Recently I've been wondering .. What of the future of this online community?

In 2009 at it's launch I became a member of this online community ... it's been an interesting few years reading, watching and experiencing the many differing productions and ideas around theatre across and connected to Wales. But a few questions I've been wondering about ... 

  • What of it's future?
  • Do we really use it that often? and for what do we use it for?
  • What do members of it really want from it moving forward?
  • How important is a digital social network to the theatre community in Wales?

Smiles

Kelly

 

 

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Hannah.

Lovely post. It's interesting when we reflect on our use of social networks and you've raised some really good points on how it helped you feel connected to NTW and worked on one of their productions. But I also wonder if this social network is about much more than that, or could be. You know, not just about NTW or just theatre arts. Social networks are about connecting and conversing and I've loved being part of an online network in which the core interest is the arts and theatre community here in Wales. When I think about a lot of my own digital activity, I'm starting to really assess which networks I really find value you in and why and their bigger picture.

Smiles

Kelly 

I agree with Hannah, since this community had happened it has helped me not to feel isolated but know there are people out there 'in wales' creating work, I've made invaluable contacts that has allowed me to get my work performed, made, directed etc... I am sure this is the case for others, since this site how many theatre companies have sprouted up -  a lot. Would like to see more discussion and sharing of ideas though.

 

 

Hi Kelly 

For me as an Arts Officer in Bridgend the community has allowed me and the people I work with to easily connect with lots of activity beyond Bridgend and also showcase much of the positive activites that are taking place, I/we wouldnt have been able to do this without this site. Its a democratic way to converse with anyone interested in Theatre and the Arts.

I and some of the people I work with such as the Young Critics use the site a lot, to get information on future productions, to discuss work and opportunities and to express our opinons. Prior to this site this was possible but would have taken a great deal of time and I dont think would have had such positive results and certainly wouldnt have reached as many people.

I feel that a digital social network is extremely important to the theatre community in Wales, especially for those new to the industry who can now quickly get a real grasp of the breadth and depth of activity in all areas such as marketing, design, writing, performing etc.

I think there is still a great deal that can develop from this and similar networks and its still in its infancy as a medium of communication.

Social networking is really important to many of us in what we do, it offers the chance to exchange and share insights and meet and greet people we might never have had the chance to meet before. I feel like many digital networks have really opened this up across geography and also other boundaries as well.

So, Guy, you've raised an interesting point about how it opens or provides an introduction of the industry to people who are new to it, be that in experience, or contacts etc. 

But is it a good showcase of breadth and depth of activity? ... perhaps not everyone is on here, or wants to be or they might be on here but not using it that much or not posting events ...

Or perhaps it doesn't matter! It is not for everyone, the important thing is perhaps is that it is a place to connect ... a place to meet and greet if you want to ... and like Carmen said ... it is this that has afforded her work to be created and inspired many new companies ... 

I'm a believer that a social network (be it digital or not) is about the people in it, and what they want from it and do with it, it is the members who feed and develop it in how we blog or use it ... So is it then a site for connecting people and posting/promoting events?

As a newbie/learner of the production side of theatre, I'd love to learn more about the processes that inform creation ... be that production, stage management or creative processes ... and learning from good as well as not good examples ... I'd love to see more of this on the network ... but that is just me :-)  

What would you like to see more of on the NTW community?

Kelly: those are very good questions.I've wondered this myself.Is it to promote productions or to encourage new work for writers yet to be produced?

Gill

I'll take a leap and say it is all about promoting productions? But I've got a background in marketing so perhaps I would say that ... 

Gill what would you miss if it wasn't here? If all of sudden the Internet was not more, the Ning network crashed or Arts funding was cut and the NTW network site was no more? Hee hee! ;-) I'm playing devils advocate here ... but you just have to think about News of the World (ok bad example!) or 'Friends Reunited' (does anyone remember them?) to wonder ...   

 

Sorry but I don't understand your argument.To 'market' you must first have something to sell.

As a woman who writes i feel there are quite a few 'glass ceilings' -don't you?

Agree you need something [production] to sell to 'market.' Creation and creativity is first/key part of the process. And for this we need learn and discussion. I was wondering what of the role of social networks in how we create and share ideas, be that a writer, creative, actor, director etc. It is clear and evident they are used for marketing. But I think it is about more than that. Well, I hope it is! Hence my question 'what would you miss?'  

Glass ceilings = yes! I'm finding social media helps to give a voice to work and ideas. 

Well I wish you all the best but I really don't think you can apply a marketing model to creativity.As someone said -if you want to eat -  don't write.

In my experience it is a long hard struggle and to succeed a person needs talent, tenacity,discipline and before you can reach the networking stage you need something to sell! There are no short cuts I'm afraid.

As Virginia Woolf has said [1930's] a woman artist needs,"five hundred a year and a room of one's own". few have her huge talent of course or a private income.

In my opinion there is a lot of information on the net but not a lot of 'knowledge'.

Gillian, apologies I didn't phrase my comment well. I'm not trying to apply a marketing model to creativity at all. As a writer, researcher and educator and a painter on the side [my true love] I think there is too much 'marketing' and 'promotion' and not enough authentic conversation .. especially on the Internet.

I like your statement - there is a lot of information but not a lot of knowledge. I concur with this, as I think knowledge resides in people and interactions, not technologies.

I've been following the recent eruption of informed and well-argued discussion in the Writers Group. It's clear that the topics discussed are of fundamental importance to the Writers who feel free to post their comments on a public forum.  It would be great if there were similar discussions within the other professional Groups because this would serve a dual purpose, firstly to clarify ideas and precipitate action within each individual Group, as with the Writers now, and secondly to provide insights to other Groups.  Obviously, writers are most preoccupied with the business of writing, but they are just one group in the theatre world who don't function in isolation.

It's a shame that the general Forum discussions haven't really taken off. Some topics are more suited to discussion by everyone, such as the current Writers' consideration of how to effectively present arguments for public funding, which isn't specifically relevant to writing.  In fact it could be counterproductive to theatre as a whole if the writers embarked on some unilateral action here.  I quite understand why it's been raised just within the Writers Group - it would be ignored anywhere else on the site!

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