Eclipse Day
"The Enablers will be experienced Black arts professionals who demonstrate a clear comitment to supporting artists and developing new work as well as he cuture of the black theatre sector"
"It is important that whilst participating in this programme they are also delivering their own projects a independent practitioners..."
"...being a voice of the independent Black arts sector..."
The interview was a little weak!
The first thing I was asked was to tell a story in four minutes ending with "So then I decided to apply for this job". I spoke of my disappointment at the demise of Intercultural Arts and my desire to revive it and saw that the remit of identifying and supporting black artists was the same a the Role Responsibilities attached to this job.
I was also asked what I might do differently in my career which is something about which I have been thinking a lot and was able to say that I'd choose to be more circumspect and less direct. I have been passionate in my work, worn my heart on my sleeve and left little doubt about my motivations and what I think is important.
At one point I broached the issue of what I saw as an "open" structure to the job and asked if they'd tell me what their vision of it was. Rather than answer, I was asked what MY vision was. I answered but was careful to mention that it was my habit to write things down and share with the people with/for whom I'm working to be confident that my interpretation matches their expectations- at least until I was confident of the company's expectations.
I was asked what I'd need from them in the role. I said that having been out of the race for five years I'd want contacts and introductions. I mentioned that I'd been 'slapped' by the Artistic Director in the training session I attended when she assured me that things have changed re the Arse Council etc and that i was living in the past. I said I needed to experience those changes and looked forward to the mentoring promised in the job.
It was all over in about 23 minutes. I got back into my car and drove back to Newcastle thinking that I still don't really know what they wanted and that the interview hadn't really explored anything I thought might have been important. They didn't ask me HOW I might achieve the job. There was no actual job description but they'd sent "Role Responsibilities", "Development Opportunities", "Essential and Desirable Attributes, experience and skills"
Oh! Someone with whom I had fallen out a couple of years ago after he played the Yardie Thug thinking I'd be impressed or intimidated whilst I was already doing a lot of free work for his organisation, called me on Monday night out of the blue. He said the call was prompted by his sister asking after me so he called me to ask if I was still mad at him. I told him I appreciated his call, but that I had been careful not to think of him very much at all. I had noticed him on a Facebook feed so was vaguely aware he was still operating. It then transpired that, he just happened to have a couple of "opportunities" for me to develop a project and raise money for his organisation- but that's not what he called me for! I told him about the Eclipse job and he was going down for an interview on the same day. I said "Oh, well you'll get that over me then!" He scoffed but then told me that the problem with me is that "[I] only have one gun". Which is apparently a Jamaican saying similar to being a one trick pony (?). -That's because I haven't forgotten the crap that happened in 2011. I told him I thought it was interesting that he thought that, but I thought one of my weaknesses was that I was too disparate and varied in my activities. He suggested I stopped off in Leeds on the way back and he would pay for me to stay in a hotel. That was too overwhelming for me, I declined. Lord knows to what I might have ended up being beholden to him for! Even if that is an outrageous overreaction I couldn't see myself truthfully burying the hatchet so quickly- I noticed there wasn't any suggestion of an apology - just checking to see if I was still angry... Its not the same, is it?
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