Noticeboard
Digging the Seam conference
Academics, artists, and political commentators will come together to discuss aspects of the 1984/5 Miners’ Strike at a conference Cultural Reflections and the Consequences of the 1984/5 Miners’ Strike taking place 25-27 March 2010 at Weetwood Hall in Leeds.
Aimed at the public and HE scholars, the conference looks at mainstream and alternative representations of the strike at the time and subsequently, across the broad range of cultural expression such as the press, TV, film, performance, and photography. For more information contact Dr Eleri Pound at ics-conferences@leeds.ac.uk or on 0113 343 5805.
Employee benefits fair
The employee benefits fair on Wednesday, 24 March is the best place for everyone to learn about the huge range of benefits, discounts and support available to you.
Drop into Parkinson Court from 11am to 3pm and enjoy a free muffin from the Costco stall and get a drink from the coffee bar! Find out how to get discounts on travel, lifestyle and shopping, and get information on other benefits offered to University staff.
This year’s stalls include Sport & Physical Activity, where there will be the chance to purchase membership at a discounted rate for The Edge, the University’s new fitness, sport and wellbeing complex, and enter a competition to win a year’s free membership.
As part of the Dare collaboration, Opera North is offering exclusive half-price tickets to certain performances of Puccini’s La Bohème and Dvorák’s Rusalka in May and June 2010.
Staff can once again sign up for one of two guided tours (11.30am and 1.30pm) of the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery. For further details email Layla Bloom at l.bloom@leeds.ac.uk or phone 0113 343 2777.
Other stalls include Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), the Wellbeing team, Staff and Departmental Development Unit (SDDU), and the Staff Benefits stall. For further information please contact Bryony Jones: b.j.jones@adm.leeds.ac.uk
International staff coffee hour
All staff are invited to the fourth international staff coffee hour, which takes place on Friday, 19 March, 1.15-2.30pm, in the Wilson Room, Emmanuel Centre.
The primary aim of the Coffee Hour is for new and more established staff with an interest in international people to come together informally, to share concerns on practical matters related to living and working in the UK. It’s an opportunity to network and exchange experiences and share useful suggestions with colleagues facing similar issues.
For more information, please contact Jan Evans at j.m.evans@leeds.ac.uk
Easter Fair
The Staff Centre is holding an Easter Fair on Friday, 26 March between 11.30-14.30 in the Dining Room, Level 9, Staff Centre Building.
There will be a range of items for sale including jewellery, bags and garments, art, accessories and gifts, handmade organic skin creams and fancy chocolates. There will also be a tombola for a chance to win a special Easter prize. Proceeds from the tombola and donations from stallholders and visitors will go to St Gemma’s Hospice.
For more information visit www.leeds.ac.uk/staffcentre/fairs.html or contact Tanya on t.wherrell@leeds.ac.uk, or ext 34161.
Visit by filmmaker Meirelles
Acclaimed Brazilian film director Fernando Meirelles is to visit the University on 18 March, prior to a major retrospective of his work at the National Media Museum, Bradford.
Meirelles directed films such as City of God and The Constant Gardener, as well as producing and directing immensely popular TV series, including City of Men and Sound and Fury.
An open Question and Answer session (conducted in English) with Meirelles, chaired by Professor Lúcia Nagib will be held at the Rupert Beckett Lecture Theatre, Michael Sadler Building, at 6pm on 18 March.
Limited tickets are available for the event; please contact meirelles.at.leeds@ gmail.com for further information.
Alan Davie – a celebration
An exhibition celebrating the 90th birthday of Alan Davie, former Gregory Fellow in Painting at the University (1957-59), opens at the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery on 16 March.
Major works from each decade of Davie’s career will be on display, and the exhibition concludes with a focus on his current work and working methods, including doodles, sketches and large-scale paintings made in the last decade. Also on display will be a Davies’ work recently purchased by the gallery, Tell me of that colourful night.
The Scottish master of abstract art was born in 1920, and Davie was a rising star when he was invited to become the University’s third Gregory Fellow. It was at Leeds that Davie came in contact with several scientists and toyed with notions of randomness. His brightly-coloured painting has been characterised by its automatic – almost surreal – style and its spontaneous technique. For Davie, painting is an experience, one which makes life vital and thrilling.
Over time, Davie’s work has become more influenced by symbols and spirituality, especially those of native cultures from around theworld. His works – painting, drawing, watercolours and prints – are featured in major collections worldwide, including the Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.
The Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery is in the Parkinson Building and the exhibition runs from 16 March 2010 – 6 June 2010. Admission is free and the gallery is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.
