OBJECTION - WE ARE NOT AMUSED!
31st March 2012
Shaun Featherstone has put out a call for submissions by artists who would like to take part in a project this year during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. For information about the planned project Shaun has written the following -
‘THE GREAT FROCK N ROBE SWINDLE’
The great buckingham palace (and UK Govt PLC) PR machine is in full swing – swindling and conning the British public into supporting this year’s jubilee plans (not to mention paying for it!). We are being asked to buy into a lie, a myth of public service by unelected, privileged-by-birth elites who control so much of the way our county functions.
During January of this year, after hearing one too many BBC radio items ‘celebrating’ (on my behalf presumably) the forthcoming jubilee events I thought that I might do something myself to mark the occasion. In a critical ‘enough is enough’ way. I am an ordinary bloke, not party aligned but I do object to injustice when I see and hear it (which is pretty much all the time) – so in that spirit I decided a bit of action was required.
My plan is straightforward. I am an artist and curator – so I’m creative and know how to realise projects – with little or no budget. So what I propose is a piece of activist propaganda to offer up against the avalanche of media and print driven propaganda that has begun to gather momentum on behalf of the UK Monarchy. I will print a newspaper format publication filled with informative creative and amusing content supplied from a wide variety of separate sources. The contributors all sharing one common thought – opposition to the forthcoming jubilee celebrations and the current system of an unelected constitutional monarchy it stands for, including hereditary peerage. We won’t all agree on what we would like to see it replaced with just share a united belief in there being fairer and more accountable alternatives.
There is no budget but I do want this to reach as far as it can so it’s a nation-wide project in that respect. I hope it will make all of us who collaborate (and some of those who read it) feel good, challenge a few minds along the way and create a discourse about this very serious issue. At worst I hope it contributes to a debate about the relevance and fairness of keeping the UK monarchy in its current constitutional and publicly funded position – and to point out some of the facts and realities of this great frock ‘n’ robe swindle.
The plan
· To produce a free newspaper.
· To distribute it to as many places as possible.
· To invite and collect critical writing and images which offer intelligent, satirical, humorous, robust and coherent content which above all will present another side to this year’s jubilee swindle.
For reasoned, informed and eloquent indignation you can make the republic website one of your first reference points (if you don’t know it already). http://www.republic.org.uk/
This is a sincere project with serious objectives. I make no apology for the didactic approach – this is written to engage and gather support from as many people as possible especially those unaware of the depth of the swindle.
How can you help?
· Reply to shaunfeatherstone@live.co.uk if you want to supply free written copy or graphic art work for inclusion in the newspaper.
· Reply to shaunfeatherstone@live.co.uk if you just want to show support and receive a copy or distribute some when they are printed. I already have a number of contributors lined up, including journalists, poets, activists, academics, musicians, artists, MP’s and ex-MP’s! If you’d like to write something – an academic piece, a poem, a reproduction of something previously produced, (or just point me in the direction of something I may be able to reproduce) I would love to hear from you.
· I need help from designers or anyone who can layout text and images in a recognised design software package (indesign)
Costs
At some point – once I have an idea of the number of pages and print run I will be fundraising too. Friends have already promised a few pounds here and there and I am prepared to fund some of this personally, but I will be looking for small donations too. I think I can do this for a few hundred pounds (not including distribution – which I hope can be done ‘in kind’ rather than incurring postage costs). But I don’t want to put anyone off - no-one is obliged to give anything to be part of this so I won’t be hassling for money.
Editorial content
The plan is to be as pluralistic as possible and try to say yes to most things. As I am an artist I am approaching this as a creative project. There is only one caveat: I cannot accept any content which may be considered inflammatory or unlawful in any way (same goes for crude, one dimensional items full of expletives and/or offensive insults). Taking advice from a small team of associates (to help achieve an objective balance) I will exercise final editorial/artistic control. Again, I don’t want to put anyone off so if you have any queries about content please do get in touch, I don’t want to stifle creative or artistic approaches – in fact I want to encourage it!
Many thanks for reading this – please get in touch if you think it’s something you’d like to support. Or even just to wish us luck and put your name down for a copy of the publication when it appears.
Email: shaunfeatherstone@live.co.uk
Facebook: The great frock n robe swindle
by Pitch on April 3rd, 2012
by Michael Gustavius Payne on April 9th, 2012
Sounds great. (from what I can see - I seem to be missing the edges of the page...don't know if it's my browser). Not sure how at the moment, but I'd definatley be intersted in supporting, if I can.
There's a republican event in Merthyr on 26th April (coinciding with Mrs Windsor's visit) and Ebbw Vale on 27th, for anyone interested. Bethan Jenkins AM, Bethan Williams and Tim Richards will be speaking in Merthyr (and I THINK Ebbw Vale...I'm not too sure on the Ebbw details).