Every day for two years we have been waking up and checking the news for the latest on the war in Ukraine.
(Almost) every day for two years, Martin Belam has been waking up, opening his laptop, and providing us this news from his flat in Walthamstow.
“It’s a weird, strange tightrope to be publishing some of the most contentious news stories that are going on for a popular news website.”
Martin Belam has been working at The Guardian for close to ten years, starting out as head of social media, before gradually working his way into the newsroom.
Probably best known for his Thursday Quiz, he also writes about Doctor Who, and live blogs Eurovision, politics, and of course, war.
“[My job] is really difficult, it’s really pressured.
“Occasionally you catch yourself looking at some photos and trying to work out whether this is too close-up on a dead body, and you think “wow this is a really weird thing to be doing for a living.””
Mental health is a long-discussed topic in journalism, which is even more poignant now with widespread use of social media and the internet.
“I do think there is something about the way that 24 hour news channels and the rise of the internet have worsened that and made it more difficult over the last 20 years.”
“It is a very demanding profession, and the people that succeed in it often end up giving up a lot in their personal lives and don’t have a lot of outside interests.”
Looking after your mental health is especially important when covering heavy and distressing issues, such as war, which can take a toll when you’re constantly exposed to it.
“It has affected me constantly doing wars over the last couple of years. I’ve been exposed to a lot of imagery that we won’t have published because it’s too graphic.”
He pauses for a moment, sighing deeply, then detailed how a picture of a wounded dog was the thing to tip him over the edge on a particularly rough day of work.
“The people in the situation at least know there’s a war going on. The dog doesn’t know.”
How does one navigate a situation like this? When you need to take a break, but the news won’t stop for anything?
When a breaking news story can come and go in the time it takes for you to go to the bathroom?
Belam takes his time to answer and was clearly struggling to muster a conclusive response.
“Say you’re covering [Ukraine war] 4/5 days a week, on the 2 days you’re not covering it I want to really try and avoid all news, which is difficult because I’m a journalist news-junkie type person, but also you don’t want to go back to work on Monday morning, you’ve got to be aware of what’s happened over the weekend. So very much trying to create a space between work and life.”
Halfway through the workday, you may see Martin Belam on a walk through London, live blogging from a café, or in the pub with a beer to close out his shift.
As he’s listing them off, he laughs while realising they don’t sound much like healthy coping mechanisms, but they seem to be working for now and he “loves” his job.
“It is a really depressing thing to be doing every day.” He admits.
“Sometimes I would wake up and look at my phone to see what’s been happening overnight and you’ll see your shift is about to be lots of people being pulled out from rubble and lots of really horrifying photos. Your heart sinks, this is going to be a really difficult and not enjoyable day to work.”
Underneath the weight of the job, it’s clear he still has uninhibited passion for his job.
Although it can be “difficult” and “stressful”, Martin wants to keep live blogging for some time to come.
“It really fits my set of skills, it sounds weird, but I enjoy doing it.”
Writing these blogs allows him to keep the world informed on the most serious and pervasive issues, and from time to time, he’s able to inject his dry humour into the doom and gloom.
Belam enjoys and respects the importance of his job and reveals that it’s the readers who keep him coming back.
“When you get the people emailing you about how much they appreciate the work, I find that very rewarding.”
“I love being on a live blog.”
Finding a balance between rest and productivity can often feel like a challenge, particularly when faced with illness from a chronic condition. I’m a lone parent, so life doesn’t hit pause, and bed rest isn’t an option when there’s a child to care for and a household to run.
Managing essential chores while prioritising personal health can sometimes feel overwhelmingly stressful. Fortunately, the versatility of ChatGPT means that it can be a useful tool in overcoming these challenges.
Recently, a severe flare-up of pompholyx eczema left me in constant pain, disrupting my ability to handle day-to-day tasks like cooking, cleaning and driving. The aftermath left my house looking like there had been a home invasion, and my mental health suffered as exhaustion and disappointment set in.
To confront the challenges of the day, I turned to ChatGPT, an AI powered chatbot, for assistance. Despite my physical limitations, I explained my situation, detailing fixed appointments I had that day such as a doctor’s visit and picking up my child from school. I even mentioned the need to prepare dinner and accommodate my son’s fencing club in the evening. ChatGPT swiftly responded with a well-balanced schedule, incorporating rest periods and achievable tasks to help me reach my goal of cleaning and tidying the house.
Here’s a glimpse of how my morning looked after asking ChatGPT for advice:
9:00 am – 9:30 am: Start the day with a 30-minute rest period to conserve energy.
9:30 am – 10:30 am: Begin by clearing out the fridge. Take breaks as needed to manage pain.
10:30 am – 11:00 am: Rest and relax.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Check on the laundry, fold, and put away clothes. Take short breaks during this task.
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm: Rest period.
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm: Prepare a simple lunch for yourself, ensuring it’s easy on your hands.
Decision fatigue, especially during chronic condition flare-ups, can be draining, so knowing that this tool is available proves invaluable to me. ChatGPT not only considered my timing and physical constraints but also offered practical advice, like communicating the severity of my pain to the doctor and taking regular breaks while managing household chores.
To access ChatGPT, simply visit the ChatGPT website and follow the sign-up process for the free version.
Ask for a personalised schedule by using the ChatGPT text-box, detailing any appointments, goals or essential tasks you need to do that day. If the schedule presented doesn’t quite meet your expectations, reply with any amendments and it will produce a more nuanced version for you.
This tool has made a significant difference for me, giving me valuable guidance on some difficult days, and I share my experience in the hope that it may do the same for you.
“Putting on my music is like finding shelter in the storm.” – exploring the relationship between music & neurodivergence.
Dan Meakin is 20, and he has both autism and ADHD.
Music is a very important part of his life, which he uses to identify and understand his emotions, and find consistency in an ever-changing world.
“Being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world is hard.
“The world is loud, and music blocks that out for me.”
Music and music therapy are widely used to help neurodivergent people with self-expression, and to support them during shutdowns.
Great Ormond Street Hospital found that 100% of respondents to their survey thought music therapy to be extremely helpful in reducing anxiety.
Studies have also shown that music increases dopamine levels; people with ADHD tend to have lower levels of dopamine.
Dan listens to music every day, for as often as he can, and describes it as being a ‘shelter’ in moments of heightened anxiety.
They said: “In the midst of overload, my entire mind becomes a storm, and my body is full of lightning.
“Putting on my music is like finding shelter in the storm.”
Having ADHD and autism, Dan particularly struggles in unpredictable environments, such as shopping centres, and he also has difficulties in performing daily tasks.
“Even when I’m washing the dishes, or tidying my room, music is a must.”
He experiences times of extreme meltdowns, which makes him feel like his nervous system is firing.
To combat this, they have created their own ‘toolbox’ of music for every situation, to help navigate their way through.
Dan listens to a variety of music genres, but generally finds himself gravitating towards alt-pop and rock, R&B, and in his words: “just about anything with cool sounds and a good rhythm.”
His current favourite artists are Hans Zimmer, Hozier, and Lana Del Rey.
Dan also has synaesthesia, which is when the brain causes you to experience more than one sense simultaneously, such as being able to see what you are listening to.
He says that when he listens to music, he has powerful visuals that correspond to the sound.
“At times, music feels like floating on clouds, or flying through space.
“There’s a world inside each song, and I love putting my headphones on and getting lost in them.”
Linh Do’s story is such an inspiring story of how constant effort makes her creative dream come true. In this interview, let’s look back on her journey and explore the production process of her highlighted projects.
Q: What motivated you to choose your current career path?
It’s a long story. I’ve shared this story a few times about how I loved K-pop. Childish as it may sound, I just found that market to be genuinely inspiring. They have done tons of creative things that went viral globally. Nowadays, K-pop is such a big phenomenon in the creative scene, not only because of the music but also because of things like promotional campaigns coming along with it. Even the technology they use there, such as AI and CGI, is quite spectacular.
Growing up listening to K-pop and knowing how many things they can do within just one music video or promotional campaign, from social media and websites to other interactive forms like reality shows and such, I feel so inspired. Thus, I was motivated to immerse myself in the creative industry, which has endless possibilities with those mediums and how people convey messages. That brought me further to learn about what they have done, like their overall communication and marketing strategies, focusing on visual communication because that might be the fastest way to reach the audience. That’s how everything started.
Q: How did you overcome all the difficulties to land a job in the Creative industry in the US?
On the way to finding out the strategy of how I could overcome difficulties, I believe it’s essential to focus on self-reflection and prioritization. To me, 70% is about mentality, and 30% is about determination and execution.
Actually, it was not until recently that I kind of settled on that “mind battle” of like: “Do I want a glamorous life or an easy life per se?” “Should I return to Vietnam, enter the industry or have a stable job?” I feel like, ultimately, for a person like me who has experienced a lot, written many reflections on all that stuff, learned to understand myself and come up with my own prioritization, it’s okay to have a good or easy life if I end up with a STEM-based job, which is quite trendy in the US, or even doing something I like in Vietnam or other Asian markets, but that won’t keep me moving or excited to wake up every day.
There were three things that motivated me to move forward. Firstly, I found the creative world instilled a sense of curiosity. It has been a constant journey of me reaching out to that world, talking about it, internalizing it, and reflecting on it. So, I feel like it’s a place for me.
Secondly, I had a good understanding of myself and a determination to move forward. I know that I have several skills that can contribute to the creative world. I’m good at writing, which can be used to make strategies or concept directions in that world. I know that many people in this field come from an artistic background, who were born with such talents and grew up with art as a hobby, which I might not have, but I can contribute to the creative world with my project management, organizational and stakeholder-coordinating skills.
So, by understanding myself and going back to why I started this journey – not only because of my passion but also because the world might need my talent, I know that I’m on the right track. It might indeed be easier for me to return to Vietnam or any Asian country to work because I’m more familiar with the culture. Still, given that I have some work experience here in the US, two years of studying in India for high school and many other opportunities to travel around the world, I feel like staying in the US is the best option for me. Emerging in a diverse environment would help me learn about organizational structure and work methodology, adding to my creative expertise.
Finally, it’s all about the execution, which usually leads back to what successful people have done, like creating a habit or discipline to manage their lives. I’ve always been a determined person who puts 100% to whatever I do because I don’t want to regret not trying my best. On the one hand, I may feel shameless if I have to reach out to people to ask for help or learn something from them. On the other hand, when I’m desperate enough, I will find all possible ways to do what I want.
Q: Can you share more about the production of some highlighted projects you have participated in? What do you find the most meaningful about those projects, and how do you feel about being a part of those projects?
The best part of all my projects is that I can contribute my creative vision and convey my original messages to the audience through those productions.
I have played many roles in those projects, such as Creative Project Manager, Creative Director, etc. Looking back, I’m still very proud of myself when I was still doing “underpaid” or “free” projects. My first project was a music video production in 2020 for a young Vietnamese artist – Hannah Hoang, who used to study in the UK and has known me since high school. She started her career as a YouTuber and content creator with many song covers, including one with more than 12 million views – a cover of a Korean hit titled “Way Back Home.”
One day, when she wanted to debut as a singer and knew that I had been working in the creative field with some experience, she asked me to help her make a music video. I had dreamed about doing something similar in 5 or 10 years when I would have more experience, but at that time, upon realizing that my dream job literally came from someone just around me, I knew that Hannah’s request was like a “once in a lifetime” chance for me, so I grabbed the opportunity. I did some research and came along to tell Hannah that we would work together and figure out how to do the branding, strategies, sponsorship, etc. She didn’t have money to pay me then, and I didn’t let her do so because I was just as new as her in making music videos. So, as no monetary value was involved, I had the creative freedom to do and say what I wanted in that production. That’s how everything started, but the highlight was really about the demo song I got from Hannah back then.
Hannah Hoang – ĂN (TAKE YOUR TIME) ft. KrisD (Official Music Video)
The song is a story of a person who is recovering from a break-up. With not too much of love experience, I found another meaning of the song: encouraging people to care for themselves during tough times through small things like eating, going home, and chilling. That’s why the English name of the song is “Take Your Time,” but the Vietnamese name is “Ăn,” meaning “Eat,” which is so symbolic. It’s like a reminder for people to keep up with that habit and move on. Listening to the song during COVID-19 time, when I also had a lot of things going on in my life, I immediately knew that it could heal many people. So, I came up with a creative vision of talking about mentality and symbolizing it by a “splitted personality” of one being really sad, seemingly unable to overcome difficulties, and the other being responsible and consistently trying to protect oneself. That’s how we made the storyline with two opposite characters you can see in the music video.
I also participated in the project as an art director and created a lot of symbolic scenes in the music video, such as flowers on the dishes, which symbolize overcoming sadness. Hannah’s name is a flower’s name as well. We did a lot of research to develop those ideas to convey positive and meaningful messages in every scene, so I was very happy.
Recently, there was another production that made me incredibly proud. It’s my Winning Award of ASIANetwork’s Student Video Challenge 2022, hosted for the first time by ASIANetwork, a prestigious organization in the US that focuses on promoting Asian studies and other cultural knowledge. I’m the Director-Producer of this project, in which I own everything from the creative concept and scripting to the production and post-production. This project is such a big step for me, starting from only helping to deliver creative assets at the beginning of my journey to having more experience and being able to own my assets. With this award, I feel more confident that I actually have a talent in this creative world.
In this challenge, we were trying to respond to a prompt: “Drawing on the challenges and successes of your countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, prepare a video presentation to the World Health Organization (WHO) with a recommendation for future pandemic preparedness.” I remember it was such a busy time for me because I had to prepare for my internship and grad school applications. Still, my advisor reached out and encouraged me to participate, and eventually, he also became the advisor for my team in this challenge. At that time, I took it “lightly” because I thought the challenge was just an extra thing to do with no pressure, like a hobby, so indeed, when writing a proposal for the challenge, I felt like my creative vision expanded, and things came easy.
The Flashback of Covid-19: A Story from a Vietnamese Mother to Her COVID Baby
I planned to spend about an hour a week gathering my teammates, making a proposal, etc. I worked internationally with my team because people were in different time zones – one in the US and two others from Vietnam whom I used to work with. We did some research independently, and it took us only 30 minutes to brainstorm ideas for the challenge together. From a producer standpoint, if you can create a comfortable environment for people to thrive, the working process will be 100% efficient. That’s what I’ve done for the team so they can raise their voice and contribute effectively to the challenge.
At first, we wanted to interview people because that was the easiest way to make the video. But when we did some research, something came up from all the statistics and materials. We found a documentary from the Vietnamese National Television channel (VTV), which told a story of mothers giving birth to their children during Covid time. I thought maybe we could choose a more particular perspective to tell our story just like that. Then we ended up with a storyline of a mother giving birth during COVID-19 and giving suggestions on how we could brace ourselves for the future by sending wishes to her child. That’s perfect! We have a concept, a storyline, and a great team in which everyone works well together. I couldn’t be more grateful, and we totally deserve the prize. Although the video was created for a competition, which is quite academic, my hope for the future is to create productions that resonate with the mass audience.
Interview with Winners of the 2022 Student Video Challenge: Luther College & Vietnamese Team Members
Q: Do you have any advice for young creatives struggling to follow their dreams? What should they do to be courageous, determined, and resilient enough to “survive” and “thrive” in the Creative industry?
Everyone has their own priority in life. I agree that a person must do manual jobs to make ends meet at some point, but they can still take a small step to follow their dream every day. For example, they can develop the habit of watching music videos (just like me) and sharing their appreciation or criticism on Facebook. That could be a way to nurture creativity.
I used to be in a place where I didn’t know which would be the right direction for me. It seemed like it took me forever to get to my dream destination. However, I started the journey as a digital marketing intern, then switched to a media production intern, and later worked on music videos and eventually earned an award. Currently, I work on web production and brand management. So, you can see that it took all those small steps to get me to where I am now. My mentor told me that if I didn’t come from an artistic background or wasn’t surrounded by a creative environment that could push me to go fast, I could go the “detour” way – going round and round but still making progress. Today, you may learn one thing, but one day, you will realize you have learned so many things along the way.
I usually don’t advise anything because I’m not in someone else’s shoes, but what I would like to share from my experience is to return to the “mind battle” of prioritization. Use your resources to move forward on this track. Ask people around. And at the same time, protect yourself, love yourself, and motivate yourself by celebrating even just a small achievement. And reflect more often.
Follow Linh Do here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blinhblinh/
Writer, and creative.
Jeordie Shenton from Tonic Rider opens up about the charity’s work, and gives thoughts on the state of the music industry, grassroots music venues, and much more.
Listen here:
Watch here:
https://www.tonicmusic.co.uk/tonic-rider
Hull has an explosive, diverse, and fantastic creative community from the New Adelphi Club to the wondrous exhibits of Humber Street Gallery. That same community can sometimes feel elusive to outsiders.
We asked some of our favourite artists in the area what it’s like in Hull’s ether of neurodivergent creativity. Neurodivergence is the term for conditions that completely change the way we think and our perspectives, like autism or ADHD.
With its location, Hull has always been a town with as many cultures as it has buildings, and its art communities are no different. Whether your experiences are within immigration, queerness, disability, race, or gender, there is something that represents you on this side of the bridge. The Humber Bridge itself is a testament to the mindset of Hull – a towering colossus built to bridge two cultures across a vast and dangerous river, the first bridge of its kind in a city all its own.
We asked Hull musician Trouser Dress (Carden, 18, they/it), what it’s like being neurodivergent in the Hull creative scene. By the way, if you haven’t listened to Trouser Dress yet, this is your sign to go find its amazing music on your listening platform. ‘Devil Town’ is a powerful conversation between the mind and the body bound into the chamber of a ukulele.
Carden told us that it first got into the music scene through its college, but “found the music work and staff at Warren Records so much easier to work with”. The balance between a producer and artist is intrinsic, and finding someone you can work with is vital, Carden told us that it ‘felt listened to’ and that it was allowed to work at its “own pace”. The Warren’s record label; Warren Records, is a free label for young people to develop and even produce their own music and perform at events, free of charge.
Carden also told us that its neurodivergence is integral to its art and that it struggles with the ‘social aspects of being a musician’. Support is vital for neurodivergent artists and from listening to its work, Carden’s found it. Carden explained that it hopes “to see more people being loudly disabled and neurodivergent and unapologetic about it”.
Carden expressed that it felt services like Warren Records ‘are not well known enough’ and that many young Hull artists could benefit from working with them. Carden wants you to know that “art is a message to everyone who feels stuck in life because of who they are”. It wants to “show people that it is ‘more than capable and that anyone can be involved in Hull’s music scene if they know where to go”.
We also spoke to Scott Langthorp (44, He/Him), Music Services & Label Manager for Warren Records. Scott told us that what he loves the most about Hull’s creative scene is that “it really feels like a family”. While he isn’t neurodivergent himself, Scott works closely with neurodivergent artists like Trouser Dress and Bizarre Fae to record and perform their music.
When we asked what Scott had learned from working with neurodivergent artists that he felt other producers could learn from, he told us that the key was to “be prepared to go completely off the rails and the most creative outcomes will come naturally”. Scott also said that to work with neurodivergent artists, you have to be ready for when things don’t go to plan as what you’ve “planned to do might change as soon as the session starts”.
It sounds like working with neurodivergent artists can be a wild ride, but if the talents of Trouser Dress and Bizarre Fae are anything to go by, I’d definitely say it’s worth it. If you want to see Scott perform as Endoflevelbaddie then look no further than the next Warren Records event and, if you’re lucky, you might get to see Trouser Dress and Bizarrefae perform too.
Much like with Trouser Dress, they attributed their early motivations to working with The Warren Youth Project. Bizarre mentioned that they’d actually been reluctant to make music initially but were really encouraged by Warren staff to go for it, thankfully!
Diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, Bizarre mentioned a feeling of disassociation from their peers even before their diagnosis and that their music was shaped by this perspective and their passion for social justice issues like feminism. Bizarre told us that they’d tried to “write about matters of the heart and all that relatable jazz” but that it had never felt like their message for their art.
Bizarre spoke of a deep desire to see neurodiversity recognised for what it is – a difference, rather than a lack. They told us that they “want to see a world in which neurodiversity isn’t looked down on, but is simply that, diversity”. They were passionate about the value of art as therapy, but felt that often neurodivergent artists are limited to that scope, rather than recognised for their skill. Bizarre told us that “too often the creativity of neurodiverse folk is just a footnote in the success of their neurotypical peers during collaboration”.
If you haven’t devoured Bizarrefae’s ‘Dwarfed’ yet, the song is a burning pyre of feminine rage that taps into the treatment of women throughout history and throughout the reign of Walt Disney Studios’ princess-driven empire,
We talked to Hull DJ, MC, and rapper Noble (He/Him), about his experiences with neurodivergence and the arts community. Noble told us that he felt he was looked at differently as an artist because of his neurodivergence and that he looks out of place.
Noble wants to see “more people coming together to have their say” in Hull’s art community, and mentioned that he gets a sense of that happening at the Community Conversation events held once a month in Hull by Mencap’s Community Connectors.
When we asked Noble what he wants his art to say, he told us that he wants to use his art to spread positivity, and I have to say, having listened to his original works, that he certainly does that and then some.
Events like Tales & Scales ‘Rainbow Brick Road’ put a lot of the footwork into. bringing new people into the scene, reviving the community with fresh blood. Rainbow Brick Road was a night of fun, laughter, and honesty that was as refreshing as it was entertaining. If you want to see the next big event, go follow Tales & Scales on Facebook.
Tales & Scales Productions is a production company run and founded by a young, neurodivergent, and disabled writer; Emily Oetegenn (26, She/Her). Emily is a vibrant young woman with an ethereal kind of written art. Hearing her work can feel like strolling through a misted faerie glade. If you ever get the chance to see Emily perform, as she does fairly often in Hull, I’d absolutely suggest not missing the opportunity.
As an artist in Hull’s creative scene myself, I’ve often found it to be as elusive as it is diverse, sometimes feeling like a sort of members-only club that I was too under-skilled to be a part of.
Communities are, typically, built on socialisation and communication. Those two skills, admittedly, felt out of reach of a young autistic writer like myself, more content in the pages of books than in the company of others. But I can’t overstate the value of companionship and the ability to seek out criticism and advice from members of your community.
I’ve also, on occasion, felt like my work didn’t fit the picture of disability and neurodivergence that is so often presented in art. Where I’ve always explored the darker sides of life with my work, drawing the shadows and depths of life into focus, the focus of others’ work was often on the joys of that experience.
I know that it gave me pause on more than one occasion when putting my work forward. For my dark-sided friends, I have to say – you have a community out there, but don’t shy from those who write or draw or perform more light-hearted pieces; work with them, learn from each other, and grow.
I’ve found beauty in neurodivergent art, a rawness that comes from that no-holds-barred perspective on life that can be as entrancing as it is brutal. I hope you find something that sets you on fire.
Don’t give up. Your community is out there, and if it’s half as powerful as the one in Hull, you’re in for a real treat.
Kytt S Baxter
Check out the artists featured here below…
Omer Hagomer is an aspiring (and inspiring) sports journalist and wheelchair basketball player in Cardiff. Tom Speller of Tom Talks Rubbish sits down with Omer to discuss moving from Sudan to the UK, the challenges of growing up with Spina Bifida and so much more, including the future of Wobbling About and Rocking Out’s Podcast.
Listen:
Watch:
Leeds band Ultimate Thunder have released the buzzing ‘I’ve Got No Bees In Your House’ from their forthcoming second album, ‘A Spider Will Come To Eat Your Flesh’, set for release on the 10th May, 2024. Following on from 2022’s renowned, self-titled debut; the band are once again collaborating with producer/musician James Mabbett (Napoleon IIIrd) […]
Gold-certified British rock frontrunners ASKING ALEXANDRIA are kickstarting the new year with a new EP highlighting the debut single, “Dark Void,” from their 2023 critically acclaimed album WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? via Better Noise Music. Available today, January 12, across digital platforms, the DARK VOID EP features five tracks including the original version of “Dark Void” along with a new radio […]
Speaking with Cheri Faulkner of Soundsphere magazine recently, globally-renowned artist, YOSHIKI commented on the emotional connection he had with fans, as well as his mental health. See the full clip below: Under The Sky delves into Yoshiki’s personal experiences with asthma as a child, and pain through death and loss, and his fans connect to […]
In the vibrant landscape of creativity, where ideas bloom and minds take flight, an often underestimated force comes into play: chance. While meticulously crafted plans and intentional practice undoubtedly have their merits, the question arises – can the spontaneous and unpredictable elements in language training unveil latent creative potential, especially for individuals with diverse abilities? […]