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BGU Bringing Dangerous Ideas to Lincolnshire
This June Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and Creative Rebel CIC are looking to change the lives of the people of Lincolnshire with The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas. The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas is a learning festival with a difference. It’s spread across time and space, running from the 9th to the 15th of June across Lincolnshire. Unlike most festivals, it isn’t hosted in one place. Instead the activities and events will occur in a range of locations across Lincoln and the surrounding areas. The purpose of the Emporium is to offer people a chance to really challenge themselves to think differently and to push their own boundaries to enable them to innovate, create and learn but in a variety of different contexts, spaces and places. ‘Dangerous Ideas’ doesn’t mean any kind of physical or mental harm, instead the dangerous idea can be doing something you haven’t done before, taking a chance on an event or activity that challenges you to learn something new or try something different. It’s an exciting way of creating a region-wide conversation about how we think, act, work and live together and what we might want to think of doing differently. Dr Elinor Vettraino, one of the ‘Agents of Danger’ organising the Emporium and Programme Leader: Business and Enterprise at BGU, “I am excited to be curating the Emporium in Lincolnshire along with Andy Farenden who curated the fantastic TEDxBrayfordPool event in November last year. We are hoping that this will become a yearly event and will grow and develop into a festival of learning that is inspired and owned by the Lincolnshire community.” The Emporium is packed with events designed to challenge participants culminating with the ‘Bright Club’, where academics and teachers from across the county will be given training by professional comedians before performing their own stand-up routine. Spaces are already filling up fast but if there are any Lincolnshire individuals, groups or communities who have missed out on an event, the team at the Emporium will be provide all the support needed to hold a Dangerous Ideas event of your own. Anyone with an event they’d like to try can get in touch with their idea through the contact tab on the Emporium’s website. Whether you’re attending an event or running one, the agents want to hear from you, if you think you’re dangerous enough that is! -
Nightmare Creatures to Haunt BGU at 2018 Monster Conference
There is something alluring about monsters. From the dark corners of our imaginations to books and films they terrify and fascinate us in equal measure. But where did this cultural obsession begin and why has it continued for so long? For many the answers lie with Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ and this June the Monster Conference will seek to examine the legacy of Shelley’s classic work as well as how the Monstrous continues to capture our imaginations. Hosted by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln the interdisciplinary conference approaches Monsters and the Monstrous through the contexts of Education, History, Literature and Society, including panels on Monsters in Literature written for Children and Dramatic Adaptations as well as Architecture, Science & Technology and Art. Monstrosity and the Monstrous apply, in the first instance, to social and cultural threats; i.e. to behaviours and (visual) qualities which are deemed socially and culturally unacceptable because they are perceived as amoral or unimaginable. The conference will explore the relevance of these concepts and to see how academic research intersects with popular culture. Through its keynotes and panel discussions, this conference wants to further engagement with the different incarnations of Monsters in contemporary research and teaching. The conference will include a screening of the award winning monster movie ‘The Host’ (2006) by the acclaimed South Korean director Joon-ho Bong, as well as a Monster Story Telling Competition, which will involve BGU students. BGU regularly hosts conferences that are open to all who’d like to attend, you can find more information about the exciting events coming up on our Events Page. -
BGU supports Mansions of the Future arts programme
A new cultural programme supported by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is bringing celebrated national and international artists to Lincoln. Launching this week, Mansions of the Future is a new cultural platform bringing a variety of art forms to Lincoln. The theme will explore culture, power and democracy in Lincoln. A new cultural centre will open in Lincoln’s Cornhill Quarter on Friday 11 May, a space which will offer opportunities for the public to collaborate directly with artists. Local artists and creative people can apply to occupy the studio space for free. Information on how to apply can be found on the Mansions of the Future website. Dr Andrew Jackson, Head of Research at BGU, spoke of his excitement over what the programme could offer the city: “Bishop Grosseteste University is very excited to be supporting ‘Mansions of the Future’. This programme will see world-class artists and events coming to Lincoln through 2018 and 2019. “It will be one of the most radical and impressive set of arts activities that the city has seen. We look forward to the involvement of BGU and its staff and students, and it is a great opportunity for local venues, groups and practitioners over the months ahead.” The programme commences this week when artist Kathrin Böhlm occupies the new cultural centre and asks the people of Lincoln ‘What culture do we want?’ There will be a series of free maker-workshops where the public are invited to work together. Visual artist Bridget Smith will present her work ‘Now It Is Permitted’ on hoardings and billboards across the city. The installations will include statements from invited artists, writers, musicians, playwrights and filmmakers. Later in May Bonnie Wright, famous for playing Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter films, brings her short-film ‘Medusa’s Ankles’ to the city. The premiere will be uniquely displayed as a free public installation in a hair salon on Sincil Street. The film explores the shifts in power and visibility of middle aged women. 2019 highlights include actor, playwright and director Steven Berkoff staging his Lincoln-inspired play ‘Ritual in Blood’ with local amateur actors. Mansions of the Future is supported by Arts Council England’s Ambitions for Excellence fund, Bishop Grosseteste University, the University of Lincoln, Lincoln City Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincoln BIG and Lincoln Cathedral, along with other members of the Lincoln Cultural and Arts Partnership including Visit Lincoln, The Lincoln College Group, Open Plan and Lincolnshire Co-op. -
Monster Storytelling Competition Winner Announced
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) welcomed pupils from the Sir Donald Bailey Academy to announce the winner of BGU’s Monster Storytelling Competition. Part of BGU’s Monster Conference, the competition challenged BGU students to write monster stories for children across three age groups: 0-5, 5-7 and 7-11. As well as writing the monster stories, students taking part also had to submit a video performance of them. Winners in each category, along with an overall winner, were then picked out by the pupils from Sir Donald Bailey Academy (one of BGU’s partner schools). Chloe Pearce, a 3rd Year Primary Education undergraduate student, was crowned the overall winner. Her utilisation of props in her video to act out her story made her the clear favourite with the children who really felt the story had been brought to life. Looking back on the competition, Chloe explained why she wanted to take part: “I really enjoy writing stories for children. It is so important that they have opportunities to read growing up.” In addition to attending the prize giving, held in the Cornerstone Library at BGU, the Sir Donald Bailey pupils were also provided with a selection of books to read across the afternoon. Ruth Pearson, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, highlighted the importance of this experience and why she and her colleagues felt it needed to be included: “At BGU we believe it is incredibly important when fostering a love of reading in children to give them experience of being in a library and show them the wonders that libraries can offer them” The storytelling competition forms part of BGU’s Monster Conference; an interdisciplinary conference exploring the work of Mary Shelley. The conference continues on the 31st of October with a live reading of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’. You can keep up to date with the Monster Conference and all the exciting events taking place at BGU on our website. -
BGU Celebrate Voting Equality with #EqualiTeas Event
Last week staff and students at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) held a special event to celebrate voting equality for women. Organised and hosted by a hardworking group of staff from across the University (including the CELT and Research teams), the #EqualiTeas afternoon was part of a national programme of events in the run up to the 90th anniversary of the Equal Franchise Act which granted equal voting rights to women and men across the UK. After an opening speech by Dr Andrew Jackson, Head of Research at BGU, the event delved into the history of Women’s Suffrage in Lincolnshire with readings from BGU’s archive covering records of debates held on women’s voting rights at the then Diocese College. These were followed by letters written to the college magazine at the close of the First World War read by current BGU MA students Elaine Johnson and Sian Hope-Johnson. Both letters were written by students of the college and offered rich historical detail discussing the appropriate nature of protest along with whether women should be allowed to sit in the Houses of Parliament. On top of this guests were provided with afternoon tea as well as an opportunity to discuss the continuing issues concerning equality both inside and beyond politics. Speaking after the event, Dr Jackson explained why celebrating the anniversary of the act continues to be of great importance: “Through this celebration we are remembering the long and hard fought campaign for Women’s Suffrage and questioning whether we have yet reached a good place in terms of opportunities, representation and conduct in politics and wider society” 2018 is a landmark year in anniversaries for equal voting rights and BGU are running events to celebrate throughout the next months. You can find more information on all the exciting plans, including our ongoing exhibition at Lincoln Central Library, on our dedicated #Vote100 page. -
BGU to Host Relational Schools Conference 2018
Have our schools lost sight of the HUMAN dimension? Are we allowing children to be themselves? Is there an over-emphasis on results? If these issues concern you and you would like to have a space to meet, share concerns, and act for change then a place at the Relational Schools day conference on Friday 22 June at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is for you. The conference, titled ‘Human Scale School’, will be focusing on Human Scale Education (HSE), an education movement committed to small scale learning communities based on the values of democracy, justice and respect. HSE works directly with schools and parents to promote human scale learning environments where children and young people are known and valued as individuals. HSE believes that ‘humanity of scale’ and the ‘primacy of relationships’ should not only inform the design of our schools but should also influence our public sector services. This day event offers a rare opportunity to gain high quality Continuous Professional Development, with input from inspiring and innovative, internationally recognised researchers and practitioners. Activities run from 9:30am to 4pm in the Robert Hardy Building at our campus on Longdales Road (LN1 3DY). The event is free to BGU staff and students and you can book your place at on our events page. For any questions email Rosalyn Spender or Mark Plater. -
BGU Exhibition on #Vote100 Launched at Lincoln Central Library
Last night the ‘Vote100: A Lincolnshire View of Women’s Suffrage’ exhibition opened at Lincoln Central Library. Designed to bring people together to learn about Lincolnshire’s contribution to the cause of Women’s Suffrage; the exhibition is packed with a collection of original newspaper articles, Women’s Liberation postcards and posters supported by rich and deep research from across the county. Curated by History and English staff and students at BGU – Dr Andrew Jackson, Dr Claudia Capancioni, Elaine Johnson, Sian Hope-Johnson and Jasmine Mills – it examines the input of people from Lincolnshire, set in the context on the progress towards achieving the vote in 1918, and the equalising of the franchise in 1928. For Sian Hope-Johnson, MA in English student at BGU, being involved in creating the exhibit was a fantastic experience: “We’ve been able to put together a historical showpiece with a really unique viewpoint that highlights how even small local activities could have a national impact. The history of Women’s Suffrage is very close to my heart, without these women I wouldn’t have the rights I do today, so to be able to work directly on the curation of this exhibition has been incredible.” Louise Woolley, Lincoln Central Library Manager, was delighted to be able to host such an important educational display: “We were incredibly keen to put together an exhibition celebrating Lincoln’s contribution to Women’s Suffrage and the results of BGU’s work are fantastic. We only expected a small exhibition but the team at BGU have helped us to put on our biggest exhibition ever!” The ‘Vote100: A Lincolnshire View of Women’s Suffrage’ exhibition is open and free to the public until July 5. Everyone is welcome to visit so make sure you get down to Lincoln Central Library for an eye-opening and enriching experience. The exhibition forms part of a series of events celebrating important dates in the history of women’s voting rights and the extension of the franchise by #Vote100BGU at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and in Lincoln through 2017-18. You can find more information about BGU’s other #Vote100 events, community activities and exciting range of courses on our website. -
Learning Conference Offers ‘Opportunities for Excellence’ at BGU
Earlier this month Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) welcomed delegates from across the country to its annual Learning and Teaching Conference. Spearheaded by the University’s Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching (CELT) Team, the conference delves into the biggest issues and questions surrounding the provision of Higher Education, with this year’s theme being ‘Opportunities for Excellence’ It aims to provide those involved in the provision of Higher Education an opportunity to refresh and develop their skills to help them stay ahead in a constantly evolving sector. Key themes and strands are identified for the conference to ensure sector relevance and enable dissemination of best practice. This year’s event focused on three key strands: Times of Change, Digital Capabilities and Student Journey. A number of engaging key-note speakers joined the conference including Professor Wyn Morgan, Vice-President for Education at the University of Sheffield, who discussed ways to navigate the constantly shifting Higher Education landscapes, and Dr Rachel Maxwell, Head of Learning and Teaching Development: Policy and Practice, Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education at the University of Northampton, who examined the potential and opportunities for large-scale pedagogic transformation to active blended learning at universities. Part of a packed programme including breakout sessions run by BGU staff, the speakers helped the conference cover a diverse range of topics including leadership; global; digital capability and technology-enhanced learning; transformative learning, teaching and assessment; student engagement and experience; student wellbeing (one of BGU’s key institutional goals); and quality assurance and enhancement. Over one and half days the conference was met with high praise from an incredibly engaged set of attendees, with the “excellent” and “fascinating” key-notes being picked by Elizabeth Farrar, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at BGU, as her highlights whilst Caroline Meredith, who is studying for a Professional Doctorate (EdD) at Nottingham University, praised the “amazing” work of the CELT team in putting the event together. The CELT team are dedicated to promoting enhancement in learning and teaching and regularly run events and conferences to encourage this. Many of these are open to the public and if you would like to be part of them you can find more information on the exciting plans ahead on our events page. -
BGU Lincoln Teenage Market continues to go from strength to strength
written by Jo Tolley – BGU Graduate This July saw the ninth Lincoln Teenage Market held by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), in conjunction with Bailgate Area Guild and Lincoln BIG as part of Uphill Lincoln Week. BGU became involved with the Market in 2016 to create enterprising opportunities for the town’s future generation. This gives budding traders, business owners and performers the chance to trial their entrepreneurial ideas in a realistic and supportive environment. In turn, it also enables the public to engage with the University, and Lincoln as a whole, in an authentic way. Over time, the number of entrepreneurs attending the events has expanded to form a community of like-minded and successful individuals, who have similar aspirations for a variety of reasons. A prime example of the entrepreneurial spirit promoted by the Market are Sun and Moon Creations, who craft unique and colourful tie-die clothing, tapestries, and jewellery for the event. They revealed how the Market has helped the business thrive and connect with others: “They are all super helpful and always offer to give some guidance. The vibe that is generated from all these young people aspiring to become independent is really inspiring” The latest Market located in Castle Square was a roaring success. On a glorious summer’s day a wide range of stall holders sold everything from bath soaps to vintage film collectables, meaning there was something for everyone. Combine this with some outstanding live performances, the event triumphantly showcased what Lincoln has to offer. Lovely Lavender, a regular stall found at the Lincoln Market, sold out of most items within the first hour of trading. Jenny Dennis the entrepreneur behind the business makes soaps from the lavender which is grown in her own garden: “It’s great when I do well at any market. This setting is perfect for trading as there’s loads of people and kids on school trips passing through. I’m really pleased with how it’s gone” The Teenage Market was originally set up in 2012 by Joe and Tom Barratt who saw a gap in the Market Trading industry of Stockport. The initiative has since injected energy, diversity and vibrancy into thirty city centres across the UK; giving young entrepreneurs and performers a free platform to practice and demonstrate their creative talents. Lincoln is a thriving hotspot of contemporary and historic culture, with a well-established trading network and an increasing population of young people. It’s no surprise that The Teenage Market found its way to the city to contribute to its development as well as its beloved traditions. If you’d like to find out more about the Lincoln Teenage Market or perhaps get involved as a trader or performer at the next event, please contact the Teenage Market team at: teenagemarket@bishopg.ac.uk. You can also follow Lincoln Teenage Market on Facebook. -
BGU Lecturers Showcase Innovative Research at Storytelling Conference
Two Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) lecturers had the opportunity to share their research at the 2018 Storytelling Conference at the University of Suffolk earlier this month.
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