the morning which meant no school, I had to frantically find and beg my sister and then Sofia's grandmother to take care of her because obviously I had to be at the shoot.

Ty was absolutely wonderful. And early. And professional. And interesting. And totally willing to give us his time and attention without once looking at his phone. I can't gush enough.

The same could not exactly be said about us (at least I don't think so, although some people do call me out on my inability to give myself praise). This being my first proper shoot, however, I now know exactly what to do next time.

After the shoot I had to run home so I could take Sofia to the doctor. 

Then blog (now)

And I'm all made up already for this date I have in half an hour. 

Followed by an invitation to The Box club (more on that later, too). 

Oh yes, and I haven't mentioned that I've got to be up early so I could make my way to the O2 Arena… for a bungee jump! Woohooo!!!

A few months ago I'd have said no to at least one of the above because, really, it's feeling a bit much with a child on top of that, but now it's like 'isn't that what I've wanted and felt so unfulfilled when it wasn't happening?' Duh.

Emails Please.

Right. Emails. So much is said and written about the powers of contacting people in your field, I have read whole articles and books dedicated to just that. And it makes sense too, obviously. You might not get a reply or you might get a "sorry, not interested" reply (still can't decide which is worse) but I guess if either of that happens at the very least people YOU are interested in find out about your project's existence.
So, so far, where the 'subjects' are concerned, I have sent official project emails to : MC Ty, DJ Shortee Blitz, Skepta, soul2soul, Slick Rick and Akala (check ME out embedding all these links!!! Just now figured out how to do that haha.) Gosh imagine being able to convince Akala to pose for a 'family portrait' with his sister - this idea is making my head spin but thankfully I am good at managing my own expectations - focus on getting them one by one.
(I wonder if I should display the original emails I'd sent on here? I'm undecided on whether I think it's relevant to the blog - I know lots of people freeze at the though of writing the 'right thing' and I know lots of people who feel fine about it. So I guess if I get asked then I'll put it up.)

As far as other people in 'the industry' go, I've emailed: pop-up Ap-Art, Che Kothari (Canada!), Lloyd Bradley, Ali Khalil, Graffik, AJ, Phat Startup (America!), Saphreem King (America!), ABC Life charity (its founder Ashley is sceptical about working with me I tell you, and I am the opposite - super keen!), London Live and, of course, SBTV. These are my big-deal emails (they were long, too!), there have been literally a hundred others sent to galleries, photo studios, photographers, web designers etc.

Like I mentioned yesterday, some reply, some don't, some reply that they don't. And yes it's disappointing to not get the results I want but I have trained myself to not care for longer than an hour. After which I go back to emailing again. Phone conversations are even more interesting - for starters, my English goes and I can easily find myself mumbling BUT I actually prefer calling to emailing. At least when you call you KNOW they will get the information through. I've read lots about how making actual phone calls is what separates the people who 'want' from the people who 'do'. I can definitely see why - I've to spend half a day practicing what I'm going to say before I even dare dialling the number. Oh the effort! (On that note, ABC Life's Ashley's phone has been switched off lately and it's driving me crazy because all I want to do now is keep making offers for the charity)

I guess this is it for today, I just wanted to show that I AM contacting people I think would want/ be able to help and people I would want/ might be able to help. Kelly does most of the research on what's happening in the hip-hop/ art world and she alerts me to something and I make myself known. No matter how long writing that email takes (sometimes 2-3 days to make sure it's appropriate to the receiver). Sometimes it's writing back and forth, sending reminders, asking more questions. As for the results, they haven't come yet, at least not in the form I'd like them to BUT we're having our first shoot tomorrow. OK, arranging 19 more is a daunting thought but I have single handedly put a photoshoot together. With a rapper. And my favourite photographer. It's too bad (is it?) that I'm not good at praise because I should probably celebrate, but I will come home, put my little girl to sleep and start sending more emails.

PS. I've a joints condition, it's really making my life hell today - do you think for someone whose fingers constantly ache a career in blogging is a bad idea?

New Photographers

Well, like I said, I now feel that the project will actually benefit from having more people involved in it. It is not only about having more photographers on stand-by (although the panic attacks I get when I can't get hold of someone are incredibly serious, sometimes I worry for my mental health) but for the most part it is about having more creative power - young talented people throwing ideas around is. The. Best. So when Kelly (my best friend who's behind ForwardA's social media) put information about the exhibition, we were given names of two girls - Alexia and Emma. So I emailed them and we all met up. I swear there's no feeling like seeing people not only willing to share your vision but also build on it. I MUST start videoing these meeting and posting them. It just still feels so awkward I can't seem to get over this barrier. Yet.
By the way, still to this day, as far as my own tastes in photography/ portraiture go, I am convinced no one does it like Ranen http://www.rayfiasco.com/music#5 Sometimes when I go through the proposal and notes I come across his work and I can't stop looking. This boy's visions are amazing.
So I guess this was it for today. Not as hectic as yesterday but I met new people and I tend to consider this an achievement.
It's getting pretty late and my post is looking to be rather light tomorrow because all I am planning to do is get up to my eyeballs in the work of the MC we've scheduled to shoot on Friday. I will spend my time watching him on YouTube so I can be prepared to meet him. So as far as blogging is concerned I'd like to get you up to date on my 'correspondence'. I do send emails you know. Some stay unanswered, some receive replies, none of them has led to anything extraordinary but I originally planned this blog to cover all of my steps on this project. Emails are steps so there you go, tomorrow.
This blog though, it's another headache of mine. Now that I've got the hang of operating it, I want to change its structure so it would look better, be more user friendly and serve the purpose more. I want it to upload my videos and to embed links. I've a structure in mind but bringing it to life is another matter entirely. I have Whatsapped my web designer (she lives in Buenos Aires by the way, we only speak on Skype) and she says what I'm asking is not so easy apparently. Which.. why does it not surprise me?
I'm late for my meditation! Also, this book I'm reading is turning out to be such a treat the 'old' me wouldn't have been able to put it down. But I'm well disciplined these past few days - project first, entertainment second. (Except for this Saturday, my sister and I are bungee jumping at the O2 Arena in the morning.)

Ride of a Day

It's been quite a day. I have finally got the 'courage' to go to SBTV in hopes to find Jamal Edwards and bravely, in a like-i-mean-business way, hand him in my proposal. It is a MUST that he be featured in the exhibition, what he has been doing for the culture is undeniable.

So I knew the street name where the office is but not the number - just, you know, to add to my already unbearable pressure this anticipation of having to go knock on secured doors and ask 'is SBTV' somewhere here? Please enjoy this video of me hyperventilating before I go in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cysv7ZqXS9I&feature=youtu.be 

It all ended worse than I thought though: I was told by one of the receptionists SBTV has moved office ages ago! Great. That's great. Yet another crucial person I don't know how get hold of. Yet.

So I came home and dealt with this photo studio problem I'd got myself into. Because you see I'd made a mistake and assumed one of the photographers has got access to a studio (it's actually more than that, I'd actually assumed they've got their own studio!) and just went on and scheduled our first official shoot without confirming with the boys first. Um, dumb. Um, totally paid for it with extensive growth of grey hairs on my head when I realised what I'd done. So I could either email the artist and ask to reschedule (look up the description of 'unprofessionalism', this is textbook) or do what I have to do to make the show go on. So I googled, made calls, bargained and borrowed money from my friend so we could have our first portrait shoot on Friday, as agreed.

After this was done, I went to the BBC Broadcasting House and waited for Charlie Sloth to appear. By now I have started giving him warning calls that I am lurking around, I've been so persistent when it comes to him I find myself apologising for acting like a leech ha! But please trust me when I say: there hasn't been a man nicer than Charlie. He might not pick up his phone when I call or reply my texts, but when I do see him he never, and I mean NEVER, not willing to help. OK, maybe he does like this exhibition idea and I guess that helps but believe me when I say the man. is. boss.

Anyway, we talked for a few minutes and I was given the email address of his agent so that I could schedule the time for Chalie's photo shoot. Well I've sent the request, and now I shall await.

I'm exhausted by the way. It didn't feel like I've accomplished much but now that I'm writing about it it does look like a long day. I want to restructure this blog and to be able to write more frequently. While the sh-t is fresh you know.

Night now. Meditation time for me. Also haven't read a book in ages, I'm starting 'The Hundred Hearts' tonight. 

It all seems like one never-ending challenge

Today, I have counted and described FOUR obstacles to making this project/ exhibition happen. And I haven't even looked into funding yet. Panicking isn't the word right now and I have to start all over again. But if I don't then I'll have failed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4iQArat1Ro&feature=youtu.be

An evening with Lloyd Webber

The man whom I credit with teaching me the history and evolvement of black music in UK? Lloyd Bradley. And I went to his book event yesterday evening.  

It was whilst I was reading 'Sounds Like London: 100 years of black music in the capital' that I came up with the exhibition idea. So not only did reading his book give me an abundance of fascinating info it inspired my project, too. 

My friend Kelly alerted me to the event. I'd already purchased tickets to go see Kwabs, but as a no-braner work comes first. 

And it was such a lovely evening! Not only did I manage to introduce myself and have my book signed, I also gave him the newly printed and bound proposal (seriously, I feel like it's my baby, too bad I can't belly-cup it because it totally would!)

Whether Lloyd will or will not get back to me - I don't know. But I do know that he's now aware of both my existence and the project. 

Listening to him speak about balck music and London was magic. As random as it seemed for a Russian to be in that room, it was the only place I wanted to be in last night. 

Also, unrelated, Lloyd runs marathons. How cool is that? There's always something totally irresistible about sportsmen. Makes you want to trust them because you know they're well disciplined. 

Blogging from my iPhone!

Please allow me to revel in the fact that, with the help of my ex classmate, I have learned how to do my blog posts on my phone! Yes! This will make my thoughts and actions more transparent because I can now literally roll them out to you as they come. 

This will also organise and motivate me more because now I don't have the excuse of 'The moment's gone, too late to write about it'. The posts will become more frequent and really up to date - which makes me happy. 

I am very annoyed though that I am not able to just upload a video on it, it's giving me the option of pictures only. I do wish I had someone to help me with this.. 

I am also using the help of said ex classmate in order to re-structure the blog's layout. As much as I want it to be fixed today, I can't - I am so dependable on people when it comes to technology. 

So it looks like I've moved from the idea of a documentary-type report to just differently structured blogging. I guess as long as it serves the purpose the means don't matter as much. For now. I am still keen on the documentary but that will happen once I've better resources. 

Hunt for a gallery space

I randomly picked up the New Exhibitions guide www.newexhibitions.com in a gallery a few weeks ago and I used it for locating all gallery spaces in the district of Soho. 29 galleries received this email:

 Here's my full report on the gallery hunting so far: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmNeGik45GI

This project is giving me so much life, the more I do the more I want to do!

Email to Soul2Soul

Well that's it - the contacting celebrities has officially started. I've been prolonging it as it seemed like the most difficult part of the whole project (it's really not though) but now that I've actually dialled Soul2Soul's number these wheels are finally in motion, and the excitement was overwhelming!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f451p6OFAPs&feature=youtu.be

I've screenshot the email so please if you have something you think I could/ should amend in the future, let me know:

If they say 'yes' I'm afraid I might pass out. If they say 'no' I will wear them out.

Don't give up. Get up!

Whatever is happening in your life (read: my life) is just not a reason to stop working. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3WQgPAFiEQ

A whole lot of writing

I have had to dedicate almost the entire week to writing: press release for the bloggers/ online magazines, the exhibition proposal and, well, this blog post. Luckily I had already sent a few emails and dms to people (Jamal Edwards, London Live, Charlie Sloth etc) in hope to hear their opinions, so I’d already researched for and had parts of the proposal written down in a structured way. Still, writing for potential sponsors is a long nerve-wrecking process which saw me spend hours at a time in front of the monitor. But even though my fingers are begging for help and my brain seems unable to process any more information, this responsibility I have given myself for the project is keeping me going. I cannot afford to let go of work, I love it and I want ‘A People’s Art’ to happen and be a success so badly!

I now have two people helping me: my best friend Kelly and one of the photographer’s friends Dwyte. Hands down, Kelly is the most hard-working person I have ever met and is a genius at research. I am beyond joy to work with her. She is now mostly in charge of @ForwardAEnt twitter account (thanks to her, we got our 100^th follower yesterday!). 

Dwyte and I are getting to know each other and he’s proved invaluable in providing information and contacts I would otherwise lack – from obtaining budget info and finding a video editor to having a whole list of useful blog sites to send the press release to. He also shares his visions and ideas re: ‘A People’s Art’ which I try to incorporate into my own and hopefully improve the project so it reaches its full potential. Perfect!

So far so good then, although I have still not been able to get hold of a photographer from the Only Connect charity, despite having spoken to them 5 times. I will keep calling until I get any results, at the very least they might refer me to a similar organisation that could be of help.

I also must fix ForwardA’s email address, which right now is so unfriendly to use it makes me feel like I’m stuck in the 90s. It’s a huge problem because Kelly and Dwyte aren’t able to use their own accounts. So I’m on it!

It dawns more and more on me that the wheels have finally been set in motion. And although it’s all still early days, it’s already a proud moment. I am finally building what I didn’t believe I could.

Speaking of things “I didn’t believe I could”, we all have people we tend to look up to and aspire to be like. I have them too. The multi-platinum Hip-Hop producer Sahpreem A King (http://sahpreemking.com) is a name I added to that list a year ago after I read his book Surviving The Game: How To Succeed In The Music Business, which was given to me as a present and played a major role in my transformation as a professional and as a person by giving first-hand insight into the music industry and teaching me how to stay focused. I followed Sahpreem on Twitter, he followed me back, I thanked him for his work and he looked at my website. He generously found the time to actually speak to me via Skype and give me advice on the project. He wrote books that transformed me and a few months later I'm speaking to him, all thanks to what I’m doing! How cool is that!?

So now I have another promise to keep: send the invitation all the way to Florida and have Sahpreem visit ‘A People’s Art’ on the opening night. It’s an honour!

Who would YOU be honored to speak to?