Category: Be Extra News

Categories
Be Extra News

A Year of “Being Extra”

Today we celebrate Be Extra’s 1st birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! In the past year, we have accomplished so many things and we are so proud of our amazing team of volunteers and our community for helping us at every step on our journey to where we are now. If you have followed us on social media, liked one of our posts, read one of our blogs, watched a YouTube video, tuned-in to a livestream, attended an event, or donated to us, we are extremely grateful, thank you!  Be Extra- Wellbeing For The Arts CIC was created as a result of the mental health pandemic which was evident in the arts and creative industries. Our aim was to bring wellbeing resources to artists and creatives in accessible and easy to understand ways, and we have most definitely achieved this. We have had many conversations with creatives in the past year who have struggled at some point in their life or regularly with their wellbeing and mental health, and all of these individuals and organisations have expressed how thankful and pleased they are that Be Extra exists and that we are here to raise awareness about wellbeing in the industry. Arts organisations should be taking a greater focus on their creatives’ wellbeing, and we have seen improvements with this in many organisations in the past year, but there are still big changes to be made. In the meantime, Be Extra is here to help you, and we will continue to campaign for wellbeing for the arts at all levels, professionally and in community arts networks. The world is in quite a different place to where it was a year ago: many artists and creatives are able to return to their work and hobbies again, in-person or online, but I don’t think any of us can say that in the past year, not one of us has struggled, be that mentally, physically, financially, with our health, or with our art, questioning our creativity at times. The past year has changed us all, and with that, we hope that we have been able to help you, even if you saw just one of our social media posts, we hope you have taken time to think about your wellbeing, and even done something to improve it, or given you the skills and knowledge to help you help someone else. We know that one’s wellbeing cannot be miraculously improved overnight, it can never be fully “fixed”. but with small, regular steps, we can all greatly improve our wellbeing in time. This is why it is still so important for Be Extra to exist, there is always something that we can work on with our wellbeing, and hopefully, we will always be here to offer you some advice.  Our Director of Media, Emma Kennedy, had this to say about our 1st year: “I joined Be Extra as one of the company’s first volunteers (which is very strange to think about looking back) as the only person on the Social Media and Marketing Team. In time, I joined the board of directors and we have taken on more volunteers and the Marketing Team is now filled with talented and wonderful individuals who I get to work with and share creative ideas with every week. I am incredibly proud of every volunteer at Be Extra, dedicating time to our cause, learning new skills and gaining new friendships along the way. I can’t wait for the future of this company and what the next year will bring!  Through being a volunteer at Be Extra, I have not only helped other artists and creatives with their wellbeing, but I have also seen a big improvement in my own. Of course I still have moments when I struggle with mental health, but I have learnt a lot of wellbeing techniques in the past year which I now incorporate into my daily life, and I have also helped friends and family when they have been struggling. So on a personal level, I am extremely thankful that Be Extra exists, as without it, the past year would have been very different for me.” We like to focus our attention on you and your wellbeing, but today, we’d like to celebrate and share some of the things that we have achieved in the past year: Our social media accounts have become a valuable wellbeing resource for many artists and creatives, where we share lots of tips and techniques in simple ways which people can incorporate into their daily lives. Our team of amazing volunteers has grown and we have developed great friendships with each other (despite the fact that we have never met in-person!) Our Wellbeing Live series has given artists, creatives, and wellbeing practitioners a platform to showcase their art and to discuss the importance of looking after our wellbeing.  Our blogs have been read by hundreds of people where our writers discuss arts and wellbeing topics in an honest and heart-felt way, again showing how important it is to pay attention to our wellbeing.  Our Student Wellbeing Sessions have been attended by students from a range of Universities in the UK, where our Wellbeing Coaches have offered valuable advice to students who have really struggled during lockdowns.  Our Wellbeing Wednesdays series brought wellbeing advice from a Psychologist to many people across a wide range of topics from CBD (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), to EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).  We have achieved so much already and we cannot thank all of our volunteers and creative community enough for helping creatives “Be Extra” by taking time to improve their own and others’ wellbeing, bring on our next year! Patrick Hall, PA to the CTO, had this to say about Be Extra: My time volunteering for Be Extra has been phenomenal and I have met some truly amazing people. Lockdown made me feel quite lonely and isolated from other creatives, so it was really great to join such an open and friendly network of artistic people.

Categories
Be Extra News Guest blogs

Lifting Lockdown: roadmapping out of anxiety

by Tash Bowen Over time and with countless practice, we have crafted perfectly feeble excuses to get out of plans. Easily believable and always vague, these white lies are specifically designed to protect our personal time and space. They enable us to avoid judgement from peers about taking time for yourself. Yet, why do we have such an ingrained fear of being honest about self-care? Why do we feel that “because I don’t want to” or “I don’t feel like it tonight” are inadequate excuses to steer away from socialising and take time for oneself?  As a species, we live by a series of carefully constructed rules and patterns to not only ensure our survival, but to maintain the pursuit of happiness. Set structures for behaviour and society enable us to feel comfortable and safe, and chaos threatens this. The pandemic brought chaos. A whirlwind of mass upheaval leaving death and destruction of old orders in its wake. Now, that may sound dramatic when written on a page, but it is nothing short of what happened. Every single one of us was affected to some degree – some more than others. The “lucky” ones managed to only experience a complete dynamic shift in their daily lives, and coped well, but this is still a highly traumatic experience for the individual. Jarring the traditional sensibilities that have been drummed into us since we were little. Now, change rears its head again. After a year of social restrictions, we’re slowly being eased back into normality. *Mental motion sickness has entered the chat*.  With the heavy mist of lockdown finally beginning to lift, there is a new-found appreciation for saying ‘yes’ to plans. We want to make the most out of every waking second that we have with the people that we love. But it is imperative that we do not abandon making the most out of the time we have for ourselves.  Despite being in isolation with the person in the mirror, very few of us actually dedicated time to enjoying the personal freedoms that can be found in being confined to one space. Instead, the weight of the pandemic and the financial, environmental and social stressors that came with it took pride of place in our minds and dominated our energy and thoughts. The list of questions has been and still is endless, but one that springs to mind is why do we still feel guilty about not wanting to say yes to every plan to go to the pub or for a socially distanced walk with friends?  Change can be very stressful. For those whose lockdown had its social benefits, the thought of having to reintegrate back into the previous normality is overwhelming. For those who were affected physically by the pandemic or sadly had someone taken away from them, the anxiety of risking infection is extremely high. Exhaustion, frustration, confusion and hopelessness loom, but we must take our time. We should appreciate that our bodies and minds require patience to accept that some occurrences are out of our control. To move forward, we may need to stay in one place; we may need to maintain certain aspects of lockdown to slowly allow ourselves to physically and mentally adjust. Bear in mind the rules in place to protect you and your loved ones but try and set your own roadmap out of lockdown. You have accomplished a lot over the past year. Now, I don’t mean that you’ve baked an incredible banana bread or learnt a new hobby. Achievements are personal and sometimes small, but the fact that you’re still here is huge and very important. You have not only survived but lived through a global pandemic. This past year has felt like a lifetime, but in the grand scheme of things a year isn’t a very long time at all – and you have achieved so much. Whether you’re ready to return to the old ways of working and socialising or not, you are not alone. Despite isolation, if you need to take more time to ease in social integration, do it. We all have to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves mentally and physically.  

Categories
Be Extra News

Studio Spaces: Welcome to our creative spaces series

Our spaces expose ourselves. How we think, how we feel and how we act are all laid bare in the way we choose to manipulate our surroundings. Whether those are studios, halls or bedrooms, the most intricate details of how we identify ourselves are unmasked in the finer characteristics of our chosen environment. The team at Be Extra knows and understands how creative spaces are safe spaces: they are places that we can retreat to when we feel most vulnerable or inspired. As a species we are drawn to the idea of home, no longer a mere habitat, it is an autonomous setting where we create deeper relationships with our authentic selves. We nurture and curate our spaces to act as canvases on which we can express our artistic and emotional self.  The creation of meaningful relationships between the self and environment is executed through the physical exhibition of our interests and emotions, the absence of external stigmas, and the inclusion of sensory experiences. All of which are deliberately cultivated to evoke positive responses: the playlist, the lighting, the aroma, the refreshments, and the tactile experience collaborate to build an energy that best represents the individual.  It’s also important to note that creative spaces create a sense of community. While our togetherness in these spaces has been hindered over the past year, it has been sorely missed. Our ability to connect with others who share our interests enables our sense of belonging and value within a wider sphere. These areas often help to ensure inclusivity through similar experiences and values despite our different backgrounds. Such spaces help to reduce loneliness and create relationships free from personal criticism that the arts industry can often be subjected to. These can include art classes, exhibition spaces, cinemas, theatres, churches, writers’ rooms – the list is endless and hopefully, in time, we can return to our favourite places and revel in the passions that bind us. Our new project delves into the creative spaces that make our artists feel at home. Each episode is a personal studio tour, hosted by different artists, to explore the connection between art and environment. We want to divulge just how integral our spaces are to helping our wellbeing and encouraging creativity across the Be Extra community.  Our first episode is with Mel Jordan, a haptic artist who uses thread-based crafts at the core of her work, and has a maternal POV. Mel walks us around her studio, which she currently shares with her son, and talks us through her experiences with art and how she utilises her creative space. You can subscribe to our videos via the Be Extra YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5wpRHXfIHqUs3s0bPgfFTQ and you can find Mel’s work below. Don’t forget to like and share, and if you’re interested in walking us round your space – get in touch via our email or socials! Natasha, Nicole, and Rachel x Website: https://www.artymel.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meljordan6936/

Categories
Be Extra News

Meet the team: part 2!

The closer we creep to the end of 2020, the busier we get. We’re hoping to launch a whole host of new projects to spice up 2021 in effort to make this next decade a productive one. Yet, our social media teams are not islands. We recognised that we needed support too. We needed organised individuals to help us coordinate our projects and guide them towards their release. These teammates are here to provide insight and assistance in creating the safe and healthy space that we want Be Extra to provide for our community.  With talents and experience of their own, we are thrilled to have new team players on board and we want you to be as excited about having them as part of our team as we are. We want you to know all of our teammates so that we can be as open as possible to provide the best network of support that we can for each other. So, this week, we want to introduce to you our Arts Administration Team, our Outreach and Development Team and our Wellbeing Officer. Outreach and Development:  David   Born in South London to Caribbean parents, David was raised a Christian and has synaesthesia (the colour grapheme). He loves sports, reading and superhero movies but don’t ask him to eat a yellow skittle – he’s not a fan of those! After facing his own battles with wellbeing and previously studying Psychology and Criminology at University, David has become a strong advocate for mental health, so his assistance with the Be Extra team is massively appreciated.  Mary  History-graduate and twin Mary is from Cambridge and is one of Be Extra’s longest running volunteers. Prior to lockdown, Mary began learning salsa dancing and hopes to dance her way out of lockdown and back into classes. When Mary’s not reading fantasy novels or sipping on different cups of tea, she’s exercising her vocals for her new folk-music A Cappella group. Her practice is clearly working because she’s hitting all the high notes with the Be Extra team!  Hollie Hollie has a BA in History of Art from the University of Manchester and interns at Whitworth Art gallery. Her background in working with multiple communities in curating community-led projects means that she is fully equipped to cater to the needs of many in our arts community. Her collaborative nature and ability to reach out to different networks of people are highly valued and appreciated as part of our team. Arts Administrators:  Rachel  Avid cook and Tangled fan, Rachel is from Kent and has worked in West End Theatre for nearly five years as an usher and supervisor. She also has experience in working as a performing arts teacher to kids but don’t let her Disney aura fool you, however. Rachel loves the dark side of telly too with shows like American Horror Story and Dead To Me as some of her favourites. Rachel dreams of living in New Zealand and using its dramatic landscape for beautiful walks. Minjing  Minjing is our in-house powerhouse – a freelance copywriter, writing tutor and start-up entrepreneur based in London. Having studied MA Creative Producing and BA Arts Management, she has a wealth of experience in project coordination, events management and theatre production. When she’s not busy with the performing arts, Minjing loves taking the time to host dinner parties and cook for friends. If you need her at all, just follow the sound of her shower-singing.   Pianpian  After completing a BA in Musicology, Pianpian worked as a teacher and Musical Project Officer in Shanghai last year before moving to the UK. Pianpian is in constant pursuit of passion: her love for the performing arts has also seen her study Art Museum and Gallery Studies at the University of Leicester; and she enjoys exploring the wider world, its cultures and art forms. Her love for life is somewhat contradicted by her obsession with zombie movies but if the apocalypse ever came to fruition, I’m sure Pianpian’s skill at the cello would soothe their sub-human anger.  Chloe  Full-time-Samoyed-puppy-mum, Chloe, is Essex born but Cardiff based. Currently undergoing a Masters in Music Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Chloe has also studied Neuroscience with Psychology at an Undergraduate level, so working with the team at Be Extra proves to be a solid intersection for her previous experience. Patrick  Interested in fine art, Patrick volunteers at the Box Museum in Plymouth and has studied French Literature in Oxford. His love for the arts began in primary school where he sang and played the cello but his love for pasta began in the kitchen. Patrick has found that the support network that the arts community provides has strengthened him in times of struggle and hopes to return the favour to others. He’s also a keen quidditch player and Christmas fanatic and hopes to bring some of his magic to the team at Be Extra!   Alexandra  Tennis-club-champ, Alexandra has recently moved to the UK from New Zealand but was born and bred in Tasmania, Australia. A person of order and routine, Alexandra finds that organising her time and routine at home helps to keep her memory in check. It’s her concise planning and time management that we love! Her fervent hate for fake fruit flavourings rules her palette and broken promises from her parents regarding chocolate to break her nail-biting habit still haunts her to this day… But her nails have never looked better.   Jeanette  Jeanette is a gamer with a preference for MMOs like Warcraft; her art often tends to revolve around this part of her world. A cosplay fanatic, Jeanette spends a lot of her time fawning over characters and illustrations on Twitter. However, if you are looking for her, and she’s not gaming or creating art, she’s best found wandering around big, European cities indulging herself with anything strawberry-flavoured.  Jade Jade is a freelance illustrator from the West Midlands, who has had an exhibition at

Categories
Be Extra News

Meet the Team: Social Media & Marketing

The countdown to the end of 2020 begins. It’s safe to say that all of us eagerly await its end, but it’s important not to forget the positives of this whirlwind of a year. Here at Be Extra, our silver lining has been our new teammates. Driven, talented, and caring, they all share our beliefs of providing for the arts communities and nurturing each other’s wellbeing. Current pandemic aside, we know that the arts industry puts high stressors on its individuals and demands a considerable amount of self-sacrifice. We share your concerns, and we want to help.    Over the past couple of months, we’ve been dedicating as much time as possible conceptualising new ideas and events to cover as much ground over wellbeing as we can. We are creating new online courses, sharing Wellbeing Live weekly, and providing a digital community for you to feel safe and supported. So, we thought that we would take the time to get to know our new recruits a little better so that you can too. Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to introduce each member of Be Extra to you; share their quirks and their experience. We want you to know the team who wants to support you and share in your experiences. So, let’s start by meeting our Social Media and Marketing team. Marketing and PR Katie-Jayne  Originally from the Forest of Dean, Katie-Jayne loves cooking and her speciality is cheesecakes, but don’t ask her to include fruit – she only likes fruit in her smoothies. Katie-Jayne volunteers at a cat rescue centre in her spare time and is a sucker for a good crime documentary. After placing third in the UK for the Pitch at the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s excellence awards, Katie-Jayne is a one-to-watch in the world of Marketing.  Nicole  Bridgend-born and Bristol-based, Nicole’s background in the arts began with drawing. After spending three years in Spain, Nicole moved back to the UK to study a Masters in Curating to marry her love of sharing and celebrating creativity with storytelling and engaging audiences. She has swum in the Dead Sea but rest-assured, Nicole’s career is alive and kicking and we’re ecstatic to be working with her.   Charlotte  Hoping to embark on a career in PR, Charlotte is a massive believer in using creativity to release bouts of stress. After struggling with her mental wellbeing during her teenage years, poetry, painting and meditation are her weapons of choice in combating stress. When Charlotte’s not engrossed in her studies, she’s a magnet for animals: walking neighbourhood dogs, stroking cats and helping injured pigeons. Her ambition and nurturing attitude is why she’s a great addition to our team. Natasha   A rugby fanatic and self-coined cake-connoisseur, Natasha is a classic Swansea girl with a dash of sass and a strong desire to support the wellbeing of others. With her working experience built in customer service, Natasha recognises the importance of the individual and how art helps to explore and assist a healthy mental wellbeing. Outreach Chloe  Cardiff born and bred; Chloe has a BA in Drama from the University of South Wales. Her main interests are in physical theatre, avant-garde and screen acting; and when she’s not at poetry slam, Chloe is probably practicing her yoga or trying out new instruments. Her love of which, you might say, came from her uncanny ability to play the recorder with her nose! Fun fact: she was offered a spot on the French ping-pong team. We’re just happy that she chose to bat for the Be Extra team.   Michael  Having studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Michael lives in Cardiff and works as a Freelance Orchestral Musician, traipsing around the UK on his two-webbed-toes. Recently, he’s been trying to teach himself the piano, but he also loves cycling and football and his cat (who tries to sabotage his team meetings by knocking over his internet router). We’re truly grateful to have his committed work ethic on the team. Design and Content Hannah  With an MA in Ceramics and currently undergoing a PCET teacher training course, Hannah is from Cardiff and works part-time as a gardener. She’s interested in painting, pole gymnastics and spicing up her meals with chilli, and ideally hopes to set up her own pottery company. This proud plant mama and her nurturing nature is crucial in creating the right environment to promote wellbeing!   Alice   Kent resident Alice is mesmerised by the process of creating. With a previous job as a visual merchandiser, Alice is all about styling, curating and constructing. Crafty Alice’s favourite activities include what she likes to describe as “abstract mess” including painting old furniture, making handmade cards and commissioned artwork. We think her hands-on approach is vital in making Be Extra the best it can be!   Jordan  South Walian, Jordan, is an artist otherwise known as MsBlackInk online. Using organic materials and Pagan influences she has created her own online art company that displays her connection to the natural world. With the help from her two pet Asiatic toads, Pacman and Tabitha, Jordan loves to tie-dye her clothes to match her colourful make-up. Her bright vivacity for life is evident in her work ethic and we’re so excited to have it reflected in our work.   Declan  Declan is a journalist by trade but occasionally dabbles in creative writing and likes to use his skills to help charities wherever he can. He grew up in the North of Ireland, studied and worked in Scotland, and now lives in Wales. Alongside traipsing up and down the breadth of the UK, he’s also been to the Arctic Circle twice! We’re just thrilled he discovered us on his wanderings: driven by his passion for creating a safe and healthy platform for mental health and disabilities, he’s a great addition to any team. Rachel  Ex-competitive Welsh sea rower, Rachel, likes painting and drawing and hopes to go back to university at some point to pursue a masters in

Categories
Be Extra News

More about us…

More about us – BE EXTRA is a new and exciting organisation, creating a positive and inspiring space online to promote the wellbeing of those within the arts, through collaborations with fellow creatives and accessible online courses. The founder and Creative Managing Director, Katherine Rees, started with the vision of an Opera company to benefit the wellbeing of audience members through participation – this vision developed to wellbeing for creatives from all arts industries as well as those engaging in the arts.. The passion for supporting other artists’ wellbeing remained fundamental, so BE EXTRA adapted to the times to create the organisation we know today. A need for resources… Through our research we soon discovered an absence in resources to help creatives navigate through this extremely tough time and aid their mental health. We decided to fill this gap with high quality content that will benefit those in the arts specifically. So far, 20 like-minded passionate volunteers from all over the UK have joined the team to create this wonderful project and help as many people as possible. Our Facebook posts and live videos engage at least 6,000 people a week and we are currently developing beneficial mental health and wellbeing courses accessible to everyone. All content will soon be available on our website: www.be-extra.co.uk. The 2020 problem Although a difficult time for everyone, the struggles highlighted and exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic were the driving force behind BE EXTRA. It was the change in circumstances for so many affected by the pandemic that highlighted the insufficient resources for creatives and their mental health, this is the pool of people we aim to create our much needed content for. This is an extremely exciting time for BE EXTRA, we are currently collaborating and creating new resources to be available by the end of the year, talking at various mental health festivals and continuously growing. We love collaborating with other social businesses and combining resources, expanding our outreach and achieving more as a company whilst benefiting a social cause. Social businesses are incredibly important in creating communities and we believe in sharing the message to invest and support each other, create relationships with new companies and think big even when it seems impossible. What else? In addition to our work with artists, we also offer corporate courses for organisations looking to expand their wellbeing offerings for employees – these cover a variety of topics and areas, and allow people to explore wellbeing through the arts when they may not engage creatively on a day-to-day basis. We always welcome any interest to join us, if you’d like to enquire or collaborate with us at BE EXTRA, contact us at [email protected]. Hope you enjoyed hearing more about us! Author | Alice SwainEditor | Lizzy Hardman More about us…

Categories
Be Extra News

Welcome!

by Josephine Walbank, 4 August 2020 To all of the fantastic individuals, communities, creatives, artists and performers in our wonderful arts sector, we are delighted to be able to welcome you all to BE EXTRA.  We have seen – and experienced ourselves,  the toll that working in a creative industry can take on our wellbeing. BE EXTRA has been created to fulfil a need and provide a once-and-for-all solution to the absence of online support that is available for artists and creatives.  “Whenever I have struggled with my wellbeing, or my friends in the creative industry have struggled with their mental health, I’ve always looked online for things that I could do to help. What could we do to change the situation? But there has never been the right support materials out there for creative people. I decided to change that.” – BE EXTRA Founder, Katherine Rees We are incredibly excited to start out and launch our jam-packed calendar of online courses (ideal to fill your days during the rest of the lockdown period) which are available for everyone. Keep an eye out on our website and social media pages to see what events, talks and workshops we’ve got coming up.  So, welcome to the BE EXTRA family – we can’t wait to start forging the bonds and providing the support that our sector needs to blossom.