Action Planning Session: Theatre ‘Bob’

Here’s the link to James Yarker’s refined pledges on the Stan’s Cafe blog / website:

http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/?p=435

Brilliant - if you can it’d be great to put some minutes/notes up here - I’d love to see how you get on.

Oh yes, and the pledge cards now exist IN REAL LIFE so call if you want some. 0121 2362273.

Thanks for posting the Action Planning Group meeting ntoes - am happy to offer to help / get involved if that would be regarded as useful but it looks like you’ve already got a crack team on board!

I really like the West Midlands Theatre Pledge initiative and so here are my ideas for how I’m going to start fulfilling the pledge in 2010:
http://yascapi.wordpress.com/2010/01/01/2010/

Am also planning to host a Worcester dinner for arts folks in the city as part of kick starting that side of things.

Hi everyone, here are the notes from the lastest meeting. There was a lot happening - so notes are quite extensive. It may help in the reading that there are differnt sections:
- General stuff
-Creative producers/enablers (some as above in Orit’s)
- Midpoint
- A.E Harris
- Writers (Pentabus and Script)
- WM in Edinburgh
- Wrapping up and summary of conversations

Challenge of Change meeting 22nd January

Present:
Alison Gagen - Arts Council (AG), Samina Zahir - Hybrid Consulting(SZ), David Allen - MAT and midpoint (DA), Jane Packman - Independant Artist (JP), Orla O’ Loughlin - Pentabus (OO), Pippa Frith - Women and Theatre (PF), James Yarker - Stan’s Cafe (JY), Sam Fox - Kindle and Pilot (SA), Paul Warwick - China Plate and Pilot and midpoint (PW), Ed Collier - China Plate (EC), Johnny O’Hanlan - Hamfisted (JO), Raidine Carter - Associate Producer REP (RC), Liz Tomlin - Birmingham University (LT)

Apologies from Amanda Roberts (mac)

Meeting aims to report back on these conversations and actions:
-Creative Producers
-Midpoint
-A E Harris
-Writers
-Edinburgh

General comments
JP - Keep posting meeting notes on the challenge of change website

AG - this group is acting a a conduit for sub-groups who are taking action directly. At the end of each sub-group it is good to have agreed an action to carry out - felt good after Creative Producer’s meeting to have done this.
- thanks to James Yarker for Theatre Pledge cards (she has some at Arts Council offices for those who still need one) or go to http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/pledge.shtml.

This meeting aimed to be about getting support from venues, the group only has the attendance of REP. Notes from meeting to be sent out to Neil at WAC and Amanda at MAC.

Ginny Woolaston from Birmingham City Council wanted to come to the Open Space event, but couldn’t. Ginny is part of the “Community Arts Team”. We should be talking to Sophia and Pam too. General agreement to keep inviting people from venues and BCC.

Creative Producers:
The proposals main aim is to give artists more access to producers already working in the West Midlands.

It is open to anyone who works in theatre in the West Midlands.

It will be marketed through midpoint, Pilot, Challenge of Change, and also through word of mouth. It could also be held in tandem with these events.

Producers will give their time to be “On Call”, at a specific location and time and will advertise specific areas they are happy to consult on.

OO - Writer and Directors may need an enabler more than a producer, and suggests these people offer their time in the same way.

On Call is an information exchange, NOT a brokering/pitching opportunity.
“Advice for you to help you develop your thing”

AG - On Call will give us a clearer picture of the needs theatre community which can then be used strategically. Also a development opportunity for Producers to extend and progress themselves.

SS - why is this not just a chat?

AG - enables people to have access to people they might not otherwise meet.

JY - suggests getting in touch with Anna James

SF - suggests an open call out for enablers/creative producers

RC - will advertise this opportunity at the Speakeasy event http://www.the-drum.org.uk/event/speakeasy-a-forum-for-theatre-makers-in-the-west-midlands. Next one at the Drum on1st Feb is too soon for first meetings to happen in conjunction with.

EC - does this come under midpoint?

PF - Suggestion that the Enabler/CP gives a level of work at which they consult on.

AG - Orit Aziz has offered to activate the “On Call” meetings - those up for enabling/CPing should email their biogs to her.

PW - Also can people email suggestions for the enabler/CP list to Orit and keep adding to the list produced by the sub-group.

Suggestion that we take advantage of CPs/enablers touring to the region (people like Charlie Dark), who could be asked to give “On Call” time whilst up here.
Agreed that this could be a later stage/progression On Call - start whit our region.

DA - the next midpoint is 16th Feb, titled “How can we build a sustainable future for theatre in the West Midlands? New partnerships, new opportunities”. Meeting will be held at The Old Joint. We could book the rooms earlier to hold the “On Call” sessions.

First “On Call” will happen in tandem with Midpoint 16th Feb.

Midpoint:
Report back on midpoint meeting (Dec 09)
AG - The question “is midpoint the right holding space for a theatre Bob” was not resolved
BUT
Midpoint is useful - meetings are very effective.
Conclusion - It needs to grow and have a wider effect in order to continue (at the moment there are only two people on the steering group).

SZ - Midpoint is empowering and neutral, but doesn’t have a structure.
Need of West Midlands are different from Theatre Bristol, so this isn’t necessarily the model to follow.
Midpoint can play an important part in enabling emerging artists in the region.

AG- Identified strengths of Midpoint:
Region wide (not confined to Birmingham artists)
Not belonging to one particular practice
Is a theatre network, but has the potential to grow beyond this.

DA - Midpoint’s current situation:
Has funding for one more event. Then what? Does it expand? It has no constitution/board etc and is administrated by David. Money goes through MAT account at the moment. This limits its potential.

PF - Thinks no constitution is Midpoint’s strength.

AG - Can we learn from Pilot?

Discussion
Pilot has three people who steer and administrate it, but has a pooling of resources system with co-pilot’s who take responsibility for hosting a Pilot.
This helps to stop Pilot from becoming a clique as different co-pilots are in differnt areas of the WM and have thier own style of programming.
The only formal set up Pilot has is a bank account.

PW - points out that the steering group give more time to Pilot than they get paid for - it is for the love of it.

JY - Seems silly to stop Midpoint only to start something new. Does Midpoint have web presence - this is vital.

Discussion
Mailing list has around 200 members.
Can we look at New Work Network.
We have a very basic website, but it can only post dates.
Should talk to CIB and Chris Unit about it.
Perhaps Midpoint =website for theatre makers, CIB = website for audiences
How do you join midpoint? Currently you email David. If people in this group don’t know this then lots of other people don’t.

SZ - Are we leaping ahead of ourselves? don’t we need to know what it is before we set a website up?

OL - Vagueness of midpoint makes it less strong.

PW - Midpoint started as a group for “Independant Theatre Companies”, but has now spread beyond this.

Discussion
Midpoint is best located at the wide end of the funnel (see Seth’s diagram for TB). As soon as it is strategic it becomes relevant to fewer people.
Can it do lobbying as a network rather than actually being a strategic lobbying group. Maybe this is more useful - you don’t necessarily have to seem to represent everyone, can therefore be more light footed.
Midpoint as a conduit - things come out of Midpoint which smaller groups take on and make happen.
Can Midpoint tackle questions that come up in Open Spaces - an actioning group?

AG - Midpoint could host a big Open Space once or twice a year as a prompt to smaller groups getting together to take action (like we are doing here).

PW - The Open Space could drive the agenda for next year, acting like a midpoint AGM.

Discussion
Meetings would need to be “less shiny”. No theatre tickets (this has been done in the past)
Big venues could host and the first coffee is free, but then you have to pay.
Could everyone pay a pound?

AG - Can this group (Challenge of Change) become the midpoint group?

Discussion
Isn’t the group too big?
Doodle has been very good for setting up meetings.
Strength in the number of people as group doesn’t fold if one person steps out/can’t make the meeting. Only unwieldy for action.
Group could get a google account (http://www.google.com/apps/)
Would the work load still fall on 4/5 people?
Not everyone needs to take actions forward - a smaller task force can do this, can be a different set of people according to the action needed - those most appropriate at that point.

PW - People get paid currently in the run up to a midpoint event.

Discussion
If a smaller delivery group take on more work they can get paid for this.
Payment is important especially for freelancers.
Those on salaries are maybe able to manage their commitments in order to give to the action group.
Have a trust based opt in opt out of getting paid.

SZ - Should midpoint put a funding application in to ACE?

Discussion
What would it be for? - website, series of events, Open Space.
There is some money already, but more needs to be raised, the application must be smaller than last time. the money could be put towards paying someone to write it (AG).
Is this sustainable? Means only one more year of midpoint.
If things carry on with this momentum then the group will accumulate more weight behind it and potentially get more funding in the future.
Would be good to get some people on board who know about accessing different funds, example Helga Henry (Fierce).
Midpoint is growing organicly - let this continue?
Organic growth raises alarm bells?
It will only work as long as the will is there - but this is true anyway whether it becomes structured/constituted or not.

DA - Can membership be given a summary of these discussions and action on 16th February?
AG/PF - they should be directed back to the Challenge of Change website.

A.E. Harris:
JY - Stan’s Cafe can have A.E Harris till the end of 2012
Stan’s Cafe are making an ACE application for bursaries so other companies/makers can use the space for free. This will pay for the rent during this time.
Will hear is this is successful by the end of the summer
Letters of support for the application are appreciated and should be sent to:
Stan’s Cafe,
PO BOX 10153,
Birmingham B12 8XH,
U.K.

Things that may happen at A.E Harris:
- International festival see Cof C website http://thechallengeofchange.toyoutome.net/detail/an_international_theatre_festival_in_birmingham_for_emerging_companies_and_/
- Pop up bar/cafe
-Pilot

Writers:
OL - Having listened to writer’s in the WM at Open Space, she heard that they want more time/space and money to develop work.

Each year Pentabus run a week long writers’ week.

In 2009 the week included:
- A fee
- The theme of the Slow Food Movement: a series of visits,talks and investigations locally
- Accommodation/ travel
- Six writers from across the UK and Ireland

One outcome was that five short plays and one full play were commissioned. The short plays received a public reading at the Edinburgh Festival and the full play will go to full production in 20111.

Orla has been in talks with Catherine Edwards at SCRIPT about developing this year’s writers’ week solely for writers from the West Midland’s.

Pentabus Writers Week for WM writers will happen Autumn 2010

Edinburgh:
EC - Edinburgh is the most important annual theatre meeting, and an unparallelled trade fair and networking opportunity.
It is also, very expensive, heartbreaking and a potential disaster.
There is little support (regionally or nationally) to help people to take work there.
The group was keen to help make taking work to Edinburgh more possible for makers in the WM.
There are no great solutions.
We have Escalator East envy, but this is not possible (was funded by ACE East, who don’t have the money to continue supporting it now)

How do we create something with hands on/self help support?
Share costs between companies (share producers, print etc) - a WM initiative.
Have a WM event - Pilot/It came from Pilot, as a one off night,  creating networking opps but no reviews.
We are talking to the Forest Fringe about having a slot there.
UnderBelly runs a scratch style event too - investigate this.

JY - Stan’s Cafe have got money from Business Link to take work to Edinburgh - talk to them.
Suggests going for the British Council Showcase and playing a longer game.

EC - must be careful not to expose artists to the right people at the wrong time.

AG - You can’t spend more than 15% of a budget on Edinburgh(for ACE apps)

PW - taking Pilot to Edinburgh is too tight on the application this year.

Wrapping Up and Summaries:
AG - Can we meet to plan the next Open Space?
Can we take turns to chair the meeting?
Can we hold these meetings at different space?

JY - offers A.E. Harris for the next meeting

Summary
First Producer/Enabler’s scheme “On Call” is underway for Pilot 16th Feb

A.E Harris space through till 2012 hosting International festival and other events

Pentabus Writers scheme for WM writers will happen summer 2010

Midpoint is now the Challenge of Change group made up of a large group of people that split off to complete tasks. Midpoint will be a conduit for action around the region, but not a formalised organisation. Midpoint needs a website that people can post on. Midpoint needs to submit an application to support ongoing work. Midpoint members need to be reminded of how they can contribute to these discussions at the next meeting.

Edinburgh the group will be talking to BCC and Business Link as well as Forest Fringe. any suggestions from others welcome - please ass to the post on CofC website http://thechallengeofchange.toyoutome.net/detail/how_can_we_support_artists_to_take_theatre_to_edinburgh/

On Call: About the People

Tuesday 16th Feb 12pm – 2pm at the pub below Old Joint Stock Theatre

Ed Collier
Co-Director, China Plate
Ed Collier is a theatre Producer and Co-Director of China Plate. Through China Plate Ed runs a number of development programmes and showcase opportunities for collaborative theatre artists. These include The Darkroom, The First Bite and Bite Size Festivals and The Optimists. For more information: http://www.chinaplatetheatre.com. Prior to China Plate Ed was a producer with Fuel for a number of years producing work by Sound&Fury;, Melanie Wilson, Gecko, and The Clod Ensemble as well as at The Lyric Hammersmith.

Orla O’Loughlin
Artistic Director, Pentabus Theatre
Orla joined Pentabus Theatre as Artistic Director in 2007, moving from the Royal Court Theatre where she was the International Associate.
Directing work includes: Origins - Pleasance/ Theatre Severn, Blithe Spirit, Black Comedy - Watermill Theatre, Kebab - Dublin International Festival, Royal Court Theatre, How Much is your Iron? - Young Vic, The Hound of the Baskervilles - West Yorkshire Playhouse/ National Tour/ West End, Small Talk: Big Picture - BBC World Service/ ICA/ Royal Court Theatre, A Dulditch Angel - National Tour, Vienna Dreaming, Sam and Lucy, Let your Heart Break Open, Maps, The Mum Project - National Theatre Studio, The Fire Raisers, sob stories, Refrain, Go the way your Blood Beats, Norman - BAC. She has also recently directed two large scale site specific pieces: Shuffle with the National Youth Theatre at Merry Hill - one of Euope’s largest out of town shopping centres and Underland - 100 feet under the ground at Clearwell Caves in the Forest of Dean.
She is a regular Guest Tutor and Director at a number of UK Drama Schools, runs workshops for emerging directors at the Young Vic and for the JMK Trust and has developed and worked on a variety of projects with new writers nationally and internationally.
Orla was winner of the James Menzies Kitchin Directors Award and recipient of the Carlton Bursary at the Donmar Warehouse.

Raidene Carter
Associate Producer, Birmingham Rep
Raidene has been producing projects, theatre and creative events for the past 7 years having started in theatre and education and moving swiftly into the professional theatre scene.  Hailing from Cardiff, South Wales, she uses her roots in community youth arts as the backbone to her creative ambitions.  In 2001 she graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London and took up a post in the education department of the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith to administrate projects and support their productions for children and young people.  A year later Raidene went on to develop Talawa Theatre Company’s TYPT programme for emerging BME performers and worked with director and performance artist Mem Morrison to produce Reach (2003), Pace (2004) and Echoic (2005). In 2006 she co-produced the TIE tour of Captain Britain by Oladipo Agboluaje with The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich before moving to the Albany in Deptford to collaborate with a wider range of companies such as Apples & Snakes, Midi Music Company, The National Theatre, Upfront Comedy and the Young Vic.  This led to more direct contact with poetry, spoken word and hip hop artists such as Polarbear, Ty and Charlie Dark, which has influenced her stance on theatrical form and content, and audience engagement.  Raidene is currently Associate Producer for Birmingham Repertory Theatre and produced the 2008 production of innovative grime theatre piece 8sixteen32 by the Decypher Collective.

Thursday 25th Feb 5.30 – 7.30pm Birmingham Rep Cafe Bar

Geraldine Collinge
Director of Events and Exhibitions, Royal Shakespeare Company
Geraldine has recently been appointed to a new role at the Royal Shakespeare Company, in which by creating imaginative opportunities and fresh perspectives she aims to develop new relationships with artists, audiences and communities.

Before joining the RSC in 2009, Geraldine was Director of Apples & Snakes where she built the company into a national performance poetry organisation with eighteen staff in seven English regions.  She also developed a producing and commissioning strand at Apples & Snakes, producing Lemn Sissay’s Something Dark amongst a number of successful solo shows.  Prior to this she ran she own production company and was Programme Manager at BAC.

Gary Roskell, Chief Executive of The Play House
The Play House is an educational theatre charity, and has been providing exciting participatory theatre and drama to stimulate the learning of children and young people for nearly 25 years. Gary has been Chief Executive at The Play House for three years, having originally joined the company in 2003 as Company Administrator. Gary worked for 12 years as a freelance stage and production manager specialising in community, site-specific and outdoor venues, but including national and international touring. He has a First Class honours degree in Media Production, and also has web design experience.

Tuesday 2nd March 11am – 1pm Urban Coffee Company, Church St, Birmingham

Paul Warwick
Co-Director of China Plate
China Plate specialise in identifying and supporting the development needs of theatre makers. Through projects like The Darkroom, The Optimists and the First Bite and Bite Size Festivals they have designed a range of bespoke opportunities for theatre artists at every stage of their careers.
Now a freelance director, Paul was a founding member and artistic director of award-winning Unlimited Theatre and has recently directed a diverse range of work for both studio and middle-scale venues as well as site-specific work.
In 2006 Paul was commissioned by ACE West Midlands to deliver Experiment Grow, a strategy to further develop the region as a significant location for innovative theatre practice. He is also the co-producer of PILOT , Birmingham’s work-in-progress platform, and created the Bite Size Festival with Warwick Arts Centre in 2008.
Together with Ed Collier, Paul established The John Osborne Arvon Centre and was Centre Director in Shropshire.

Helga Henry
Helga has many years’ experience in working in arts organisations and ten years working as a solicitor at City practice Wragge & Co.  She is also a highly skilled trainer and facilitator of groups with group work experience spanning a number of years.   
Helga is the NESTA supported fellow on the Clore Fellowship 2008/09.  She was selected to train as an Action Learning facilitator by the Cultural Leadership Programme and has a wide network of contacts in the arts and business in the city.  She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Commerce.
Helga can offer support and advice on a variety of matters, but is particularly interested in spotting and developing creative talent.  However her general management experience and legal specialism means that she can have a bright idea or two about a bunch of stuff.  Particularly if there’s a nice cup of tea involved.

Orit Azaz
Orit is a creative director, producer and creative thinker, working in cultural and community settings. Her experience combines directing large scale multi-disciplinary events and performances; developing new collaborations between artists and communities; and artform development.

Orit was Artistic Director of the ground breaking Stepping Stones trilogy for NoFit State Circus, involving 200+ community participants working with professional circus and theatre artists to create a new language of promenade circus theatre which the company now tours nationally and internationally to great critical and audience acclaim. She moved to the West Midlands in 2002, to develop and produce live art and performance projects at The Public in West Bromwich, including Weekend Break in West Bromwich festival, and Playing in Public Places. In 2008, Orit was Creative Director of Portrait of a Nation for Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture programme and Heritage Lottery Fund, working with young people, artists and partners in 17 UK cities to explore and celebrate their sense of roots, identity, heritage and culture and resulting in a spectacular 2 day festival at St Georges Hall in Liverpool. In addition to large scale projects, Orit has directed and devised multi-disciplinary performance work inside and outside theatre buildings for organisations including Welsh National Opera, The People Show, Soho Theatre Company, Young Vic, Royal National Theatre Studio, South Bank Centre. She was also Chair of the board of trustees for NoFit State Circus from 2005 – 2008.
 
Tuesday 9th March 11am – 1pm Hudsons Coffee House, Colmore Row, Birmingham

Steve Ball
Associate Director (Learning and Participation)  Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Steve Ball, is Associate Director (Learning and Participation)  at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He trained as a teacher and taught in Essex and Barcelona before training as an actor at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. He worked for a number of children’s theatre and theatre in education companies before coming to Birmingham in 1986 and founding Language Alive! and Catalyst, two of the region’s leading educational theatre companies. He has also worked as a writer and producer for BBC Education, lectured at universities in the US and Australia and was Head of Arts for Birmingham City Council from 2001 to 2003. Steve has contributed to a number of journals and books, has an MA in Arts Management and a doctorate in Arts Education. He is a board member of St Paul’s Community Development Trust and Birmingham LGBT Community Trust and is Chair of TYA England and Bright Space Ltd.

Louisa Davies
Producer (Performing Arts) at mac
I have worked at mac for 5 years, starting as Performances and Projects Programmer and then becoming part of our offsite team overseeing building and audience development commissions, and the development of our artistic strategy. I’m now in my new post of Producer, Performing Arts, and can offer support/ advice in the areas of fundraising, touring, artist development and marketing.

Laura McDermott
Joint Artistic Director, Fierce Festival
Recently appointed (along with Harun Morrison) as Joint Artistic director at Fierce, Laura has previously worked as a creative producer at BAC (Battersea Arts Centre) and Greenwich + Docklands International Festivals.  Laura has extensive experience of producing work in found, unusual, or outdoor spaces.  At BAC, Laura was the lead producer for the BAC and Punchdrunk production, The Masque of the Red Death - listed by Lyn Gardner in The Guardian as one of nine ‘productions that transformed theatre’.  Laura was also the lead producer managing Coney, supported artists at BAC.  Coney are a collective of digital innovators who integrate virtual interaction and cutting edge technologies into real-life adventures and experiences.

Tuesday 9th March 5.30 – 7.30pm Birmingham Rep Cafe Bar

Noel Dunne
Noel is a producer who specialises in creativity and learning.  He makes programmes of work happen between communities, creatives and partners agencies through developing partnerships, finding funding and project management.  He sort of knows a bit about a lot of things and sometimes pretends he knows much more than he does just to make something happen.

Jenny Stephens
Jenny Stephens is a theatre director, writer and radio producer. She has directed for a number of theatres - including Bolton Octagon, Bristol Old Vic, Battersea Arts Centre and Worcester Swan Theatre (where she was Artistic Director for 8 years). Her productions have toured nationally and internationally.  She has written two drama series for BBC radio 7 (with another one in the pipeline) and her stage play The Speckled Monster produced by Birmingham Rep in 2008. Jenny is a founding partner of Hoopla Productions. a theatre company dedicated to producing great music-theatre for children.

I could bring to the conversation:
New writing, the developent of etc (I run the script writing module at the National Academy of Writing), have directed lots of new plays on stage and radio. I was on the board of Script.
Setting up a company, board development, applying for funding etc - I’m on Birmingham Rep Board, and previously have done board development things (at Worcester Swan and with Script).
I’m hugely interested in the process of acting and do quite a bit of work in drama schools (have directed for E15, Bristol and Birmingham School of Acting).

Elizabeth Tomlin
Lecturer in Drama, University of Birmingham

Elizabeth has experience in the following:
•  Setting up companies, how to begin to profile the work you’re making, things new companies / artists should be thinking about
•  How playwrights might begin to develop their work further themselves
•  Advice and info for those thinking of returning to university to gain experience in making their own work, playwriting, directing or practice-based research PhDs

Thursday 11th March, 5.30 – 7.30pm Meet at Birmingham Rep then go for something to eat

Amanda Roberts
Arts Development Director, mac
Amanda Roberts joined mac as Arts Development Director from Contact Theatre in Manchester where she was Executive Producer providing strategic leadership, development and day to day management along with programming performances, events and exhibitions and co-producing with regional, national and international artists and companies.  With over ten years experience working with cultural organisations including Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Derby Dance Centre, Amanda’s new post will build on this expertise and involve developing, planning and implementing all of mac’s artistic, learning and participation activities. She is current board member for script, adverse camber and red earth theatre company.

Janet Vaughan
Joint Artistic Director, Talking Birds
Artist/Designer & Joint Artistic Director of Talking Birds, Janet designs for site specific and touring theatre and creates installation artworks for unusual and digital spaces. She uses a variety of media to make her work, much of which is concerned with (usually temporary) responses to, or interventions in, public spaces - often at a point of change and/or regeneration. In addition to sorting all things visual for Talking Birds, Janet spent the last year: designing a show in a tent pitched on the Welsh border; co-ordinating outdoor creative play sessions for pre-schoolers; organising a national artists’ non-conference (http://www.redteapot.co.uk); and exhibiting an artwork made exclusively from ikea products…

Pippa Frith
Projects Co-ordinator, Women in Theatre
Pippa has worked in a number of organisations in Birmingham, beginning her time in the city as part of the Interpretation and Exhibitions team at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. She then went on to work with Fierce, specifically on the decibel 2007 Performing Arts Showcase, but also The Fierce! 10 Festival.

More recently Pippa has spent the last 2 years as a Programmer at the Drum Arts Centre, before joining Women & Theatre. Pippa has a good overview of the city, good links and contacts, and would be a good support to someone starting out, or new to the area.