What 8850 Form Communities 2016-2023

Gift is only four letters long, but it's a very complex word. My name is Tim Jeeves, and for the last couple of years, I've been producing an arts festival called "Giving in to Gift". This festival presents work in a variety of mediums, with an emphasis on dance, video work, studio-based dance, and pieces taking place in the hub here at the blue probe. The majority of the work shown has not taken place in an arts institution, but rather in the streets, parks, and pubs of Liverpool. A diverse program of work is being presented, with an underlying desire to instigate a conversation about gift and generosity. When developing this year's program, the decision was made to have a symposium alongside the artwork, to have a more direct conversation about the issues at stake. The symposium today is a realization that gift is not a rose-tinted solution to the world's problems. It can be used in controlling ways, to show off wealth and power, and it can demand reciprocation. However, gift can also bring joy, surprises, and indifference. In times of recession, when there is less money available, it is important to have discussions about gift and generosity. Gift-giving operates on two distinct poles. On one hand, there are projects forced upon us by the government that use gift ideas to justify unpaid work and austerity. On the other hand, there are people operating outside of capitalism, suggesting radical new ways of living that challenge the reliance on money. Sometimes these two positions overlap, and sometimes they operate in the space between. The symposium today and "Giving in to Gift" overall aim to map out the complex territory defined by the word "gift". I want to express thanks to Penny, who has done a fantastic job organizing today's event, as well...