It has been a strange autumn with every leaf that’s fallen there’s been a new policy or new way of thinking on the horizon. Are we in recession or surfacing from one? Are we facing a severe cut? Are we viable or not?

It’s been quite exhuasting trying to work out whether we are coming or going!

Is it just us here at Spare Tyre feeling this way or is quite a lot of the arts world heading for a collective nervous breakdown?

Pass the vallium on the left handside.

But in these dark days there have been some rays of light: fun, laughter and much excitement. Via the wonder that is the internet we set up connectedculture – the network celebrating adult participatory arts and have found many new friends and like minded souls up and down the country.

We had a fantastic London tour with SAFE and I’m an Artist, let me in!

Met new fans who love the HotPots strutting their stuff, other fans who were captivated and moved by the inc.Theatre Ensemble show.

What I love about our audiences is their diversity. Ahh, diversity, a word that I fear will become over used and abused as a time passes. But honestly our audiences are diverse. And I love that they are captive–in one space–being surprised, moved, feeling empathy, being confused by what is happening before them, being brought to tears – listening to untold stories, having doors opened onto different worlds by simply having their emotions touched.