Johnni Stanton Creative Festival Awards

Who is Johnni Stanton? This is interesting for people that never knew him as indeed they may be from outside the Greater Craigmillar area or are new to the Greater Craigmillar area so I wrote here in my own words how I came to know him and why these community awards were suggested by the Craigmillar & Niďdrie Community Festival planning group. There are people that have known him for decades and they, I hope, will tell their own stories.

Rose Ann Fraser Ritchie

Shindigs Scottish Artspace

I first met Johnni Stanton in 2011 when my husband Blair Ritchie and I moved to a regeneration house in Craigmillar. I was introduced to Johnni by Mark, a Community Development Officer in the Adult Learning Link on Niddrie Mains Road as I had been looking to join a writing group in the area. Immediately after I met this larger than life character Johnni, he started telling me about the rich history of the arts in Craigmillar and the story about Helen Crummy and the Craigmillar Festival Society. Johnni spoke about the Stitchers led locally by Sheila. The extraordinary Great Tapestry designed by Andrew Crummy and the founder of World Community Arts Day. He spoke about the legends such as famous actor Faye Milligan and others in the area that I was yet to meet such as Faye's sister, storyteller and dramatist Heather Henderson, all round good guy Billy McKirdy. Poets, writers, actors, stalwarts for local children Susan Heron and Billy Douglas from the Venchie. Craigmillar Writers Makars Heather Turner and Diane Heron. The list goes on local actors Nikki Barnes, Peter Scott. Football enthusiast and great volunteer for local children Kev Findley. Craigmillar and Niddrie young poetry prize winners Sean Saez and Leigh Milligan. Creative Hilary Morrison and the lovely musician and great friend and carer to Johnni the late Rachel Bell.

'Let the People Sing'

Johnni Stanton was making poetry as a young child, winning 7 Burns certificates in a row at Primary School in Niddrie. Despite his “feral childhood”, as a teen, he volunteered with the early Craigmillar Festival and went on to Drama College (which didn’t work!). Johnni worked extensively in Community Development and Community Theatre, plus writing over 100 scripts and copious poems and short stories, performing in Belgium and Greece, including Writer-in-Residence to the Youth Theatre at the Netherbow Theatre. Johnni was a Community Archivist with several exhibitions and is the founder of Craigmillar Archives Trust and The Craigmillar Poets. Before he sadly died in early 2021 after years of poor health, his biggest wish came true and he became one of the founders of Craigmillar Now based in a beautiful 19th Church in Newcraighall. There at last he was able to share hundreds of images of Craigmillar arts history which he had gathered over many years and had kept protectively in his spare room at his Craigmillar high rise flat. The community archives and activities now being ably lead by entrusted community stalwarts Rachael Cloughton from Craigmillar Now and Billy McKirdy with dedicated volunteers helping extensively and from Connecting Craigmillar Will Golding.

I am delighted to introduce the Johnni Stanton Creative Festival Awards with professional collaborations in music, drama, art, crafts and literature and local participation from musician Calum Dominic Baird, for drama Heather Henderson and for art and crafts soon to be announced. A monthly online and sometimes live event should a suitable venue become available in the months to come. A winner will be chosen each month and the final held each year at the Craigmillar & Niddrie Community Festival. There will be a competition for children in collaboration with Katie Swann from the Craigmillar Literacy Trust and Rose Ann Fraser Ritchie from Shindigs Scottish Artspace also to be held each year. There will also be an adult writing competition in the near future helped also by published author Tom Murray and the Scottish Poetry Library. Tom Murray, Colin Will and Kevin Cadwallendar, Jenny Lindsay and stalwart supporters Rita Bradd and Women With Fierce Words came to our events and came to Craigmillar to deliver workshops invited by Johnni which were hugely successful. He also made friends with the likes of writers and spoken word artists Sally Evans, Colin McGuire, Russell Jones, Rachel McCrum, Sophia (Fanny) Walker and Stephen Barnaby.

Helen Crummy had always intended to empower people in their own communities to bring their own creativity and always to let the people sing in their own individual and collective ways. We are thankful so much over the years to our local Community Council and Susan Carr and Councillor Maureen Child. Our Craigmillar Library and the local and international staff Krystna from Poland and Carmen from Spain absolutely brilliant and always helpful. We are thankful for so many volunteers now in Craigmillar and community activists at The Thistle Foundation, Sandy's, The White House, Richmond Church, Niddrie Community Church, Jack Kane Community Centre, Bridgend Farmhouse. The Craigmillar Literacy Trust Coordinator Kate Swann and Kara Whelan, Laura McNamee and Julie Damcho Dolma a great friend to Johnni who looked after him with nutritious meals and cared for him before he sadly past away from his family, thank you to his sister Marie and brother Bill Stanton for Johnni's bright light. During the planning of the Festival I was so thrilled to be introduced to great people like Syd, Navida, Hannah people like Gill, Sue and Jennifer, our good neighbours in Portobello. Here though local Frank Brown from Niddrons United summed it up perfectly about the inaugural Johnni Stanton Creative Festival Awards "Brilliant idea, Johnni's spirit is amongst us yet".

"Here’s my poem for World Community Arts Day 2008. I think it bears repetition -Johnni Stanton".

My Art

Is Your Art

Is Our Art

In Whole

Not In Part

It’s Drawn From The Mind

It’s Drawn From The Heart

It’s Imagination

It’s Music

It’s Art

With A Brush

With A String

With A Hand

With A Dart

It’s Clear

It’s Here

It’s Far

It’s Art

It’s Love For The World

It’s The Jam On A Tart

With Others

By Yourself

You’re Creating Anew

What’s Gone Before

What’s In Front Of You

Relieving The Tensions

Entering New Dimensions

Of Pandora’s Hope

New Scents On A Soap

It’s Tactile

And A Factfile

It’s Yours

It’s Ours

Created To Share

With A Community To Care

Because

My Art

Is Your Art

Is Our Art.

Johnni MacKenzie-Anderson

aka Johnni Stanton

c.2008

14 AUGUST 2021 7 - 8.30 pm - Johnni Stanton Creative Festival Awards 'FRINGE OFF THE FRINGE' featuring Women With Fierce Words as they preview their incredible film to be shown immediately after this event at local UK time 9 pm.

Local artists and beyond invited to read their poems, stories or musicians sing their songs up to five minutes long. Winners of this first heat including Saturday evening online and Sunday live performances announced 4.20 pm at Craigmillar Castle. There will be three winners for categories locals, national and international.

Don't forget to tweet your #Haiku over the Festival to @performpoetRose

Topic: Johnni Stanton Creative Festival Awards

Time: This is a recurring online event held every month from the Festival launch from Saturday 14 August 2021 - times 7.00 – 8.30 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9685844994?pwd=ZHNKSHUzNUl6TTRvSW1hdEY1dnZKdz09

Meeting ID: 968 584 4994

Passcode: 998506