new website

Dear Friends and fellow loiterers

We finally have a new website - it is very new at the moment and still needs work - but it is live and you can find it at www.thelrm.org

Thrilled to also be able to announce the first details of Loitering With Intent: The Art and Politics of Walking at The Peoples History Museum http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/loitering-with-intent/

The exhibition opens 23rd July - 14th October.

There will be a full programme of walks, talks, films and more with details to be revealed soon but here are the first three. I am especially pleased as they they feature long term Loitering Inspirations Phil Smith and Robert Douglas Dickinson Please note although these are free events booking is necessary.

Here are the first events:

Manchester Area Psychogeographic: Levitation, Explosions, Exposures

2-4pm Sunday 24rd July 2016

Bob Dickinson, co-founder of Manchester Area Psychogeographic (MAP) talks about the history of Manchester’s first known psychogeographic group. For the first time in 20 years he will show slides taken during MAP’s derives and interventions. These include images taken during their examination of the site of the IRA bomb in Manchester soon after the explosion.

Suitable for all ages but space is limited.

More details and free tickets available here: http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/manchester-area-psychogeographic/

What is Psychogeography? Talk and gallery tour

2-4pm Sunday 14th August 2016

This talk and gallery tour will explore what psychogeography is and how wandering can be an artistic or political act. It maps walks from Paris 1968 to contemporary Manchester with deviations to discuss poets, punks, mystics and everyone who fought for our right to roam.

Suitable for all ages but space is limited.

More details and free tickets are available here: http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/what-is-psychogeography/

Walking, Touching, Lying with Mythogeography

2-4pm Saturday 27th August 2016

Walking, Touching, Lying. Phil Smith will lead an exploration of the wounds, scars, infections, clues and symbols in the texture of the city’s surfaces. The walk will explore different viewpoint levels, how the surface can ripple and trip, and in what particular gutters to look for dust from Mars.

Suitable for all ages but space is limited. Booking necessary

More details and tickers here: http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/walking-touching-lying-2/

Loitering at Manchester Histories Festival

Manchester Histories Festival is nearly here and I am thrilled to be involved again.

First Sunday in June coincided with the festival so we will be going for a walk which explores the histories of walking in Manchester. Details are here: http://metaloiter.eventbrite.co.uk

Unfortunatly tickets have to be limited for logistical reasons, I hope you can understand. However First Sunday is for everyone so there will be a concurrent derive – details to be announced soon (and of course all LRM walks are free).

I’m also facilitating a couple of other wanders for the festival. Theres something in the water! Is the latest in an ongoing of explorations of how water has shaped Manchester and is a collaboration with Steve Millington. Details here:   http://something-in-the-water.eventbrite.co.uk

More about the other projects soon, I just wanted to make sure Loiterers knew about those with a psychogeographical angle before they filled up as Histories Festival events are always very popular.

The full programme is online here: http://www.manchesterhistoriesfestival.org.uk/whatson/

With loitering love

Morag x

Women Walking Manchester: My Phd Research, please help

Hello everyone, I am currently in the middle of my PhD research and would love to find more participants. Your help would be much appreciated

Creative Walking and Women in Manchester: Seeking Participants

I am a PhD student at The University of Sheffield. My current research is exploring walking and women’s feelings, thoughts and experiences of public space and the urban environment in Manchester. I am conducting one-to-one walking interviews in Manchester city centre with women who live, work and/or study in the city. The pace, direction and subject of the interviews are set by the participants. My definition of walking includes sticks, wheels and any other mobility aids and all women over 18 are welcome.

Interviews are scheduled to take place between 14th April – 30th June. If possible I would like to start in Piccadilly Gardens some time between 12noon-2pm but the time and location can be flexible according to your needs and interests. If you would prefer to sit down and chat that can also be arranged. Interviews last between 45-60 minutes and the direction they take is up to you. There will be group walks using creative methods later in the year. (There is no obligation to take part in the second stage but all participants will be welcome to do so). This research has been approved by the ethics committee at The University of Sheffield.

For more information or to arrange an interview please email mltrose1@sheffield.ac.uk or call me on 07974929589

THANKS so much to those who have already walked and talked with me,  it has been very inspiring and interesting and every conversation is much appreciated. Please also do pass this on to anyone else who may be interested

I hope to walk and talk with you soon

Best wishes
Morag

May Day and Other Adventures

Hello dear friends and fellow loiterers

It;s First Sunday, This Sunday and it also happens to be May Day. Due to many loiterers having other commitments, and also because I've had a few requests for a night time derive, we are shifting meeting times for this month only. We will be gathering 8.30pm on Tuesday 3rd May at the main entrance to Piccadilly  Railway Station for a nocturnal wander. We'll end about 10pm with a drink and a blether somewhere. We will be back to having First Sunday on a First Sunday again in June.

There are also various events of interest in Manchester this week:

The excellent 4x4 discussions are back and this time they are focusing on Big Questions (I'm on the money panel this Wednesday 4th May) http://www.4x4manchester,com/

Manchester Left Writers Launchpad Project The Powerhouse Liberation Movement opens on Thursday 5th https://facebook.cm/events/1701004300151855/

The Holden Gallery have an exhibition on landscape with some free film screenings http://holden-gallery.mmu.ac.uk/2016/-scape/

Later this month we will be sharing details of our exhibition at The Peoples History Museum, called Loitering With Intent: The Art and Politics of Walking. It opens on July 23rd and includes a programme of events so psychogeography can blossom all over the streets this Summer

Hope to see you soon

Love
Morag

PS apologies for the illegibility of last blog post, dont know what happened but suspect its related to the new website coming soon

First Sunday and Other Adventures

Hello dear friends and fellow loiterers

Its First Sunday, This Sunday and it also happens to be May Day. Due to many loiterers having other commitments, and also because I’ve had a few requests for a night time derive, we are shifting meeting times slightly. We will be gathering 8.30pm on Tuesday 3^rd May at the main entrance to Piccadilly Railway Station for a nocturnal wander. We’ll end about 10pm with a drink and a blether somewhere. We will be back to having First Sunday on a First Sunday again in June.

There are also various events of interest in Manchester this week:

The excellent 4x4 discussions are back and this time focusing on Big Questions (I’m on the Money panel this Wednesday 4^th) http://www.4x4manchester.com/

Manchester Left Writers Launchpad Project The Powerhouse Liberation Movement opens on Thursday 5^th https://www.facebook.com/events/1701004300151855/

The Holden Gallery have an exhibition on landscape with some free film screenings http://www.holdengallery.mmu.ac.uk/2016/-scape/

Later this month we will be sharing details of our exhibition at The Peoples History Museum, called Loitering With Intent: The Art and Politics of Walking it includes a programme of events so psychogeography can blossom all over the streets this summer.

Hope to see you soon

Cheers

Morag x

April 2016

It's First Sunday, this Sunday

We have a departure from the derive with a special wander exploring the right to roam. Don Lee of the Open Spaces Society is working and walking with me on a tour of contested paths and sites in Manchester. Some of you know Don and how much excellent work he has done over the years and I am so excited that he is sharing his knowledge and experience. The route is somewhat experimental at the moment as this is also a recce mission for later in the year. We will be starting 10am Sunday April 3rd (note the earlier time) on the steps of Manchester Town Hall. All loiterers welcome. The final tour will be one of the special events to be held during Loitering With Intent: The Art and Politics of Walking, an exhibition The LRM are organising at The Peoples History Museum. It opens July 23rd; more details soon.

Hello

The LRM (Loiterers Resistance Movement) is a Manchester based collective of artists and activists interested in psychogeography, public space and the hidden stories of the city.

We can’t agree on what psychogeography means but we all like plants growing out of the side of buildings, looking at things from new angles, radical history, drinking tea and getting lost; having fun and feeling like a tourist in your home town. Gentrification, advertising and blandness make us sad. We believe there is magick in the mancunian rain.


Our city is wonderful and made for more than shopping. We want to reclaim it for play and revolutionary fun….


The LRM embark on psychogeographical drifts to decode the palimpsest of the streets, uncover hidden histories and discover the extraordinary in the mundane. We aim to nurture an awareness of everday space, (re)engaging with and (re)enchanting the city.


On the first Sunday of every month we go for a wander of some sort and we also organise occasional festivals, exhibitions, shows, spectacles, silliness and other random shenanigans. Please come and join us; everyone is welcome.

Please accept our apologies for the rather shabby nature of the blog at the moment; I am in the process of making it lovelier but I keep getting distracted, I'd so much rather be on the street than staring at a screen. I promise it will be sorted soon. In the meantime if you fancy a blether or a beer or just want to find out about what loitering can do for you please get in touch:

Email loiter@hepzombie.co.uk
Twitter @thelrm
Facebook group the loiterers resistance movement

We hope to see you playing out with us soon xx

March First Sunday

Hello dear Loiterers

Its First Sunday this Sunday and so time to loiter. We'll be meeting at 2pm in PIccadilly Gardens (near the Queen Victoria statue) on 6th March. Because its mothers day, and we are in the midst of the wonder women festival we we will be exploring gender, rules, roles and rebellion and how they are reflected, created, restricted and performed in the environment. Our wander will be fluid, participatory and open to anyone, of all genders and none, who wants to join in. There will probably be swearing, possibly frank discussion of bodies and doubtless minor epiphanies in convivial company

I do also bring news of two more walks which may be of interest the following week.

Don Lee of the Open Spaces Society is working and walking with me on a tour of contested paths and sites in Manchester. Some of you know Don and how much excellent work he has done over the years and I am so excited that he is sharing his knowledge and experience. Don and I will be practising the tour on Saturday March 12, starting 10am (location tbc, it will be central Manchester, please let me know if you want to come and we can let you know details). The tour will be one of several events during Loitering With Intent: The Art and Politics of Walking, an exhibition The LRM are organising at The Peoples History Museum. It opens July 23rd; more details soon.

We also have an invitation from the NW C20th Society for anyone interested in twentieth century buildings. "Last year we held our first semi-planned sortie trip as a mooch round Stafford. This year we are going closer to home, in Oldham on Saturday 12 March. We meet at 10.30 by the town centre exit of Oldham Central Metrolink station. This station is served by the G, H and I trams. After this we shall have a visit round the Queen Elizabeth Hall of 1977, with its wonderfully intact interior (little open these days), as part of the Oldham Beer Festival, where we can enjoy some lovely modernist architecture with some real ale. Also included, we shall visit Gallery Oldham with its current exhibition, Sculpting Stories, We will also look at the Civic Centre, former Magistrates Court- St Mary’s Church (if we can get in) and whatever else we discover- this is an expedition more than a tour. No need to RSVP or book a place. Free of charge, just turn up at the right time and place."

if you are on twitter there are frequent updates @thelrm and I hope to see you on the streets soon

love
Morag
PS thinking about the subject of this months derive I recommend looking at Manchester Womens Design Group.

February First Sunday

It’s First Sunday this Sunday and we’ll be gathering outside urbis (I believe that’s still the name of the building anyway) at 2pm on Sunday 7^th February for some kind of game that wont be related to football. If anyone has any suggestions for future meeting places or wanders do please get in touch. Friends at the womens design group have suggested possibly doing something in March as first Sunday then will be Mothers day and very near international womens day. Ideas would be very welcome