Exeter Lives: Seth Honnor

Name:

Seth Honnor (@sethhonnor)

What do you do?

I’m the Artistic Director of Kaleider – we work with people from all sorts of backgrounds to design, produce and promote live experiences. And I’m Director of digital arts organisation Albow – we’re the company behind theatredevon.net and wider network and we built my wife’s very lovely madebyhandonline.com In the next few months we’ll be releasing a new events app called thisison.

How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Wow, really? Too hard. Dreamrunner. (My 11 year old made it up but I only have five words so I can’t explain).

How would you describe Exeter in 5 words?

A seed full of potential.

What brought you to Exeter?

I grew up on the south tip of Dartmoor two miles north of where Katie, my wife, grew up. We wanted our children to grow up around their grandparents as we had both valued that so much as kids. And mostly that large lump of granite which was in many ways the foundation of my childhood will always be my home.

Which part of Exeter is home?

I lived in Exeter for a few years but the moor with its skylarks and tumbling rivers that turn brown with peat in the storms and golden at noon in the summer sun will always be my home.

What is your favourite place in Exeter?

We’ve done several shows now that have forced us out into the city, sometimes moving through it for hours and even hanging out in it for days at a time (whatever the weather) like with You With Me last year and Where to build the walls that protect us this autumn. I’ve come to know it much better than I ever did – even though I have lived in and around Exeter for most of my life. Sometimes when we’re dreaming up the next project we’ll go for a walk. Often the best ideas have come down by the quay – there’s a lot of space down there for the centre of a city. Water does that – it unashamedly interrupts us humans. We spend so much of our time controlling our environment – especially in cities – its nice to have a space where we’re reminded that the natural world is dominant.

What is your favourite Exeter event?

Often it’s the one that has only just been imagined and is yet to be realised. It’s the one in my head, or spilling from another artist, laden with hope and potential.

What was the last live performance you saw in Exeter and where did you see it?

Tomorrow’s Parties by Forced Entertainment at Exeter Phoenix. There can’t be an undergraduate of performance studies in the UK who hasn’t referred to Forced Entertainment in at least one essay. They are University of Exeter graduates but they haven’t played Exeter for 11 years until last night. They are not to everyone’s taste (what good art is?) but I hope that it signals a trend that Exeter is back in the business of attracting the very best artists to the city.

Favourite place to eat out in or near Exeter?

The Plant Café’s salads make my life possible.

Best coffee in town?

Kaleider has an Aeropress so to be honest it’s in the Kaleider kitchen.

Favourite pub?

Fat Pig.

Favourite locally produced food or drink?

An apple or maybe a potato from our garden. In the future the fruits of this Kaleider and UoE project: Fruit Routes by artist Anne Marie Culhane

Favourite shop?

Probably the charity shop under the Corn Exchange. It’s a treasure trove.

Favourite shopping area?

I don’t really like shopping but I have to admit that the Princesshay development was extremely sensitively done, tying Sounthernhay in at the top with views of the Cathedral as you walk down – I think it pulled the centre of Exeter out around its middle and stopped it being a linear high-street experience. After the very exciting Central Library development the next task is the top and bottom of the High Street – a meaningful Bus station development and tackling the massively traffic-pressured Exe Bridges in order to open up the River to the city centre.

Exeter Chiefs or Exeter City?

Whichever way I answer this I’ll be in trouble. I was an Argyle fan growing up (everyone in Exeter stops reading). I prefer Union (sorry Tony). But when I heard that Exeter City was owned by its fans – I switched my allegiances (everyone in Plymouth stops reading). Flippancy aside: I totally love almost all sport.

Beach or moors?

One thing that I love about the peninsula is the light off the sea. It makes you feel like you’re on an island even when you’re up on the moors. So definitely both.

What or where is Exeter's best kept secret?

Even if I knew I wouldn’t tell.

What one change would you like to see in Exeter?

If I’m honest, and it might sound a bit brutal, I’d like to see it being a bit less okay with itself. I always believe there’s room for improvement, even somewhere as good as Exeter.

Who is your local hero or heroine?

I don’t really believe in heroes. I believe in people. Heavy. But if I was forced to answer I’d have to say my 3 kids and wife for putting up with me answering every question like this.

Do you belong to any local clubs or societies?

Until this season I was captain of Ashmoor Hockey’s A team. (Our home ground is Isca Academy). But workload this autumn has prevented me playing.

What are you up to next?

This week I launch the beta version of a new Events app Albow is building to a select group of testers from around the country and then it goes out to open beta before Christmas. It’s called thisison. It sounds grand but the aim is to revolutionise the way we discover, share and exchange value around live events.

Then next week my show The Money opens in Exeter Guildhall. It’s pretty scary ‘cos it’s not a show that can be rehearsed and at least one national critic is coming on the first night. Not sure why I do it to myself. But it needs good people to get involved for it to work so please come. As @weareabo said on twitter yesterday “Got a spare tenner? You’ll struggle to find a more interesting way to spend it”.

Here’s my invitation: http://fave.co/19jK4K6