Activity book benefit at teen center in Ann Arbor
Posted February 10, 2008 by bec_young in Events
Last week I did a short shadow puppet show at The Neutral Zone as part of a benefit for the Mott Active Book, an activity book for hospitalized teens. According to their website, the Neutral Zone is "a diverse, youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas."
I was really impressed with, and a bit jealous of, this haven for young people in liberal Ann Arbor. In addition to a cafe and computer lab where teens are invited to come and chill at any time, there is an amazing range of programs offered. The two most developed programs filled the rooms on either side of the huge room that serves as a concert hall, complete with stage, sound system, and of course, pool tables. Those rooms contained a fully functional recording studio and a silkscreen lab.
In addition to the puppet show, folks were entertained by music from LS Banjo and Ghostly DJ's Michael Dykehouse and Tadd Mullinex. There was also a reading by Davy Rothbart of Found Magazine, which orginates in Ann Arbor. Found is a neat magazine full of reprints of items found on the ground by strangers, a motly collection of passive voyeurism. I was pleased to perform in the same show as Davy, who by sheer coincidence was my high school basketball coach.
Profits from the event benfitted the Mott Active Book, a project of Anne Phillips of Mott Hospital. Anne told me, "The Mott Active Book was created with hopes to inspire hospitalized teens and give them a creative outlet to cope with their hospitalization. The book provides a variety of different activities that stretch the imagination, teach, and introduce funky-fresh ideas."
The puppet show was a last minute collaboration and a visual representation of the Kate Bush song Sat in Your Lap: "I see the people working and see it working for them and so I want to join in but then I find it hurts me. Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap, some say that knowledge is something that you never have. I see the people happy so can it happen for me? 'Cos when I have no energy there's nothing that can move me." I guess it's fitting that these are themes I've been exploring ever since I, too, was a teen in Ann Arbor with big ideas.
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In my research on places we hope will carry Justseeds prints and posters, I came across something I imagine a similiar resource to folks in Port Townsend, WA.
The Boiler Room
http://www.ptbr.org/
http://www.myspace.com/ptboilerroom
Im sure there are lots of other places like this around the country. Is anyone familiar with a kind of directory?
Posted by: kc at February 10, 2008 7:52 PM