As TEAM continue on their journey around the far West of Wales, the first Skills Swap and Workout was held at Small World Theatre in Cardigan last Saturday. Not only was it the first one to take place in Cardigan it was also my first time attending a session.

For those of you who have not attended a session and are unfamiliar with the workshop, this fantastic concept was conjured up by actress Emma MacNab and director Peter Scott. Given the financial climate that we have to deal with at the moment the ratio between brilliant creative ideas and cash flow don't exactly weigh up, so through TEAM Emma and Peter decided to give the opportunity for people to come together, share ideas and exchange skills for skills as opposed to skills for cash.

There is no end or extremity to the types of skills that are offered during the session, it could be archery, cake baking, prop making or taekwando. If you have a skill and are willing to exchange it then there can be lots to gain! So not only are you getting the chance to meet new people and develop your ideas, you can also get that shadow projection or workshop facilitator that you have been looking for all in exchange for a skill you posses.

Amongst some of the participants of Saturdays Skill Swap there was a maker, a writer, a performer and a poet, who came with various skills and ideas. During the Workout sessions we split off into groups. The first group worked on devising a piece about birds, language and migration. In the second group Hope Dowlett read some of her poems, her aim has been to write a poem a week which she then blogs. She wanted to present her most recent one 'Bus Thoughts' in a more creative way, through some discussion the poem was brought to life through the use shadow puppetry. 

By the end of the session, scripts had been worked on, ideas had been shared and contacts had been exchanged. It is always refreshing to meet other creative people, who are now all aware of TEAM, what it has to offer and I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone will take their ideas to the next stages of development! 

If you are interested in reading some of Hope's poetry then here is her blog:

https://hopedowsett.wordpress.com/category/a-poem-a-week/

http://smallworld.org.uk/