Standing in the Star and Shadow Cinema, I begin to realize that most people are brainwashed to ideas of happiness and contention: to get money, a successful career, fame or a handsome partner. From a young age these ideals are forced into our imaginations, we are influenced by our peers, celbrity role-models, favorite films, magazines and friends, into thinking that the key to happiness lies in these materialistic ambitions. We aspire to achieve them; to be the best, the most successful the most powerful and the most beautiful. But do these things really result in true happiness? Can we gain peace through materialistic aspirations?
On the 1st and 2nd of May, the Newcastle Radical Festival “DIY AYE” takes place at the cinema. It is a freedom event, where everything is free from authority and control. The cinema doesn’t have a manager, staff, controlling PR representatives, even rules, it would appear. Star and Shadow is run totally off the backs of volunteers and other valuable contributors, who work tirelessly, creating blogs, Facebook events, emailing and creating networks, to organize events, trips and film showings. The atmosphere is relaxed, with ambient atmospheric décor; dimly lit and decorated with anarchy flags, which where handmade at previous craft workshops.
Today the cinema is playing host to a diverse range of events, which are all a part of the DIY AYE environmental event. The events include; craft work-shops (book binding, zine workshops, screen printing, stencil graffiti, mix tape exchange, drumming and bike maintenance), hairdressing, film viewing, debates, poetry reading and live music gigs. On one small round table, scissors blur and people string pages together into roughly bound books. They are book binding – producing their own books, something which I used to associate with the likes of Penguin and other multi-million pound organizations, not a gang of Geordie’s in a tough and tumble venue, on a hot Saturday morning. One volunteer, Jezz Anbleyth, a biology graduate of Plymouth University, says, “I wrote a story of marine adventure, it’s been published by ourselves”. The pride is obvious; nothing can beat publishing your own work.
At the Star and Shadow the event is thriving. DIY Aye is a free event for free people. Their motto is: ‘As long as we show solidarity, believe in ourselves and follow natural practice, we can do anything’. Their raison d'être is fantastic; that is to be anything they want. Their event, ’DIY AYE’ is a spectacular discovery of our potential. The mantra ‘The Anarchist Ethos of Do It Yourself!’ inspires the visitors until they saturate the venue with a pulsating atmosphere.
Timed Zine Workshops add a competitive feel to the otherwise relaxed atmosphere. Challengers learn how to cut, paste and design, under the impending countdown of the ticking clock. The countdown fuels their excitement. A woman wearing hardcore punk jacket studded with leopard-print, asks a man for glue and as time trickles away, they bite their lips and their hands are entwined with everyone else’s reaching for pens and cutters on the long wooden table. They chose pictures, draw lines and cut up pages which are haphazardly positioned to become a part of their masterpieces. One shouts, “I’ve finished!”. The timer runs out. Everyone must stop even if they haven’t finished and then swap their creation with their neighbour. "This is awesome", "I like your picture" they say to one another. Everyone admires each other’s work and shares their success together; they are brought together in one big huddle of production. Their success has brought them together like one big happy family.
Meanwhile, in the theater, two great movies are showing: A Spanish Squatting movie and Travel Queries. The Spanish documentary analyses the rapid cycle deterioration of public attitudes towards the governmental housing policy. Another illustrates the uniqueness of modern European culture, art and radicalism. Both let us meditate on the complexities of our modern world. It is a chance to learn about: anarchism, primitivism, fundamental notion of nation states, fascism and races.
Even eating here is a form of entertainment. The kitchen prides itself on using local produce to promote sustainability. Mouth-watering meals are “donation price” you pay as you like! There is nothing quite like a good old local Geordie meal, at half the expected price.
In the evening, surrounded by dimming red lights, people are getting people drunk and looking forward to listening to the drunken traditional ramblings of four Geordie’s late on. Tonight no-one is concerned with the tensions of work, family or finances; they are finally free, at one with the chilled out atmosphere and carefree attitude of Diy-Aye. As the night draws to a close, all that is left is the memory of the day; a mountain of string and scrapped paper, piles of empty beer glasses, and the cheerful singing of happy Geordie’s content in their day of fun and recycling.
by adventurers Taka and Rachel
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