Well those talented students are well underway with their plans for their 2010 event which will be held in Brighton again - they are looking for sponsors, musical acts and new committee members (in a serving and advisory capacity). Interested parties should make contact with Tom Guy by email to tom@studentpride.co.uk
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With London Fashion Week moving to a new home this September (the WC2 area), nearby Seven Dials is offering shoppers a 20% discount at participating retailers from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th September.
A relaxed yet vibrant urban shopping village nestled between Covent Garden and Soho, Seven Dials is far removed from the hell of the high street and is the perfect place to stock up on key pieces and accessories for the Autumn ahead.
reFRESH readers can drop by the participating Seven Dials retailers offering 20% off, including: Adee Phelan Salons, All Saints, American Apparel, Carhartt, Coco de Mer, Fenchurch, Firetrap, Freddy, Gary Holder Jewellery, Jelly Pong Pong, Karine Jackson, Laura Lee, M Butterfly, Miller Harris, Miss Sixty, MIMCO, Mint, Miss LaLa’s Boudoir, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Orla Kiely, Pauline Burrows, Pepe Jeans, Rouge, Screenface, Tomcat Leather, Volcom and Unconditional+.
If you have worked up an appetite from all the shopping, nearby Opera Quarter (Covent Garden’s historic food quarter) will also be offering special fashionista menus for hungry shoppers at Boulevard, Café Rouge, Côte Bistro, Hi Sushi Izakaya, Le Café du Jardin and Sophie's Steakhouse. There is also a 20% discount on tasty treats from retro sweet shop Hope & Greenwood, The Primrose Bakery and tea bar Bou Tea.
The Covent Garden Hotel on Monmouth Street will be celebrating all things fashion with a special showing of The Devil Wears Prada on Saturday 26th September in their private cinema, as part of their Movie Club two-course dinner package.
For terms and conditions and further information on advance registration for the voucher, log onto www.sevendials.co.uk/londonfashionweekend. Alternatively you can register in person on Saturday 26th (11-7pm) and Sunday 27th (11-6pm) September at 55 Neal Street, WC2H.
To celebrate the arrival of Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet tour to the Capital, Seven Dials, Covent Garden’s hidden village, is set to play host to the London premiere of 'The Madonna Nudes - 30th Anniversary' exhibition, a collection of intimate photographs of Madonna, taken when she was just 20.
Available to buy from £3400 and guaranteed to become serious collectors’ items, this series of black and white photographs capture Madonna’s exceptional beauty as a young woman with a toned body, perfect breasts and great skin.
The exhibition will be co-hosted by Seven Dials and Impure Art (the UK’s only erotic art gallery) who are exclusively handling the sale of the Madonna Nudes 30th Anniversary collection. See www.impureart.com for details.
The Madonna Nudes will showcase at 19 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, WC2 from July 2-19. The gallery will be open seven days - Monday to Saturday, 12-7pm, and Sunday 12-6pm. For more information please visit www.sevendials.co.uk
Clifford Chance is celebrating Gay Pride with a joint art exhibition of gay and lesbian artists in its London and New York offices. Organised by Arcus, the firm's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employee network, the exhibition also marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York. The London exhibition will showcase the works of seven gay and lesbian artists: Kerry Andrews, Annie Attridge, Roberto Ekholm, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Lucia King, Alana Lake with Fayann Smith, and Stuart Mayes, and will be held at Clifford Chance's offices in Canary Wharf.
Clifford Chance senior partner Stuart Popham says: "We are delighted to be helping to celebrate this pivotal moment in the history of the gay rights movement. Hosting our Annual Pride Art Exhibition is just one element of Clifford Chance's commitment to enhancing diversity and fostering a supportive work environment."
The exhibition will run from June 15 – July 26 at Clifford Chance, 10 Upper Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5JJ. Exhibition open by appointment on Fridays, 12-6pm. Phone +44 (0)20 7006 5384.
Rotimi Fani-Kayode image 'Unititled 1', 1988, courtesy of Autograph ABP.
We all know the winner, but there was some other great performances on Saturday night's Eurovision 2009. Sakis Rouvas from Greece (pictured above) looked very hot in white and managed to shake the crowd up with his performance of This Is Our Night.
The other performance that was unfairly overlooked was Germany's Alex Swings Oscar Sings and their performance of Miss Kiss Bang Bang (which featured an appearance by Dita von Teese). A great song, and Oscar didn't look too bad with his shirt open either!
The world’s premiere design fair has arrived. The 48th International Salone del Mobile runs from 22nd to 27th April at the Milan Fairgrounds and will play host to the Saloni, as well as Euroluce (the International Lighting Exhibition), the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition and SaloneSatellite. Excitingly, every last centimetre of exhibition space has sold out.
Despite the global financial crisis, the Saloni 2009 appears to be setting a counter-trend, with all the available exhibition space accounted for and bursting with new designs from 2723 companies.
“It would be impossible not to be thrilled by this result,” says Carlo Guglielmi, president of Cosmit, the fair organisers.
This year expect the best furniture and interior items from all your favourite designers including Poliform, Vitra and UK-based Established & Sons. This is an unmissable event and a huge crowd-drawer with its line-up of creative young talent.
“The range of goods on offer," says Manlio Armellini, chief executive of Cosmit, “is always varied, with an infinite choice of furnishings, furnishing accessories, lighting products and young designer prototypes. A glance over the items from the 2723 companies it is clear that the credit crunch has not led to a damping down of creative energies.”
Visit www.cosmit.it for more info
Photography by Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
Frolic, feast and retire at this year’s Decadence party hosted by The Secret Society at the spectacular venue No5.
Decadent by name, decadent by nature, the new Sunday Tea Dance will offer an afternoon of dining, socialising and dancing into the early hours. Amid extravagant surroundings service delivered by beautiful boys in powdered wigs will bring the spirit of Versailles to this exclusive venue.
The pre-party dinner will be held in the restaurant at the bottom floor from 5.30pm and will be hosted by the fabulous Holly Penfield (www.hollypenfield.com). Places start at £20 and are selling fast. For bookings call Richard on +44 (0) 79 5131 4486.
Once you’ve had your fill and danced the night away with London's most indulgent you’re invited to stay overnight in one of eight bedrooms and suites. Each bespoke room, individually decorated with antiques and fabrics from Asia and Italy includes an ensuite marble finish bathroom and offers the unique No5 Bath Menu. Rates for Decadence guests start at £200 for a standard double and include breakfast.
Decadence kicks off at 5pm on April 5th at No5, 5 Cavendish Square London W1G 0PG. Admission is £10 and includes DJ performances from Andrew Elmore and Mark Bambach. Dress code is ‘Decadently Fabulous’.
For more information email The Secret Society on thesecretsocietyparty@live.co.uk or visit www.No5ltd.com.
Despite the doom and gloom in the job market, some of London’s top employers will be at this year's LGBT Jobfair.
Transport for London, the Environment Agency, London Fire Brigade, the National Audit Office and the CPS have already signed up and there are plenty more yet to confirm. The fair provides you with a great opportunity to discover new potential careers whilst also chatting to employers face to face about their respective fields..
For regular updates of employers check the website at www.lgbtjobfair.co.uk or join the Fair's Facebook Group: lgbt jobfair uk
For more information, either as a visitor or as a standholder, email jobfair@aplaceatthetable.co.uk
The LGBT Jobfair is presented by A Place at the Table, a not-for-profit company
The 3rd Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Jobfair is on Wednesday 25th March 2009 from 11am to 5pm at Royal National Hotel, near Russell Square, London WC1
The world’s largest fashion and beauty event arrives in the capital for the first time - Clothes Show London will arrive in May 2009.
It will feature leading fashion and beauty brands; a 2,500 seat Fashion Theatre and a host of celebrity and expert appearances over three days.
Taking place at the ExCeL Exhibition and Conference Centre from 29th – 31st May 2009, Clothes Show London promises to be be a mecca for every aspiring fashionista - offering a unique experience of shopping, indulgence, celebrity expert advice, catwalk shows and trend reports for the UK’s largest fashion city. There will also be plenty of hunks present too (see pictured) - performing on the main catwalk in the Fashion Theatre.
Yesterday marked the culmination of over a year's worth of planning with the celebration of National Student Pride 2009. One hell of a lot of work had been put into arranging this event by the committee, all of whom managed to juggle their full time studying with helping to make the weekend a thoroughly enjoyable event. Although I did not see it through to its 4am conclusion this morning I did spend the day with them at Oceana and saw first hand just how many people flocked through the doors to be entertained by live music acts, market stalls and a Question Time event with some great speakers. I was particularly impressed by Radio 1's Aled Haydn-Jones, MP Chris Bryant and Trans-activist Persia West.
I've been lucky enough to see how hard the committee has worked to make this happen. So a massive congratulations to Tom, Verity, Emily, Zoe, Ashley and Lloyd on the committee and to all of the stewards who manned the doors, desks and floors throughtout the day. WELL DONE!
We covered Bletchley Park in the Sept/Oct edition of reFRESH Magazine. Now, as part of its ongoing fundraising initiative to regenerate Bletchley Park, the Bletchley Park Trust is making available a collection of limited edition, fine art prints signed by five of the original World War Two Codebreakers.
These attractive framed prints are being issued to commemorate the phenomenal technological achievements of the Codebreakers that both helped shorten the war by two years and laid the foundations for modern day computing. The proceeds from the sale of these prints will make a direct and vital contribution to the continuing work to restore and regenerate Bletchley Park.
Some pictures are Crown Copyright and have previously been unavailable to the public; GCHQ have recently given special permission to the Bletchley Park Trust to use them for the purposes of raising funds. These historic pictures of Bletchley Park’s wartime codebreaking work are made even rarer by the fact that cameras were not allowed on-site during the war. They are being reproduced in partnership with CreateOnline, the Bletchley Park based, fine art prints company that looks after the online printing for National Geographic, Punch Magazine Library and many other galleries.
Signed by five of the surviving Codebreakers: John Herivel, Keith Batey, Mavis Batey, Oliver Lawn and Sheila Lawn, the strictly limited edition, framed prints are supplied with a certificate of authenticity from the Bletchley Park Trust and are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
For more information or to assist the Bletchley Park Trust visit www.bletchleypark.org.uk or call ++44 (0) 1908 640404
Picture: Enigma in use by the Germans. Courtesy IWM
State of Emergency has announced their fifth Mission National Showcase Tour for 2009 with Mission Possible – Dads and Lads Move. A dynamic new show by leading black British choreographers Jeanefer Jean-Charles, Kwesi Johnson and Colin Poole, the show is presented in three parts and takes an explorative look at the male psyche. Placing male relationships under the microscope, it studies classic role models from a male perspective, such as the emotional bond between father and son to the solidarity and relaxed approach of friendship.
The showcase tour is an established event that has launched the careers of many respected black British choreographers. This particular insertion sees five spectacular male dancers presenting snapshots of young men in the 21st Century. State of Emergency is working in partnership with Jeanefer Jean-Charles, whose idea was a key factor in developing this project into a full-scale tour. She has performed, choreographed and co-produced Jazz Umbrella, Rhythm Circus and Barefeet and Crazy Legs for her company Bullies Ballerinas Jazz Productions (1990-2000), which has toured extensively. She has worked as a film and theatre choreographer and movement director and her choreography extends to the British Ski Ballet Team. She has also choreographed for The Big Dance in conjunction with the Mayor Of London, Arts Council England and BBC1.
Kwesi Johnson's first experiences of dance were in B-Boying, Funk styles, then Urban British Jazz Dance. He graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 1991 and has had training in a variety of additional styles including capoeira. After graduating he worked with Lloyd Newson, Black Mime Theatre and Phoenix Dance Theatre. In 1994 he created Kompany Malakhi, after receiving his first commission for a solo piece called Searching for a Shaman and his distinct style began to take shape, synthesising vernacular and contemporary dance styles, spoken word and film. He performed and taught internationally with companies including CandoCo Dance Company, Badejo Arts, The Hittite Empire/LIFT, Irie, and Companie Duroure.
Colin Poole trained at LABAN and Central School of Ballet. He worked with leading UK dance companies and choreographers including Phoenix and Images, before joining Rambert Dance Company in 1989. Colin was selected for CDP3 at Chisenhale Dance Space where he launched himself as a choreographer with his duet, Symbiosis (1996). He was subsequently commissioned by Chisenhale to create Mothertongue (1997), another duet that featured visual design with acclaimed photographer Chris Nash. He has also taught extensively throughout the UK and abroad.
The Mission National Showcase Tour for 2009 kicks off in March. For more information including tour dates, show times, venues and bookings visit www.stateofemergencyltd.com
A new weekly Saturday night event is about to kick off at the Meza bar and restaurant in Soho. Featuring the UK’s finest in house music, the night will focus on spinning the classics to the latest releases, with an undercurrent touch of electro.
Revellers can grab one of the superb cocktails on offer and a tasty snack and enjoy the DJ fusions of the latest and greatest. The night is set to bring out the very best of stylish Saturday nights out in Soho.
This Saturday from 9pm to late will feature Conan Liquid and Andy Daniell (Defected Records). At 23 years old Andy, the youngest to share in the Defected label, has already achieved international recognition as an exceptionally talented DJ talent and producer. Having withstood the pressures of party island Ibiza and performing for capacity crowds alongside the who’s-who of all-star DJs, he has been highlighted by Mixmag as one of their best Ibiza breakthrough DJs and also by M8 magazine joining their pick of Tomorrow People.
Conan Liquid, one half of the successful DJ and production team Liquid People, has now decided to spread his wings and become a solo producer and DJ in his own right. With an extremely impressive discology featuring tracks on many major house labels including Defected Records, Strictly Rhythm, Z records, Africanism and Catch 22, Conan has also remixed tracks for many world famous artists including Ashanti, Lighthouse Family, Talking Heads and All Saints.
Saturday 15th will feature Aaron Ross (Defected Records), Saturday the 22nd Guy Williams (Black Rabbit/DTPM) and Saturday 29th Luke Howard (Horse Meat Disco).
Behaviour will run every Saturday night from 9pm to late at the Meza bar and restaurant, 100 Wardour Street, Soho, Lodnon W1F 0TN. Admission is free before 9pm and £5 after. For more information visit www.mezabar.co.uk
The next generation of FYI radio launched with resounding success on its debut last Tuesday. Thanks to funding from LGBT Consortium, Youth In Action and vCASHpoint, the FYI crew kicked off with a show brimming with great music and sharp queer banter. Recorded in front of a lively audience of over 60 people in Soho's The Edge bar, the venue was packed with a whole host of special guests and supporters. Among them were representatives from Jake Media, Lambeth Council, Homovision, Pink Paper, PinkNews.co.uk, QX Magazine, LGBT Consortium, Christian Aid, the director of one of London's largest radio stations, and acclaimed Culture Beat vocalist Tania Evans. The show featured discussion centering on what pride means to young LGBT people today, as well as interviews recorded at Pride London and Pride Youth Games 2008. Highlights included an interview with rapper MC Envy, who gave an insight into his Pride London performance and an intimate acoustic session with Indy Awards Nominee Kel Lavelle. Led by a team of talented young people, capable of producing smooth and entertaining live shows, FYI is a station LGBT people can be proud of.
FYI Radio is a collection of podcasts by the young, gay and the queer. FYI Radio wants to help anyone 16 to 30 years old have a platform to promote their talent, broadcast their activities, share their knowledge and learn new skills. The team produces regular shows to discuss issues affecting young LGBTQ and S people, with live music and the newest sounds to hit the Net. Contact info@fyiradio.net
Take advantage of a whole host of ticket offers for theatre productions and shows available exclusively for reFRESH readers
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