February 2014 - an anniversary derive

Dear Friends and Comrades in Loitering

It's First Sunday This Sunday and the seventh anniversary of our monthly wanders! I am both thrilled and perplexed that we have reached this milestone and wish to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has walked with The LRM whether on the streets or in cyberspace. Our new webthingummie will be appearing this month so I'll save the critical reflection and launch straight into an invitation to join the celebrations in the most fitting way I can think of: a dérive.

We will be gathering at 2pm in John Rylands Library Cafe Deansgate on Sunday 2nd February. We'll be setting off on a treasure hunt based around a lucky seven discoveries very close to our heart....

The nature of this expedition means I have no idea where we will end up, so please try to be punctual, but we will doubtless conclude with beverages and blethering, in good time for those who wish to enjoy the new year fireworks.

It would be lovely if you could join us playing out, please holler if you need any more information (but no clues about the treasure!)

Love and golden apples
Morag x

All welcome to the First Sunday Derive of 2014

The First Sunday of 2014 is nearly here! This year it coincides with twelth night and so we will be revisiting a few ideas beloved of The LRM; notions of the world turned upside down, of fluidity, chaos and the (non-gender specific) Lords of Misrule. So please, come dressed for the weather and prepared for leaps of imagination to rechape the streets of manchester into the city we want to play in.We'll meet outside Urbis (aka the football museum) at 2pm on Sunday 5th January. It's back to the day job afterwards so lets eek out every last drop of inspiration an joy from the festive period....

In terms of  loitering praxis 2013 was a wonderful year: It started with The Art of Walking, a 7 week course I wrote and delivered for cornerhouse which remains one of my favourite things I have done ever. There were also 4 conference papers (On Walking in Sunderland was a particular highlight of my year), 4 guest lectures for various university classes, a contribution to the group exhibition ways to escape, the monstrous manchester tour with Julian Holloway for Manchester Gothic Festival, a revised modernist heroines tour for Alternative Histories festival, the first official London loiter, I made a radio show, interviewed one of my favourite film makers at Manchester Art Gallery, curated a mini-season for trauma film club, talked about urban interventions for the urbis research forum, chaired a debate on regeneration in Manchester, got two items accepted for publication and officially became a master (sadly not The Master but my timelord dreams arent dead yet!). Blurring the lines of my day job I organised the Ardwick Green Heritage Day which explored the histories of this fascinating, and often overlooked suburb. And of course there were 12 first Sundays, all marvellous, all different and I am grateful to all who contributed to them, especially Rose Bush and Dale Meakin who facilitated derives.

So yes: heartfelt thanks to everyone who wandered with me and supported the lrm in a myriad different ways. Now: Onwards and Upwards (in a meandering way of course) and please, if anyone has any ideas for future expedititions, collaborations or other shennanigans please do get in touch. Already planned for 2014 are three events for Manchester Histories Festival, a new website, the launch of the community drone and a couple of art events...