Art collective extraordinaire, The Norwich Dandies have received Arts Council funding to stage a two week happening in Norwich called Dandifest launching on April 28.
Dandifest!, a two week happening is an independent artist led festival centred on St Margaret’s Church of Art, on St Benedict’s Street, Norwich and launches on April 28.
Expect Feminist Armpits, Adopt-A-Pansy, Protest Photography, In Bed With Putin, The Famous International Giant Still Life, and Positive Body Imaging with Jericca.
As well as art on the walls, there will be creative workshops, candlelit live art events, A Very Dandy Village Fete, and a glittering Golden Dandies Award ceremony.
Everyone’s welcome to the Dandifest! launch on Monday, April 28 from 6pm. A live filmed photographed happening, where you’ll get all of the above plus DaDa Badges, The Johnny Jump Band, and the chance to sign the Hate Free Norfolk pledge alongside the Norwich Dandies.
Grand Dandy, Vince Laws, said: “The Norwich Dandies are signing the Hate Free Norfolk pledge because we want a county free of hate, discrimination, and intolerance. We want to live in a Norfolk where everyone is free to be themselves and get the most out of life. Come and sign the pledge at our launch.”
Michelle de Oude, County Community Relations and Equality Officer, and Chair of Hate Free Norfolk Network, said: “I’m delighted The Norwich Dandies are signing up to the Hate Free Norfolk pledge, and so publicly too. A lot of their work is to do with tackling attitudes and building positive communities and that’s what Hate Free Norfolk is all about too.”
If you can’t make it to the Dandifest! launch, you can sign the petition online HERE:
International drag star Pequlia Bigtopp will be at the launch to cut the pink ribbon, introduce the 5 Dandies, and promote her spectacular one-off Dandifest game show, Art With A Capital F! at Epic Studios on Saturday 3 May 3.
For tickets, CLICK HERE:
Or telephone: 01603 727727.
After making an appearance at MindOut’s Wellbeing Day in Brighton, Helen Jones, MindOut’s project director said: “The Norwich Dandies were a delight… They artfully created a corner of creative inspiration and got everyone involved… whatever their level of skill… they were generous, gentle, gorgeous and we can’t wait for them to come back…!”
You can meet The Norwich Dandies and say hello before Dandifest! at The Birdcage pub, Pottergate, Norwich, on Saturday, April 12 from 12-6pm.
There’s the launch of the ‘Reigning Cats & Dogs’ art show in the tiny pub gallery, raising money for people struggling to feed their pets, and the first Dandifest! programmes will be available in print. You can bring fish and chips into the pub, and bring pet food donations.
The Norwich Dandies were established in 2010 and have worked separately on a vast array of projects, but always have the most fun when they work together.
An impressive line-up of guest artists will be announced in the run-up to the launch.
The Norwich Dandies will present their now legendary Dandy! happening, Dress Like A Dandy! Pose Like A Dandy! Paint Like A Dandy!
The public are encourage to rummage through the Dandy dressing up box, and then pose on the Dandy chaise lounge, and get painted by a Dandy, or a member of the public, with the results instantly hung in the Dandy Gallery.
Dandy! will happen at the Dandifest! launch on Monday, April 28 from 6pm, and Dandy! will also happen at Chapelfield Gardens on Bank Holiday Sunday, May 4 as part of the Unison May Day celebrations.
Current Norwich Dandies are:
Eloise O’Hare, artist and campaigner, most recently co-organised the Norwich Rising event, Drum For Justice, an international One Billion and Rising event on Valentine’s Day, highlighting violence against women (Drum For Justice 2 is on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May, at the Norwich Dandy Village Fete, rehearsals from 12noon, drum at 2pm.) Eloise also works for Hospital Arts and is a leading campaigner in stopping junk mail to save trees.
Chrissy Sabberton, artist, performance artist, and campaigner, explores the way women are portrayed in the media, and wears a lot of pink. Or a gold dress. Or nothing. And will be encouraging positive body images with Jericca.
Dugald Ferguson, artist and actor, is currently working in Berlin. His multi-media show Torrents of Rapture, received Arts Council England funding, and has been seen in London, Madrid, and Brighton, where it attracted both public and critical acclaim. Dugald wants you to get in bed with him while he reads you a story.
Ann Nicholls, photographer, photojournalist, and campaigner, regularly photographs protests, campaigns, and celebrations. Ann’s images have appeared in the Guardian, Eastern Daily Press, Disability Today and Socialist Worker. Ann’s developing a photography installation where The Writing’s On The Wall.
Vince Laws, founder of the Norwich Dandies, is a poet, artist, and campaigner. Channel 4 News broadcast live from Vince’s last happening – a human rights protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the Winter Olympics. He was Arts Council England funded for the hugely successful B.Right.On Festival last year. Vince is raising his Feminist Armpits at the launch, where he’ll be highlighting the 86 countries where homosexuality is illegal with BANNED body painting and Adopt-A-Pansy.
If you want to get involved, volunteer Dandies are always welcome. EMAIL:
For more information about the Dandies, CLICK HERE:
For Facebook, CLICK HERE:
For Dandifest event page, CLICK HERE:
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