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Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 8 – Phil Monks

Day 8 of the Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar, and Phil Monks is here with a handy how-to guide. How to what, we don’t rightly know, but how about we try following his cryptic rules, and see what emerges?

Find out more about Phil at https://philipmonks.com/ and follow him on Twitter @PhilipMonks

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Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 7 – Chrissy Williams

It’s Day 7 and we’re ditching the smog of London for the bright lights of Las Vegas, according to our tour guide, Chrissy Williams.

At least, that’s what it looks like from our tiny airplane window. Only something down there doesn’t look quite like it does in the movies…

For more Chrissy goodness, follow her on Twitter @chrissywilliams and visit her den at http://chrissywilliams.blogspot.co.uk/p/hullo.html.

Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 6 – Desmond Swords

Welcome back! Our soothsayer for Day 6 of our Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar is Desmond Swords.

Today’s poem is staring at the skies, trying to makes sense of the fragments above. Signs, portents, flashes in the night, but only ever a partial glimpse through the telescope.

You can find out more about Desmond at http://desmondswords.blogspot.co.uk/.

Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 5 – Andrea Mbarushimana

Day Five, and the Aperture Advent Calendar sees our guest poet Andrea Mbarushimana tiptoeing through – what – a hotel, a boarding school, a convent? We can’t say for sure, but we know we can’t linger. Take what you can learn and scurry on. Yyou are being watched.

Talking of learning, to find out more about Andrea, follow her on Twitter @andymba24 or sneak across to www.andrea-mbarushimana.com.

Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 4 – Linda Black

We’re looking up and squinting into the sun today as the intrepid Linda Black takes over the Aperture Advent Calendar!

Something is shifting before our eyes in this aperture. Just as clouds change from dragons to cranes, this pinhole-camera poem gives us fragments drifting in and out.

Follow @LindaRoseBlack to learn more about today’s glass-gazer.

Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 3 – Rishi Dastidar

Day Three of our brazen Aperture Calendar, and it’s the turn of Rishi Dastidar.

Rishi has clearly been eavesdropping somewhere big. We’re thinking Albert-Hall big, from the snatches of conversation we can make out..

Good Patrons, Day Three!

Follow Rishi Dastidar on Twitter to learn more about his work.

Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day 2 – Peg Duthie

Day Two of our Aperture Calendar and it’s the turn of the wonderful Peg Duthie!

So it’s a slightly more heated drawing room we’re glimpsing into today. There’s a somewhat scandalous argument taking place. If only we could linger a little longer outside…

Find out more about today’s Advent Gallivanter at nashpanache.com and on Twitter at @Zirconium.

Enjoy Day Two!

Sidekick Aperture Poetry Advent Calendar Day One – Andrea Tallarita

Happy Advent, one and all! This year, we put out a call for Aperture poems to light up the old Sidekick Calendar.

The Aperture Poem is a form invented by the poet James Midgley for his ‘Pinhole’ sequence. The form places a window-shaped frame on an existing text, to show us only a fragment, as if we are passing by a house, eavesdropping on a conversation or sat in the restricted access seats at the theatre.

The results have been wonderful, and we can’t wait to fling wide the window and show you the splendid pieces we chose.

But wait we must! One day at a time, folks!

To kick off with, it’s a fantastic piece by our favourite Roman  Senator, Andrea Tallarita. Without further nonsense, here’s Day One! Can you guess the text at which we’re sneaking a peek?

PS: We will also be illustrating each post with a copyright-free window cat, because we can.

Big Fish, Little Fish, Shaped Like Box…

We’re gearing up to launch Aquanauts in immersive, submersive style in London on 22 September (click here to book your free place). To celebrate, we thought we’d share one or two of the tiddler poems that were too shy to go into the book. Introducing a swoosh of Cubist Collage Fish, alongside their real-world counterparts. We deliberately chose fish which change colour, to emphasise the shape-shifting aspect of the form:
Betta splendens – the Siamese Fighting Fish
Real Siamese fighting fish
Chameleon fish
Real chameleon fish
Rock goby
Real rock goby

Aquanautica! An immersive, interactive book launch!

We’re nearly ready to smash the champagne bottle on SS Aquanauts!

 

To launch this anthology of aquatic adventure, join Sidekick Books and artist Abi Palmer for Aquanautica, an immersive live art voyage!

Let us tickle your senses with our poetic tentacles, using light, sound, touch, 1:1 performances and a grand reading. Leave your mark with interactive games and frolic in the fronds.

The event is FREE but booking is essential as places are limited to aid accessibility and make the experience enjoyable for all.

You can book here:

https://form.jotformeu.com/plazzmatron/aquanautica-booking-form

Once you have booked, you will receive details of how to get to the Mystery London Venue. At the booking stage, you can also tell us about any accessibility requirements you might have. Here is a more detailed breakdown:

ACCESSIBILITY

The event takes place at an accessible indoor location between 7-10.30 pm on Friday 22nd September. There will be fleeting performances in multiple spaces, and you are welcome to come and go as you please, with latecomers welcome.

The event is in a child-friendly, low-crowd, wheelchair-accessible space. For more detailed accessibility information, please see below.

TRANSPORT

Nearest tubes:

Bermondsey (Jubilee Line, level access): approx 8 minutes away

London Bridge: 12-18 minutes away, level access on all lines.

VISIBILITY

Friday’s launch event will be a multisensory experience, in varying light conditions. If you have a particular lighting need, please mention this on your booking form.

An even lower-crowd multisensory, audio described tour of the exhibit can be arranged on Saturday 23rd September. Please contact access@abipalmer.com to book this.

Due to staffing and crowd limitations, we cannot promise a 100% audio-described tour on Friday 22nd September, but the event will contain multisensory performances and 1:1 interactions. On request, these can be adapted to provide as much audio description as possible!

DOORS/SPACE

Doors, rooms and corridors inside the venue are all extra wide, and have turning space for wheelchairs. There are automatic doors on all entrances.

The space is on the 3rd floor with access via wide lifts.

TOILETS

The bathroom is level and wide enough for a chair to enter. There is a perching stool by the sink. There is no hoist.

CROWDING

The venue will include a relaxation area in a carpeted room, with varied, comfortable seating and places to lie down. Headphones and ear plugs are available if you want to vary the noise conditions Tickets will be limited to minimise crowding.

Fiddle props and multisensory activities will be provided.

SOUNDS

Due to the size and acoustics of the venue, performances will not use microphones. The relaxation room is carpeted but the main performance space will not be.

Background music will be used. If you would prefer to limit additional noise, please include this request on the form.

This multisensory event will include text, touch, movement and visual installations. We aim to provide written transcripts wherever possible. Due to space and budget restrictions, we cannot provide full BSL performance at this stage, but we are working towards this for future events!

SEATING

A wide variety of chairs, sofas, rugs, mats, reclining spaces and cushions are available. Please shout if you have a special request.

DRINKS

Custom sea-cocktails (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be available for a small donation. There will also be a range of other drinks and a wide variety of teas.

THE BOOK:

You will be able to purchase Aquanauts at the event using cash, card or PayPal. Alternatively, you can find more about it here.

Dive in!