{"id":9726,"date":"2020-12-09T11:48:17","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T11:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/?p=9726"},"modified":"2020-12-09T11:48:17","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T11:48:17","slug":"cigar-box-blues-the-makers-of-a-revolution-by-paul-atkinson-virgina-heath-to-screen-on-bbc4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/cigar-box-blues-the-makers-of-a-revolution-by-paul-atkinson-virgina-heath-to-screen-on-bbc4\/","title":{"rendered":"Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution by Paul Atkinson & Virgina Heath to screen on BBC4"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Friday 18 December, the BBC are broadcasting a documentary by two Sheffield Hallam Professors from the Art & Design Research Centre.<\/p>\n

The half-hour film,\u00a0Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution<\/em><\/a>, directed by\u00a0Virginia Heath<\/a>, Professor of Film, and written by\u00a0Paul Atkinson<\/a>, Professor of Design and Design History, portrays the passionate makers and players of cigar box guitars. Many of these craftsmen and musicians are from post-industrial British towns, and have created a self-identity through making these unique three-stringed guitars. Born from the blues, their simple, low cost, \u2018no rules\u2019 approach means anyone can try their hand.<\/p>\n

These are the fervent advocates of the \u2018cigar box guitar revolution\u2019 who express their love of designing and constructing hand-made instruments, recycled from almost anything. The democratic, pro-recycling, local-production ethos of the movement inspires new recruits, while the emotional connection they feel for their instruments creates a unique and evocative sound that totally transports musicians and audiences alike.<\/p>\n

Although the cigar box guitar has a long history in the USA, where it formed part of the culture of traditional blues music, it has only recently become popular with musicians in the UK. This film reveals how just three chords, played on their unique, DIY, instruments, hand-made from recycled materials, connect them to their truth.<\/p>\n

The starting point for this collaboration was a research article,\u00a0Hairy Guys in Sheds<\/em>, written by Paul Atkinson, which explored the phenomenon of the cigar box guitar and the DIY revolution that has accompanied its uptake in the UK. Emerging as a side project from research into a book on the design history of electric guitars (to be published by Reaktion Books next year), the article used a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews to piece together the history and current state of the cigar box guitar movement. The article describes the design and making processes used, and explores the makers\u2019 motivations for being involved. It is a \u00a0particular form of DIY which entails many people (mainly hairy guys) working in isolation in sheds across the country to create their own instruments out of recycled scrap and upcycled components. The instruments and the resulting maker\u2019s music are then shared among virtual communities of practice through extensive use of social media, and among real communities of players and audiences through public performance at concerts and festivals. This raises questions about their self-identity and their perceptions of themselves as being either amateur or professional as makers and players.<\/p>\n

As a woman film director, in\u00a0Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution<\/em>, Virginia Heath turns her female gaze on this male world of \u2018hairy guys in sheds\u2019, the cigar box guitar makers and players who create a sense of self-identity though making unique instruments from recycled materials. The contemporary UK scene, inspired by American precedents, is largely embedded in northern post-industrial towns. After factory and mine closures, makers like the ex-miner from Barnsley, have finally been able to pursue the creative path they always longed for. As a filmmaker, Heath is intrigued by the way in which the guitar makers see their DIY movement as part of a wider resistance against the way in which our culture has become so mass produced and standardised. There\u2019s an interesting dichotomy between the simplicity and authenticity of hand-made instruments and the use of the internet to exchange ideas and grow the global movement.<\/p>\n

Paul Atkinson<\/a>\u00a0is Professor of Design and Design History in the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University. He is the author of various books and articles that have explored the design history of the computer, the design history of the electric guitar, the relationship between amateur and professional design practice and the history of the DIY and Maker Movements.<\/p>\n

Virginia Heath<\/a>\u00a0is Professor of Film in the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University. She is a multi-award winning writer\/director with New Zealand and UK nationality. She directs documentary and drama films including the acclaimed, BAFTA nominated,\u00a0From Scotland With Love<\/em>\u00a0and Berlinale award winning\u00a0Relativity<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Friday 18 December, the BBC are broadcasting a documentary by two Sheffield Hallam Professors from the Art & Design Research Centre. The half-hour film,\u00a0Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution, directed by\u00a0Virginia Heath, Professor of Film, and written by\u00a0Paul Atkinson, Professor of Design and Design History, portrays the passionate makers and players of cigar box guitars. Many […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20701,"featured_media":9727,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[139],"tags":[5,1296,960,1657,1399,1541,124,115,164,259],"class_list":["post-9726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-art-and-design-research-centre","tag-art-and-design","tag-bbc","tag-bbc4","tag-cigar-box-blues","tag-film","tag-film-research","tag-media-arts-research","tag-paul-atkinson","tag-virginia-heath"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2.jpg?fit=1962%2C1048&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8oFHo-2wS","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10525,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/cigar-box-blues-the-makers-of-a-revolution-by-virginia-heath-paul-atkinson-to-screen-on-bbc4-23rd-october-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":9726,"position":0},"title":"‘Cigar Box Blues – The Makers of a Revolution’ By Virginia Heath & Paul Atkinson to screen on BBC4, 23rd October 2021","author":"Phoebe Bolton","date":"11\/10\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Cigar Box Blues - The Makers of a Revolution by two Professors, Virginia Heath and Paul Atkinson of the Art Design and Media Research Centre, will be screened for a fourth time on Saturday 23rd October 2021 on BBC4 and subsequently on BBC iplayer. \u00a0 Directed by\u00a0Virginia Heath, Professor of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9747,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/professor-of-design-and-design-history-part-of-bbc-4-documentary\/","url_meta":{"origin":9726,"position":1},"title":"Professor of Design and Design history part of BBC 4 documentary","author":"Phoebe Bolton","date":"18\/12\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Paul Atkinson, professor of design and design history spoke to\u00a0BBC Radio Sheffield\u00a0[listen again from 2:18] about his part in tonight's BBC 4 documentary about a group of makers and players of cigar box guitars. The half-hour film,\u00a0Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution, directed by\u00a0Virginia Heath, Professor of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/a159375e-8bbd-4811-a6ea-ad4e7a27b040-1.jpg?fit=798%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/a159375e-8bbd-4811-a6ea-ad4e7a27b040-1.jpg?fit=798%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/a159375e-8bbd-4811-a6ea-ad4e7a27b040-1.jpg?fit=798%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2020\/12\/a159375e-8bbd-4811-a6ea-ad4e7a27b040-1.jpg?fit=798%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11108,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/cigar-box-blues-the-makers-of-a-revolution-is-screening-again-on-bbc4-at-12-30-pm-on-friday-24th-june\/","url_meta":{"origin":9726,"position":2},"title":"Cigar Box Blues: The Makers Of A Revolution\u2019 is screening again on BBC4 at 12.30 pm on Friday 24th June","author":"Phoebe Bolton","date":"23\/06\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The \u2018Cigar Box Blues: The Makers Of A Revolution\u2019 documentary, directed by Professor Virginia Heath and written by Professor Paul Atkinson is screening on BBC4 at 12.30 pm on Friday 24th\u00a0June (technically 00.30 am on 25th), this will be the\u00a05th screening of the film on BBC. The documentary will then\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Still from the documentary Cigar Box Blues","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2022\/06\/Cigar-Box-Blues-Still-1-e1655980332695.jpg?fit=1200%2C733&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2022\/06\/Cigar-Box-Blues-Still-1-e1655980332695.jpg?fit=1200%2C733&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2022\/06\/Cigar-Box-Blues-Still-1-e1655980332695.jpg?fit=1200%2C733&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2022\/06\/Cigar-Box-Blues-Still-1-e1655980332695.jpg?fit=1200%2C733&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2022\/06\/Cigar-Box-Blues-Still-1-e1655980332695.jpg?fit=1200%2C733&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8657,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/heath-atkinson-cigar-box-blues-radio-sheffield\/","url_meta":{"origin":9726,"position":3},"title":"Professors Virginia Heath and Paul Atkinson speak to Radio Sheffield about ‘Cigar Box Blues – The Makers of a Revolution’ documentary","author":"Ian Braddick","date":"30\/01\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Professors Virginia Heath and Paul Atkinson have been speaking to Rony Robinson on Radio Sheffield (at 38:00) about their documentary focused on the men who make and play their own cigar box guitars. Find out more, and read interviews with both Virginia and Paul, here. Paul Atkinson\u00a0is Professor of Design\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"2019-12-16 HEATH ATKINSON - Cigar Box Blues BBC (1)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-1-e1582538891369.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-1-e1582538891369.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-1-e1582538891369.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-1-e1582538891369.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-1-e1582538891369.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8411,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/heath-atkinson-cigar-box-blues-bbc\/","url_meta":{"origin":9726,"position":4},"title":"‘Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution’ screens on the BBC on Monday 16 December","author":"Ian Braddick","date":"13\/12\/2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Update - 19 December 2019 See more press coverage for the film on unLTD magazine here. On Monday 16 December, the BBC are broadcasting a documentary by two Sheffield Hallam Professors from the Art & Design Research Centre. The half-hour film, Cigar Box Blues \u2013 The Makers of a Revolution,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"2019-12-16 HEATH ATKINSON - Cigar Box Blues BBC (1)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2-1.jpg?fit=890%2C290&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2-1.jpg?fit=890%2C290&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2-1.jpg?fit=890%2C290&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/files\/2019\/12\/2019-12-16-HEATH-ATKINSON-Cigar-Box-Blues-BBC-2-1.jpg?fit=890%2C290&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10572,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/c3riimpact\/three-chords-and-the-truth-part-of-boxstock-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":9726,"position":5},"title":"\u2018Three Chords and the Truth\u2019, directed by Prof Virginia Heath and written by Prof Paul Atkinson, is screening at the Lighthouse Cinema, Wolverhampton on 16th October 2021","author":"lh1112","date":"15\/10\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"\u2018Three Chords and the Truth\u2019 a 20 mins cinema film, directed by Prof Virginia Heath and written by Prof Paul Atkinson (both of ADMRC), is screening at the Lighthouse Cinema, Wolverhampton, as part of BOXSTOCK 2021, the Cigar Box Guitar Festival, on 16th October 2021. 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