Wat'sBinDid

2010's

2013 – Exhibition 'Stalowe Pejzaze', Gdansk: Photographic images by Tomasz Janiak of the heart of the industrial landscape of Gdansk dockyards. The images have sense of beauty and were taken in the atmospheric light of dusk and dawn. This is the first of the Art@Gdansk projects for this year.

2012 – 'The Slaves Lament', Stoke-on-Trent: This month long music project ran in conjunction with 'Black History Month'. Various venues around the city staged live concerts featuring music that can be traced back to the slave industry, in many ways the only original USA music. Artists included Kent Duchaine, Pete Latham, Wide Open Hand, William Henry, StringFing, Peter Branson, The Barrelhouse Jukes, W. Terry Fox, Adam Fenn, Jimmy Gillespie, John Stonier, Jim Berryman, Purcy.

2012 – 'Black History Month', Stoke-on-Trent: Exhibitions, lectures and performances for this month long project. Special emphasis this year was on the influence of Black Music around the world, in particular the Rhythm & Blues movement that spurned the white blues phenomena of the early sixties with bands like the Rolling Stones, The Animals and Them selling unappreciated black music back to the USA. British black history was also presented in sport, politics, science, industry, art and writing.

2012 – The Lyin' Politician Blues Festival, Stoke: This was a 4 day music festival run in conjunction with the Helping Hand and FareShare Food projects, and used 5 sites around the city, The Glebe (Stoke), the Holy Inadequate (Etruria), the Blue Bell (Kidsgrove), the Packhorse Inn (Middleport) and NORSACA Community Centre (Hanley). Amongst the themed events were evenings of 'Songs of Social Conscience', 'Protest & Ale', 'Tunes & Songs of the English Working Classes'.

2012 – 'Six Towns One City Carnival', Stoke: Since the beginning of the year the organizer of the event felt that the project neede to be an association in its own right. The Six Towns One City Carnival Association (STOCCA) was born. The event kept to the tried and trusted format of previous years, but with more of an emphasis on art. Ivy Wong of 'Jelly Art' joined the team and presented a living art project on the day. A work of graffiti to be made during the event by youngsters under the guidance of Manchester artist ????. The piece carried the running theme of this years event 'Jamaica Independence'. When completed it measured 8' x 24'.

2012 – 'Jamaica Independence Festival', Stoke: a 3 day festival including exhibitions, food, fun-day, and music plus 'Olympic Big Screen Venue', for the 100 & 200 metres finals. The celebrations were to celebrate 50 years of Jamaica Independence from the British Isles.

2012 – 'The Full English', Packhorse inn, Stoke: This is an ongoing weekly project founded by W. Terry Fox and David Wrench. It's about the revival and presentation of traditional and contemporary English songs and tunes, and up to 30 musicians turn up weekly. It has become an integral part of FillupMeTin Associations work on a day to day level, as well as an important part of 2013 projects.

2012 – 'FareShare Food', NORSACA, Stoke: Once a month we obtain a quantity of food from supermarkets, this we distribute in bags to families in need around the city of Stoke-on-Trent.

2012 – 'Helping Hand Kitchen', NORSACA, Stoke: This is a project of social conscience, each Wednesday volunteers prepair a hot meal for free, to the homless and those who have fallen on hard times.

2011 – Exhibition 'Helski Model Sztuki', Gdansk: Special exhibition featuring 13 of the best of underground artists in the Tri-City region at our Art@Gdansk Gallery.

2011 – Exhibition/Presentation 'Stoke Roots', Gdansk: Students of Professor Krystyna Andrzejewska-Marek present work inspired by Stoke-on-Trent, at the ceramics deptment of 'Gdansk Academy of Fine Art'.

2011 – 'Black History Month', Stoke-on-Trent: Exhibitions, lectures and performances for this month long project. Special emphasis this year was on sacrifice and the hidden history of black people in Britain. There was also a poetry feature this year with Cheshire Poet Laureat W. Terry Fox and West Indian poet Lawrence Gill reciting woks with a hrader political edge to them.

2011 – Exhibition 'Chris Guest', Gdansk: The first exhibition by a Stoke artist in our 'Art@Gdansk Gallery' in Gdansk old town. Chris is also active in promoting the arts in Stoke-on-Trent with his association 'Community Arts North Staffs'.

2011 – 'Six Towns One City Carnival' Stoke: Organised in partnership with NORSACA and the YMCA, this is the largest free one day event in the Staffordshire calendar, involving thousands of spectators featuring all of the successful projects of previous years, with an added emphasis on 'Community Cohesion'. This was a particularly difficult year, as it fell in the midst of the riots that were taking place around the country. The event showed a level of co-operation and goodwill amongst the local population, including minority groups in the region. The event past with no troubles and a lot of goodwill, a great day out for all those who came.

2010 – Sponsor 'Ceramic History & Legacy of Stoke-on-Trent': Famous Gdansk ceramic artist and professor Krystyna Andrzejewska-Marek, Collects information, film and materials about the pottery industry in Stoke, to use in lectures and presentations with students at the 'Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts', Poland, and with the mature students who attend her evening classes. The intention is to inspire them and make a presentation of work in 2011.

2010 – Concerts 'Gremplina' Stoke-on-Trent: Polish humorous music duo arrive in the city for a special concert to promote further Eurapean cultural co-operations.

2010 – Concerts 'Prevost & Fenn', Stoke-on-Trent: Marc Prevost (Le Havre) and Adam Fenn (Stoke) join forces for a series of informal music projects with local musicians, culminating in an excellent evening of Irish Music in the Blue Bell, Kidsgrove, with Martin Waters, Martin D'Arcy and John Beech. During Marc's stay young fiddler Ciaran Agar requested a chance to play a session with him and this was organised in the home of Robert A. Burns, FillUpMeTin Director.

2010 – 'ArtRoutes' Official Launch: Exhibition, performance and information about our umbrella organisation (now FillUpMeTin Association). Mike Wolfe former head of the regions CAB and former elected mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, opened our project and ideas to the public, he said "with art we can break down barriers of parochialism and nationalism.. we are launching a project that takes us to the heart of a united Europe and we are launching a project that is an affordable way to that goal". The concert for the launch was by 'StringFing' a band that included old friend and fellow collaborator W. Terry Fox.

2010 – 'Six Towns One City Carnival', Stoke: Organised in partnership with NORSACA and the YMCA, this is the largest free one day event in the Staffordshire calendar, involving thousands of spectators and includes 'Arts Worksops and Projects', 'Sports Contests', 'Funfair', 'World Food Stalls', 'Arts/Charity/Commercial Market Village' and 2 'Live Stages', for dance and music.

2010 – ArtRoutes and NORSACA, Stoke-on-Trent: A new partnership was formed between Robert A. Burns, David Thomson and their ArtRoutes Association (now FillUpMeTin Association), and the North staffs African Caribbean Association through their project manager Hughie Lawrence. Join forces to help them to create more professional projects and give us a venue and office in Stoke to support our events.

 

2000's

2009 – Exhibition 'Impressions of Stoke-on-Trent', Gdansk:Polish artist Magdelena Nowak (camera obscura), displays her photographs and impressions of Stoke at our new 'Art@Gdansk Gallery' in Poland (see Sentinel).

2009 – 'Art@Gdansk Gallery' Launch, Yesterday Café:Our new gallery opens in Gdansk, with an exhibition of 10 cutting edge artists, under the curatorship of Elzbieta Tegowska who agrees to become our Polish Artistic Director. Exhibitions will be changed on a monthly basis.

2008 – 'Yesterday' Culture Café, Gdansk:Redesigned café in Piwna Street, Gdansk, to use as our new local base for performances, exhibitions and exchanges with Stoke and Le Havre to start in 2009.

2008 – Sponsor 'Images of Stoke': Engaged 'Camera Obscura' artist Magdelena Nowak to take images of Stoke-on-Trent, as part of an exhibition to take place in 2009.

2008 – Exhibition 'Art@Gdansk' Stoke-on-Trent: Impressionist art from Gdansk. Displayed in the famous Burslem School of Art.

2005 – 'La Brise de Gdansk' Hotel de Ville, Le Havre: A month long exhibition celebrating the work of 3 female artists of Gdansk, 'Danuta Joppek', 'Magdelena Nowak', and 'Elzbieta Tegowska'.

2005 – 'Danton Square Festival', Le Havre: Street theatre and caberet performances in this 2 week festival. Performed on the square by the prison, in collaboration with the 'Café Gavrouche'.

2005 – 'The Last Hoorah' SSBONC: The final project in the cult café, as the building is sold to developers, SSBONC closes down, but projects for the remainder of the year remain in place.

2004 – 'International Festival pour Atlantic Course de Yachts': SSBONC Café was recreated at the Dock Ocean, Le Havre, for a week long festival of the arts, to celebrate the 'Vendee Globe' (around the world single handed yacht race).

2004 – SSBONC Rue de Festival: Three weeks of street theatre, traditional music, world music, exhibitions and food in partnership with Maire du Havre Cultural Dept.

2003 – 'Ankata', Le Havre: Series of concerts and recording of a CD, supporting musician Bruno Michel's work with sponsored Mali band 'Ankata', who's members included Sam Sinayoko, Broulaye Sidibe and Duguye 'Donso' Coulibaly.

2003/05 – 'Enfance de L'art' SSBONC: Founding of a weekly free arts and inspiration class in SSBONC by the late great Serge Marias association trustee.

2003 – 'Dieu Sauve les Grues', Dunkirk, France: Alternative arts festival in the dockyards of Dunkirk, featuring an exhibition an an old metal barge of 8 Gdansk artists, and performances by progressive music band 'Von Zeit' from Tczew, Poland.

2003 – Exhibitions 'Graffiti & The New Urban Age': Series of exhibitions between April and August featuring young artists, using all media but with an emphasis on graphics and graffiti. The series included 'Luke', 'Karot', and began with a 6 artist show in partnership with association 'Asso6son'.

2003 – Denmark 'Painting Workshops': In collaboration with Elzbieta Tegowska and Lillian Chrisstianson, one months artists workshops in Sonder Felding.

2003 – 'Rue Des Expo's Polonaise', Le Havre: Six Polish artists exhibiting work in six different cafes in one long street Rue Casimir Delavigne.

2003 – SSBONC Rue de Festival: Annual event in partnership with the Maire du Havre Cultural Dept a 3 week festival of street theatre, traditional music, world music, exhibitions and food.

2003 – International Exhibition 4+3 Le Havre: Two exhibitions of Polish artists from Gdansk under the banner 'Sans Frontieres-Sans Limites'. 4 at Casart Gallery, Magdelena Nowak (Camera Obscura), Barbara Polkowska-Ugwu (Tapestry), Dorota Splocharska (Installation & Ceramic Sculptors), Elzbieta Tegowska (Painting) and 3 at FJT du Mont Joly, Ewa Magdelena Hac (Collage), Kryzsztoff Polkowski (Painting), Jowita Wallner (Painting).

2002 – 'La Route des Artistes', SNCF, Le Havre, France: Multi artist exhibition between French and Polish artists, in Le Havre, railway station hall.

2002 – Exhibitions of Gdansk Art in Limoges & Paris: 'Sans Frontieres-Sans Limites' project in conjunction with SSBONC. This was the beginning of a touring arts project around France.

2002 – Didgeridoo au Havre: Part of our ongoing world music events. Artist from around France perform on the Didgeridoo in a 2 day series of recitals, finishing on the final day with all of them playing together (one of the loudest acoustic projects we've ever experienced).

2002 – SSBONC Rue de Festival: Three weeks of street theatre, traditional music, world music, exhibitions and food in partnership with Maire du Havre Cultural Dept.

2001 – Islam Month, Le Havre: Exhibitions, music and food in response to the wests invasion of Afghanistan. Exhibition of Arabic Art, translated information (into French/English) of many misunderstood words (Fatwah), traditions, and beliefs of Muslim culture. SSBONC had a month long ban on alcohol and members and artists participated in Ramadan 17th Nov.-17th Dec. Each evening North African Arab musicians performed traditional music and their womenfolk prepared food to break the fast in the evening.

2001/05 – The Old Salty Dog English Club: Weekly free club set up inside SSBONC to promote spoken English, for those on lower incomes.

2001 – Street Theatre & Music Festival, SSBONC: Week long project in Le Havre involving artists from Stoke-on-Trent, London, Gdansk and Le Havre, to launch the new association and promote its work.

2001 – Founding of SSBONC Arts Centre Association, Le Havre: The 'Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal Café/Culture', a new site and association for the presentation and independent organisation of cultural and arts projects, joining forces with many of the Le Bokal (now closed) volunteers, to keep the arts agenda fresh and innovative, and to provide a new home for the continuation of and publishing of the arts agenda magazine 'Bazart'.

2000/02 – Difference & ZDB: This was an expansion of the alternative music agenda in partnership with Aidan Craik of ZDB, which involved Belgium, France & Holland operating alternative music festivals in Le Havre, Brussels, Dunkirk and Amsterdam, with 'Noisemaker 5'(Belgium), 'Jaques Brodier'(France), 'The Ex'(Holland), 'Elephantasis'(France), 'The Legendary Pink Dots'(Holland), 'Von Zeit'(Poland), 'Maelstrom'(France),'De Kift'(Holland), 'Lychanthrope'(France), ????

1990's

1999 – 'Artistes du Normandie' Galleri Hamon, Le Havre: A selection of Norman Impressionist Art for a month long exhibition.

1999 – 'Royale De Luxe' Collaboration: Giant puppets the size of buildings operated by crane, part of a tour of this spectacular event around European cities.

1998/Present – Bazart: Production of Arts Agenda magazine 'Bazart', for regionwide distribution, headed up by project co-ordinators Olivier Bierre and Sedami Anani.

1999 – 'To Follow The Dream' POSK Gallery, London: A series of paintings and lectures inspired by the life of Joseph Conrad.

1998/99 – Street Theatre: Le Bokal was a hotbed of theatre groups specialising in 'Alternative Street Theatre', who's members were prominent on the main committee at Le Bokal, helping create a wonderful working atmosphere of artistic originality. These groups represented us at all the major street theatre festivals around Europe including Brighton, England. The groups included ???????

1998/99 – Exhibitions 'Le Bokal': Series of alternative arts projects including 'Installations', 'Sculptures', 'Photography' and 'Painting'. Also a weekly artists café 'Café Bokal', a gathering place for developing ideas and putting on smaller projects.

1997/99 – Concerts 'Le Bokal' Le Havre: Series of alternative music concerts (running into 1998), including 'Bush Chemists'(England), 'Usemi Doma'(Czech Republic), 'The Ex'(Holland), 'Lycanthrope'(France), '???'(Japan)

1996 – 'Gdansk Millenium 997-1997' Draft Programme: Worked with Gdansk city council on the draft programme and festival structure to celebrate 1,000 years of the existence of Gdansk in 1997.

1996 – Exhibition 'X-Dziesiec Obrazow' Dooze Storey: Painter based in Stoke-on-Trent, presented a series of 10 paintings at the 'GTPS Punkt Gallery' as part of the new wave of young British artists.

1996 – Exhibition 'Closing the Distance' Kelvin Bowers: The famous Stoke-on-Trent poet, writer, painter and athlete, much admired in the Polish art world, exhibited his work at the famous 'Sopot Gallery of Contemporary Art'. He was also invited to read poetry (with translations by Elzbieta Tegowska) at the renowned GTPS arts centre in Gdansk old town. A hand written transcript of one of his poems has been placed in their archive for future generations.

1995 – Zak 'British Film Festival' Gdansk: Working in partnership with Magda Renk and shown in Zak's art-house cinema; 'Raining Stones' (Ken Loach), 'Orlando' (Sally Potter), Shallow Grave (Danny Boyle), 'The Crying Game' (Neil Jordan), 'Waterland' (Stephen Gyllenhaal), 'Life Is Sweet' (Mike Leigh), Braveheart (Mel gibson), Mona Lisa (Neil Jordan), The Madness Of King George' (Nicholas Hytner), 'Naked' (Mike Leigh) and Priest (Antonia Bird), the last one being the subject of a court case before if could be seen in Poland.

1995 – British Weeks Festival Pomerania: We worked in collaboration with the British Embassy & British Council on this British government funded month long festival, in the Gdansk region we produced 109 events in 31 days, including theatre, music, art, sport, film etc; Amongst these were 'Set The Milkmaids Free', 'The Albion Band' 'The Battlefield Band', 'Hair Of The Dog' in music, theatre works included John Godpers 'Teechers' and William Shakespeare's 'Taming Of The Shrew',as well a one day cricket match.

1994 – USA Festival: One week festival around 'American Independence Day', featuring film, music, culture and art.

1994/97 – Radio ARnet: Collaboration with 'Radio ARnet' under the management of rock super star Jarek Janiszewski lasted until 1997, working on a regular music and comment programme 'Cosmic Vibrations', as well as radio documentaries external broadcasts, news and information.

1994/Present – Klub Angielski: Founded by ourselves to help Polish people to learn and practice English for free. Many people had no money for lessons, but the need to learn a second language other than Russian became very important in the search for employment.

1994/97 – Zak 'Psychedelic Flower Power Parties': Set up originally as a fund raiser for arts projects, this project assumed a life and cult status of its own with up to 1,000 people attending weekly, it more than fulfilled its promise, and is now a famous part of this old student clubs history.

1993/97 – Gdansk Art & Culture: Working with Klub Zak Studentow, Sky Oronia TV, Gdansk TV, organising cultural and social projects in a region of turmoil and poverty. Klub Zak was based in the old 'League of Nations' building, given to the students by the communists and was our headquarters/office in Gdansk for four and a half years.

1993 - Festival of Music, Staffordshire University: This 2 day event was used top promote live artists in the university enviroment. Revisiting a time when good musicians without record deals or contracts, could use the renowned university circuit to promote their chances.

1991 – Film 'Strike & Democracy': Produced and directed. The film about Hewitts strike (Stoke), depicts the decline in workers rights since the law changes made by Margaret Thatcher. Shown in many European countries (not Britain), as part of the discussion of human rights in Britain.

1991 – Films 'Real Men Wash In The Sea' & 'The Good Ol Sixties': Produced and Directed. First is documentary about artist Kelvin Bowers the second a video montage (political). Both projects were selected for the Badalona and Tokyo film festivals in 1993.

1990 – Games of Friendship (GOFA): Sporting event to improve relations between Christchurch (England) and its twinning partners, with participants from New Zealand, Germany, France, Belgium, Germany, Hungary and England taking part.

1990 – St. Lo The Perfect Base: Produced and directed film of St Lo and the Le Manche region to promote and progress twinning projects, we worked with Geoff & Trish Millington (Stoke) in realising this work.

1980's

1989 – Christchurch Training: Training and devising programmes in arts and work skills for the long term unemployed and the disadvantaged.

1989 – Christchurch Twinning & Culture: Project to improve the popularity amongst the local population of, cultural, family and sporting exchanges between Christchurch (England), St Lo (France), St Ghislain (Belgium), Aalen Germany (Germany), Tatabanya (Hungary) and Christchurch (New Zealand).

1987 – Art & Live Aid: The last of our Bob Geldof fundraisers based at Chatterley Whitfield and involving Kelvin Bowers controversial art collage in an disused shop in the city centre (BBC Midlands Today).

1987 – World Runners Against Hunger: Supported and filmed this athletics and art project in Amsterdam with Adri Hertveldt.

1986 – Sport Aid Staffordshire: Organisers of Staffordshires 'Sport Aid Festival' for Ethiopia in conjunction with 'The Garden Festival' Stoke-on-Trent. Teamed up with Geoff Millington and Mike Lightfoot to pull off this incredibly difficult project, with only 6 weeks to put it all together, over 112,000 pounds were raised through our efforts in the region. Draw for the special prize awards were made by Tessa Sanderson at the 'Commonwealth Games' in Edingburgh.

1984 – Club Limoges & Club Stoke: Set up 'Club Limoges' in Stoke and 'Club Stoke' in Limoges, as free conversational language clubs, to help create cross cultural understanding and tolerance.

1984 – Stoke Relay: Co-ordinated a group of French relay runners to do the reverse journey to Stoke and compete in the 'Potteries Marathon'.

1983 – Potteries Marathon: Course Director under Don Shelley for 'Potteries Marathon'.

1983 – Limoges Relay & Film: Organised a team of relay of runners (including Kelvin Bowers & Geoff Millington) to go to Limoges with an invitation to there President from the city of Stoke, and return with a response, a journey over 1,000 miles. Produced a film of the event 'Take the Runners Line' with Staffordshire Polythecnic.

1983 – Stoke & Limoges: Set up cultural, sporting and educational exchanges between Stoke-on-Trent and Limoges (France).

1982 – Potteries Marthon Athletic Club: Founded to provide free running and health support for the TV generation in Stoke-on-Trent, taking advantage of the boom in jogging.