THE STORY OF ARTIFEX
Creator of Things When Mark Begbie (BH08-) arrived at Charterhouse some 13 years ago, he had no idea he would become either Head of the Theology, Philosophy and Ethics Department, or Director of Creative Arts, coordinating one of the most loved events in the School calendar. Here, Mark tells us all about Artifex and how it has developed to date: It was the first year that we put on our play in the Chapel, Becket I think, and this would end up as one of our traditions. And each year the festival became more ambitious with the pupils fuelling the growth. We started to expand in visible ways, like the big stage on Founder’s Court in 2014, the first time we had ever had a stage there. This was to host a rock concert ran by the pupils – ludicrous and loud but great fun.
“I
started floating the idea back in 2009, and I remember talking to John Witheridge (BH96-13), Headmaster, about it. There was an Arts Festival already, and it was nice, but it was one night with some music and a few other bits and bobs. What I was suggesting was something much wider – something for the masses. I wanted to get pupils going to things who would never have gone to things before. I wanted to get that 1st XI footballer to go to an arts event. Even if that was the only thing they went to in their whole time here. And suggesting something on that scale was a big change back then. I was proposing something that was in addition to what was already a very busy school year (although we’re so much busier now!). There were various things that I felt it had to be. Above everything, I felt it 38
had to be pupil-led. This is not about bringing people in to prop up a programme, this is about the pupils generating artistic content themselves. I also wanted it to be creative in the broadest sense of the word. It didn’t have to be fine arts – it could be food or cooking, or computing and game designing. So, with all these ideas, we began very slowly. We started in 2013, and when I look back I think it was so easy! Essentially, it was about 15 events over three days, which was a bit of a culture shock at the time. The aim for 2013 was just to make it happen, with expectations very low. To me, it would have been a success if 15-20 pupils went to something when they normally wouldn’t have gone to anything. And we had that. The groundwork was starting to be laid, and there was a core of pupils who responded really well.
I started thinking of other ways it could mark its presence and provide an essential venue that was accessible to the whole School. We got our heads together with the pupils and in year three the Dome was born! After 2015, the Dome became an established thing and continued to grow until in 2021 we hired two Domes. When I compare 2021’s Artfex to 2013’s, you can see just how far we’ve come. From literally nothing, we now have five days which contain over 90 activities and events! Each year something big and exciting has been added to the programme. Like the international food fair, or the Inter-House Kart Race, the brainchild of Charlie Timms (D20) in 2018. Or the talent show, Chouse Got Talent, exclusively run by pupils one night in the Dome, and the 2019 colour run, coordinated by Adam Schilders (H20) and Will Finnis (L20). And not forgetting one of our most popular larger events, introduced back in 2016:
