22 November

It’s the final week of the exhibition. Blimey, they don’t half fly by.

Gerard McGlade was in the Art Gallery on Saturday providing S.O.S. card reading ‘for those seeking art advice and guidance’. He must have given good advice as he was offered a job as a motivational speaker, which – though a more lucrative professional - possibly missed the point... In fact, a lot was going on in Carlisle on Saturday. West Walls, Weft, Yard and Treasury Court artists’ studios all opened their doors. I had a quick scuttle around them once Gerry was into his stride and all were bustling with activity. I even managed to buy an original artwork on my tour (from the son of one of the Sedition artists): a bargain at 50p! That evening, Matrix Art Projects hosted a really enjoyable programme of live art at Source Cafe. Live Art is not the easiest of art forms to sell; it’s great that MAP is managing to cultivate an audience. And, despite insisting that I never participate, no doubt emboldened by a few beers, I was persuaded by West Walls Studio Group to take part in their living ‘Masterpieces’: in my case Gericault’s ‘The Raft of the Medusa’. I played a corpse. 

So now we’re now preparing for the Sedition closing celebrations. At 1pm on Saturday 27 November, as part of the event ‘When did Local Become a Dirty Word’, Sedition artists Russell Mills, Patricia Townsend, Christian Barnes and Rebecca Mellor are giving illustrated talks about their work, followed by a discussion about regionalism in contemporary art practice. At 4pm, Di Clay says goodbye to Carlisle as she begins her new life in France with the performance, ‘Departure’. And finally, Gerard McGlade returns with his band ‘Hooks ‘n’ Crooks’, the self-proclaimed purveyors of ‘scumbag rock ‘n’ roll’ for the closing party at 7pm. It should be fun. Come along.