About

At a time of debate about the value of a creative arts education in contemporary Britain, this special one-day event addresses the overlooked importance of regional art school education in the history of UK experimental performance and alternative arts. Focusing on the emergence of performance art in colleges and city scenes in Leeds, Reading and Brighton in the 1970s and 1980s, the day brings together artists and scholars to reflect upon creative practices made possible at a time of full state-funding of fine art education, contrasting this with the changed economic circumstances of the neoliberal academy.

The day will mix panel discussion and first-hand accounts with a rare opportunity to see live performances by artists who came of age in this period, alongside documentary slide-shows of avant-garde work hitherto unseen in public. Performance art groups, such as Hesitate and Demonstrate and Ddart, will be reconsidered, whilst memories of Brighton’s Zap Club and Public House Bookshop will be shared. Expect issues of permission and pedagogy, politics and creative limits to be addressed.

Contributors include: Anne Bean, Sutapa Biswas, Neil Butler, Gavin Butt, Richard Cupidi, Dennis De Groot, Angie Dight, Dominic Johnson, Lois Keidan, Geraldine Pilgrim, Dave Reeves, and Dave Stephens.

Supported by University of Sussex

General Information

Access

The following access tickets can be booked online: spaces for wheelchair users, seats with flat floor access, best seats for sightlines of captions / BSL interpretation (when applicable). For guidance about online booking and for further information about accessibility at the venue see our Access page here.

If you have access requirements that you would like to discuss with us or would like to book a ticket for a Personal Assistant please contact the box office on 01273 678 822 or email boxoffice@attenboroughcentre.com.

Box Office Opening Times

The box office (phone line and drop-in service) is open from 10am to 4pm, Mondays to Fridays. The box office is also open one hour before the advertised show start time.