To share your work and reach a wider audience, you have to be prepared to relinquish some of it. Leila explains the problem and suggests some ways to do this more effectively, in this short episode. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded every Thursday) you can glimpse behind the curtain by following us on Facebook(hackcircus), Instagram (hackcircus), Twitter (hackcircus) and Snapchat (can you guess?). Enj...
Jan 02, 2017•8 min
Mike is a mindfulness teacher based on the Isle of Man. Mindfulness and meditation are portrayed as serene but it can also be a serious confrontation with the self which brings a raw, often brutal, truth to the surface. We discuss the reality of mindfulness – processing negative emotions that rise up, the positive breaking down of the self, how to properly watch your self, and how to find the courage to let go. Mike has had his own fundamental consciousness-expanding experience, which we also di...
Dec 29, 2016•58 min
We all have our dreams – run a gallery, open a cafe, do a Masters degree, learn a language... Most of us are lazy and distracted and never quite seem to get off the blocks, but serial entrepreneur, curator and marketing guru Valentina Fois has made all these dreams come true, and more. Valentina's new cafe, Lele's (in Clapton, East London) is open throughout the festive period and has various seasonal offers HC listeners should check out – including panettonne (of course!) and original art and d...
Dec 22, 2016•51 min
Sometimes it seems like we have the wrong number of ideas: too many or not enough, and the flow is totally beyond our control. This week Leila has some tips for keeping your neverending stream of brain gunk in check, and answers a listener question about notebooks and sketchbooks. How do you use yours? If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded every Thursday) you can glimpse behind the curtain by following us...
Dec 19, 2016•14 min
Rhodri Marsden has his finger in many creative and media pies. A journalist for publications including The Independent, writer of talks and books, keyboardist in Scritti Politti and Dream Themes, musical saw player, and prolific and entertaining tweeter with a huge following, he's constantly generating new material and surrounded by creative people – but interestingly, doesn't classify himself as 'creative'. Rhodri knew Chris Sievey the man behind Frank Sidebottom , and played in the band suppor...
Dec 14, 2016•47 min
This week we tackle some issues around turning your hobby into a more serious enterprise. How to think about 'turning professional' in a way that will prepare you for the realities of it, plus the most important skill you'll need to learn when trying to get into full time creative work. Plus a note on failure and confidence as applied to your business. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded every Thursday)...
Dec 12, 2016•12 min
This week we meet Alex Heminsley, or "Hemmo" – author, reviewer, wit and champion of women in sports. We discuss a life of challenges, sportiness, glamour, creativity and humour in this entertaining chat. Alex is incredibly inspiring; she sets herself goals and goes for them. She is the author of the best-selling Running Like A Girl, the true story of a seemingly impossible challenge – catapulting herself from nothing to running marathons in a short space of time, fuelled by willpower alone. Ale...
Dec 07, 2016•37 min
Self doubt is one of the most common things I get asked about, and it comes in all kinds of disguises. I think anxiety about presenting your work to the public is often about self-consciousness, and getting rid of thoughts of oneself is often the key to overcoming nerves. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded every Thursday) you can glimpse behind the curtain by following us on Facebook (hackcircuspodcast...
Dec 05, 2016•9 min
This week we meet Simon Munnery , who you've probably come across on TV, radio or the live circuit doing his characters The League Against Tedium or Alan Parker Urban Warrior, or one of his experimental shows. Simon is a distinguished comic, highly acclaimed for his original wit and outlandish performances. He's also a maker, a fixer and a former computer programmer! If you enjoy Hack Circus please rate or review it on iTunes , or just tell a friend about it! Hack Circus goes up every Monday and...
Nov 30, 2016•47 min
Leila addresses a couple of positivity paradoxes this week. When it comes to getting on with a creative project, we might have been trained rather unhelpfully to think about our audiences, and think about ourselves. These tips are intended to help you get something done this week. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded every Thursday) you can glimpse behind the curtain by following us on Facebook (hackcirc...
Nov 27, 2016•12 min
This is the second half of a long chat I had with the incredibly inspiring Mary Turner Thomson ; check out part 1 first , if you haven't already. Mary’s tale of living with a sociopathic liar is unlike anything you've heard before – but the way she has overcome this appalling experience makes her the true star of the story. Raising children without their dad, writing books, giving talks – Mary is fuelled by a determination to help others. Find out how she has turned her experiences into 'gold cl...
Nov 23, 2016•32 min
This week's Creativity Clinic looks at the importance of telling your own story and occupying your own space, and explains why failing big is an important rite of passage for any creative. hackcircuspodcast.com Tune in again on Thursday for the interview episode! And remember you can subscribe to the Creativity Clinic newsletter, here: leilajohnston.com/newsletter If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’t forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it! In between episodes (uploaded eve...
Nov 21, 2016•10 min
This is the first half of a long chat I had with the incredibly inspiring Mary Turner Thomson ; tune in next week for the second episode. Mary’s story of living with a psychopathic con artist is truly extraordinary, but not as extraordinary as the way she has overcome this appalling experience. She emanates positivity and dignity, determined to help others who have been affected by trauma and heighten awareness of the psychopaths and sociopaths in our midst. You can check out Mary’s story on her...
Nov 16, 2016•41 min
Most of us are experts at blaming things, people or situations for our misfortunes. Sometimes this is justifiable, but just because it sometimes proves true, Leila argues, doesn't mean that we shouldn't suspect every argument against our creative progress for being a potential excuse. Additionally, one of the reasons we are so quick to blame is because we fear responsibility. Leila explores why this might be, in this third Creativity Clinic episode of the Hack Circus podcast. Hackcircuspodcast.c...
Nov 13, 2016•11 min
Does making stuff all the time feed your energy or sap it? In this week's Creativity Clinic, Leila takes a question about the Hack Circus project itself, and talks publicly for the first time about some of the joys and drawbacks of taking on something so ambitious over the last three years. If you're enjoying these episodes, please rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about the show. We're also on Facebook (hackcircuspodcast), Twitter, Instagram and IRC. Hack Circus now has a phone nu...
Nov 07, 2016•11 min
Sarah Smizz is an artist, medic and PhD student, based in Sheffield. Sarah was recently awarded Radiography Student of the Year, and has just begun a PhD all about creative practice in medical care. Sarah is a creative across the board, with experience as a writer, rapper, graffiti artist, cartoonist, comedian and poet. She has an amazing work ethic and is committed to changing the system from the inside, and using creative practice to address inequality wherever she finds it. Her approach to li...
Nov 02, 2016•41 min
A slightly different kind of episode this week. I've decided to try a 'creativity clinic', answering listeners' questions submitted online. If you have something you'd love to know, or an area you'd like me to tackle, get in touch by email – editor@hackcircus.com, on twitter @hackcircus, facebook hackcircuspodcast, or instagram @hackcircus. This week questions range from favourite colours to world domination. I have a lot of experience of making all sorts of different kinds of things, and if I d...
Oct 26, 2016•23 min
Flamenco dancer Rosamaria Cisneros Kostic discusses her craft, how to stay grounded, calm and physically aware in a hectic world, and the fascinating dance/tech research she's involved with at C-DaRE in Coventry. Rosa grew up in the U.S. but has lived and worked all over the world. She's a professional dancer, dance historian and critic, Roma scholar, Flamenco historian and peace activist. If you want to check out her beautiful Flamenco skills for yourself, Rosa's dance film Saeta: The Mourning ...
Oct 20, 2016•44 min
This week I chat to Sheffield-based leadership coach and award-winning close-up magician, Steve Faulkner . Steve advises businesses and individuals, helping them to find their direction, and build good habits into their lives. Steve is also a highly accomplished performer whose fascinating background spans circus training, street performing in Covent Garden, cruise ships and even dance. Find out more about Steve's work and training on his website getgoodatstuff.com If you enjoy Hack Circus, don’...
Oct 13, 2016•45 min
iTunes link Direct download This week Leila is in Finland, investigating Helsinki's creative technology community. You'll meet Rambo of the Helsinki Hacklab , Ashish Mohite – a designer 3D printing with ceramics at the Aalto University Digital Design Laboratory, and Erik Parr , an artist working with all sorts of cool stuff, including glass-smashing audio tones. If you enjoy Hack Circus, don't forget to rate or review on iTunes, or just tell a friend about it. We're also on Facebook (hackcircus)...
Oct 06, 2016•23 min
This week we chat to writer and editor Simon Ings . Simon has just written a non-fiction book about science research under Stalin's regime. We talk about the plight of the scientists, the problem of metricised governing, and why Russia's plans were often far more rational than they later seemed. These complex issues are brought to life brilliantly by Simon – who is also a science fiction author, and the culture editor of New Scientist magazine. You can order Stalin and the Scientists on Amazon ....
Sep 29, 2016•46 min
Download this episode This week we meet friend of Hack Circus, science comedian Helen Keen! You may know her from her Radio 4 series It Is Rocket Science. As well as being an established comedy writer and performer on the circuit, Helen is the author of The Science of Game of Thrones , which is out today. Helen is a highly experienced writer and performer. We chat about performing, audiences, comedy influences, the Edinburgh festival, the challenges of writing a book and more, in this half-hour ...
Sep 22, 2016•31 min
This week I chat to Dr Sean Power, a philosopher based in Ireland. Sean has a keen interest in the study of time, and how it relates to presentism and eternalism. He often collaborates with artists, scientists and hackers, and knows a lot about sci-fi movies too! Sean is on Twitter @jdepaor and you can find out more about him and read some of his essays on his blog or his academic webpage on the Trinity College site. Sean has also contributed regularly to the magazine version of Hack Circus, whi...
Sep 15, 2016•41 min
This week we catch up with Welsh-Iraqi comedian, actor, writer and all-round supercreative Nadia Kamil who is now living and working in LA. She's known for her double act with Luke Roberts, 'The Behemoth', a string of hit Edinburgh shows, and 'The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society'. In 2014, Nadia played the petulant flight attendant in Starship Hack Circus , a live Hack Circus event in which we sent the audience into space to investigate an alien signal... and left them there. Check out Nadia...
Sep 07, 2016•37 min
This is the second half of an in-depth two-part chat with Steve Punt . A well-known British comedy writer and performer, Steve is a regular on BBC Radio (especially The Now Show ), and known for his comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis and work on phenomenally popular topical satire TV show, The Mary Whitehouse Experience, which he also starred in, back in the early 90s. The chat covers everything from how stand-ups translate to television, to crafting documentaries, to what makes a great sitcom....
Sep 01, 2016•41 min
This is the first of an in-depth two-part chat with Steve Punt . A well-known British comedy writer and performer, Steve is a regular on BBC Radio (especially The Now Show ), and known for his comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis and work on phenomenally popular topical satire TV show, The Mary Whitehouse Experience, which he also starred in, back in the early 90s. The chat covers everything from how technology has affected performance styles, to Mary Whitehouse memories, to Steve's feelings abou...
Aug 25, 2016•47 min
In this episode, Leila talks to archivist and writer Arike Oke. Arike looks after the archive at Rambert, one of the UK's leading contemporary dance companies, where Leila completed a residency earlier this year. They talk storytelling, dance and the challenges of acting as the custodian of the invisible, and plumb some of the fascinating and unexpected depths of archive theory.
Aug 22, 2016•41 min
Earlier this year, your host was the first digital artist in residence at Rambert, one of the UK's leading contemporary dance companies. In this episode, Leila talks technology, learning, mastery, driving, injuries and more with two of the world class dancers she's been working with: Liam Francis and Hannah Rudd. Look out for more episodes featuring Rambert people as the season progresses. Hack Circus is also a magazine and an event series all about 'Fantasy technology and everyday magic'. See H...
Aug 11, 2016•32 min
Currently in residence at Sheffield's Site Gallery, artists Anna Chrystal Stephens and Glen Stoker are interested in survival and empowerment. Their residency began with a 60 mile walk across town and country, living off the land and slowing down their thinking, before arriving at the door of the gallery full of inspiration and in need of a shower. In this first in this year's series of Hack Circus podcasts, we discuss building shelters, foraging, starting fires, using networks, birds nests, tre...
Aug 04, 2016•36 min
My big project for September is called How To Live Forever . I've gone rogue as the Hack Circus Ringmaster and created a kind of "solo album..." I've been reading a load of stuff about death (and life) and ' transhumanism ' and talking to loads of interesting experts about longevity and technology, trying to get a few different sides of the issue and knock something decent together on not-very-much-money, in about a month. And the month when everyone's away, too. One of the things I'm doing for ...
Aug 28, 2015•24 min
