tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79049787589470074532024-03-14T18:49:12.226+00:00anna francisThis is the online sketchbook of artist Anna Francis, detailing the projects, activities, performances and exhibitions that make up a practice.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-66700437983879033352023-11-01T11:43:00.005+00:002023-11-01T11:45:58.973+00:00Kidsgrove Canal: Wayward Plant discoveries<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BTOW7GboNJyKRuwrLY52YKdr-VejU0yUrCswcU5uG_kL7ZmcpzHz7RiTKHVoB8sF8htwSh47eBYh7XYQJLJVrr0yfsgqkHjL01EHm2kNCxZM2KNXBA3hQK1bZEoftUGgMmn60D8e-wvUpUO3orS5gGqlrOMXfObm_9ZwD1puikiei6M2gikWvg70ghW4/s3481/kidsgrove-canal-water.jpg" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3481" data-original-width="3021" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BTOW7GboNJyKRuwrLY52YKdr-VejU0yUrCswcU5uG_kL7ZmcpzHz7RiTKHVoB8sF8htwSh47eBYh7XYQJLJVrr0yfsgqkHjL01EHm2kNCxZM2KNXBA3hQK1bZEoftUGgMmn60D8e-wvUpUO3orS5gGqlrOMXfObm_9ZwD1puikiei6M2gikWvg70ghW4/s320/kidsgrove-canal-water.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1d2228;">The
Appetite Get Talking Kidsgrove event took place last Thursday evening in
Kidsgrove sports centre. I was really pleased to be invited along to talk to
community members about the Nature Recovery project that I am starting, in
particular to talk about how they feel about the canal. I got the train to
Kidsgrove rail station and had a little walk along the canal before heading to
the sports centre. </span><span style="color: #1d2228;">Although
it is very much autumn already, I was keen to see what might still be growing
along the cut; </span><span style="color: #1d2228;">It
was surprising, how much colour there still is as you walk along the edge of
the water, in terms of flowers and leaves. In fact, I was delighted at the
strength of orange of the water, which varies in its intensity each time I
visit.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLsp_5ILpb1AHog1zPWxGF524FostrNvZLraqkpGquq95YsGbAAkuG4q3D7JY1UR8NST3tYFp0QboWGSo4YSNp-RwvQcqm2IaR7rYS4y2iCh8dQ5ppEXiQJ3SUgDWqFnKmvno40T_Xw8dweYB953neGCzxigtFnls5gWFKvXnGfbUwmunvNYoIh8VCQmO/s4032/coltsfoot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLsp_5ILpb1AHog1zPWxGF524FostrNvZLraqkpGquq95YsGbAAkuG4q3D7JY1UR8NST3tYFp0QboWGSo4YSNp-RwvQcqm2IaR7rYS4y2iCh8dQ5ppEXiQJ3SUgDWqFnKmvno40T_Xw8dweYB953neGCzxigtFnls5gWFKvXnGfbUwmunvNYoIh8VCQmO/s320/coltsfoot.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><o:p>W</o:p></span><span style="color: #1d2228;">hat
I found growing along, the canal side was a pleasing number of plants with herbal
properties. I collected a good range to take with me as a starting point for
conversation with community members.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZH5jEaE7MCYDI1EOvM_g2P-tatJHtMJ3u5S9lzYa2CADGK_15bZQbL1Csfw7MLE2IGFHY0Hf04YEwb4EQrEDnE4qE1s-F81FJeo2qt6H-Yz3ScVDm1Bd0MCBi3T8NLRgm4evCkpZlYOvs8aP4tU6BbZLBsh1yB_xjADBAlcwAN1LObstYWTBXzJlrKgUC/s4032/plants-layout.jpg" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZH5jEaE7MCYDI1EOvM_g2P-tatJHtMJ3u5S9lzYa2CADGK_15bZQbL1Csfw7MLE2IGFHY0Hf04YEwb4EQrEDnE4qE1s-F81FJeo2qt6H-Yz3ScVDm1Bd0MCBi3T8NLRgm4evCkpZlYOvs8aP4tU6BbZLBsh1yB_xjADBAlcwAN1LObstYWTBXzJlrKgUC/s320/plants-layout.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #1d2228; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">My
aim was to talk about a number of things with people in relation to the canal:
First I wanted to explore if people walk along the canal, and if so, how they feel
when they are walking, in particular I wanted to ascertain if people feel safe,
and their reasons for visiting. I also asked if people would be interested in
walking with me, if I were to host a series of Community Walks between now and
next March.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKGexlkvvCLROkc8NMmX1zF4tHRVWXqRoLe3SHADqc95IlaiK0F476QgxTWwTIIHrj_1GSY_gLzav5fvWXbDXZSESApnB414zlCrxigB_9svCIES-zF2AqkWTWlsyxeeSv68uFypGhyphenhyphenkUvTl44ev2hLlnLN_fGmV1lhmU5WPD85nAkbf2_1MtoGhyphenhypheng5Bi/s4032/sow-thistle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKGexlkvvCLROkc8NMmX1zF4tHRVWXqRoLe3SHADqc95IlaiK0F476QgxTWwTIIHrj_1GSY_gLzav5fvWXbDXZSESApnB414zlCrxigB_9svCIES-zF2AqkWTWlsyxeeSv68uFypGhyphenhyphenkUvTl44ev2hLlnLN_fGmV1lhmU5WPD85nAkbf2_1MtoGhyphenhypheng5Bi/s320/sow-thistle.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">I
had a series of really great conversations with people, all telling me that
they walk the canal regularly, some people because it is a good route to get
from ‘a to b’ quickly, whereas others walk and run there for health and
wellbeing. Overwhelmingly, people felt safe to walk the canal in the day, but
not so much at night (a couple said they didn’t want to fall in, as it is dark).
People expressed that the canal is a place of calm – with one individual
describing the canal as their sanctuary. A lovely discussion with a young man
who likes to run along the canal; he said ‘you know that feeling when have been
away and then you get home, that’s how I feel when I visit the canal.’ We
talked together about recognising the canal as a nature haven, and I heard a
number of times that people visit to look at the trees and plants, and that it
can provide a feeling of wellbeing.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">I
shared the range of plants that I had found along the canal and noted that
quite a few have life-giving properties. It struck me as interesting, that the
sense of calm and wellbeing expressed by visitors to the canal is relevant to
the plants that are growing there. I found sow thistle, whose medicinal uses
traditionally have included as an anti-inflammatory, a painkiller and an
antiseptic. Herb Robert which has been used to treat nosebleeds and stomach
upsets, coltsfoot which if made into a tea has been used to treat Asthma, sore
throat, wheezing, bronchitis and laryngitis. These are all wayward plants, that
have self-seeded along the canalside, and I have begun to wonder if a purpose
planted herbal bed could supplement these *self-propagated herbalists. The
other thing that struck me, in relation to the plants growing along the canal,
was the opportunism of some of the self-seeders – who had managed to grow in
the tiniest of pockets – pockets of opportunity, something to think a bit more
about.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I8wr8C4VOJHY9HEHlZA-a9PmA3ZiSXKrGCZQBqqIFUoA3j9V0PisTzVll5PyxFosU8_DIzY8ND-45Z2gcHojG-kg92Fm8OQFz-XAgMT3LWgeEjq5jstJV1X8MuIn7pHjixvrpZzPphPRy-YLZQOc4UHUiy9qn0rWxdbm6TZZ4B7xSqvv-rDtVZH292wN/s4032/plantain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I8wr8C4VOJHY9HEHlZA-a9PmA3ZiSXKrGCZQBqqIFUoA3j9V0PisTzVll5PyxFosU8_DIzY8ND-45Z2gcHojG-kg92Fm8OQFz-XAgMT3LWgeEjq5jstJV1X8MuIn7pHjixvrpZzPphPRy-YLZQOc4UHUiy9qn0rWxdbm6TZZ4B7xSqvv-rDtVZH292wN/s320/plantain.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #1d2228; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">People
were really interested in joining a community walk, and expressed interest in
being joined on those walks by specialists in a few areas: herbal plant
specialists, who could lead a foraging walk to help us identify further herbal
species along the canal, or heritage specialists that could link the natural ecology
up to the history of the canal, or perhaps an ecologist that could help us
understand any endangered species along the canal, and how we can better
support them. All brilliant ideas.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1d2228;">The
first walk we have scheduled will be a Community Walk, to make visible some of
the organisations and people already connected to the canal in some way. We
have set a date of Saturday, 4</span><sup style="color: #1d2228;">th</sup><span style="color: #1d2228;"> November 11am – 1pm leaving from
the lodge by the Kidsgrove Side of the Harecastle Tunnel.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span>*propagation - t</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #202124; line-height: 107%;">he
breeding of specimens of a plant or animal by natural processes from the parent
stock.</span></span></p>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-41171706373727295882023-11-01T11:04:00.000+00:002023-11-01T11:04:06.067+00:00A Seam of Clay and Coal<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,"GeoSlab";"></span>In November 2018 AirSpace Gallery hosted the Re-Turning project, with artists Andrew Brown, Joanne Lee, Danica Maier & Christine Stevens. The project saw them revisit Stoke to carry on explorations of the city first started during the Topographies of the Obsolete site-specific exploration of the historic Spode site back in 2012/13.<br />
As part of the project they are publishing a book about the work to date. I was very pleased to be invited to write a text, in response to their project, and the Re-Turning exhibition.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aRKfuW3oshVvuaJP-7viErH45PkkuP8Cnf9T97Lv2zFeD4PNPH4sBL9hA_pj1hB1IFjea-GdLVSFluC2VMMRn7F87BO206hFpoVJFZwCkmZrluouSZ-UZsnBij7bwkmeRfktEm15xQzkzYGzS1f_pqBa95_wEuz5C-HU2GdkwG7DD-wtjsPtuRdpor-T/s840/clay-and-coal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="645" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aRKfuW3oshVvuaJP-7viErH45PkkuP8Cnf9T97Lv2zFeD4PNPH4sBL9hA_pj1hB1IFjea-GdLVSFluC2VMMRn7F87BO206hFpoVJFZwCkmZrluouSZ-UZsnBij7bwkmeRfktEm15xQzkzYGzS1f_pqBa95_wEuz5C-HU2GdkwG7DD-wtjsPtuRdpor-T/s320/clay-and-coal.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div><b>A Seam of Clay and Coal.</b></div><div><b><br /></b>
<b>Great Row, Hard Mine, Bowling Alley, Cox’s Head, Peacock, Bassey Mine, Holly Lane and Mossfield </b><br />
<br />
These are the names of the seams which hold the city together. This place of six towns and many more villages, developed along the topography of a Seam of Clay and Coal. The discovery of the particular geology of the North Staffordshire landscape saw the development over five hundred years of a material identity centred around clay and coal, those natural resources which made this place ripe for the manufacture and development of industry. The seam running across North Staffordshire importantly revealed itself to contain the long flame coal types that are needed for firing pottery ovens.<br />
<br />“In Cobridge, between Burslem and Hanley, yellow clay two feet thick lay only seven feet below the surface with six feet of red marl immediately below that. Stoneware clays and fireclays were also found within easy reach. The geological strata of North Staffordshire are unusual and, with vertical faulting and extensive outcropping, a very great variety of clays and coals were available on the surface to anyone who dug a little deeper than usual.”<br />
<br />In 2012 a group of artists and academics came to the Spode Factory site, in Stoke-on-Trent at a particular time in its history – a moment of pause, between the declaration of bankruptcy and closure of 2008, and the reimagining of the site that has happened and is continuing. The Topographies of the Obsolete project recognised this particular site for its role in worldwide ceramics since 1770, and in various ways, the fifty participating artists, historians and theoreticians that visited across six residencies used Spode as a trope to explore the ‘landscape and associated histories of post-industry.’ <br />The initial title of Topographies of the Obsolete troubled me when I first heard it, as it talks about something which no longer fits, which has not just gone out of fashion but has become irrelevant. The fascination with the ruins of industry and the human evidence to be found across the site, I could understand, as an artist that had frequently visited Spode since it closed. But just like the phrase ‘post-industrial’ feels insufficient, and doesn’t tell the full story of what this place is now, in focusing on the obsolete, and that which is no longer relevant, it may be possible to miss some of what this place is today, and what it might yet become.<br />
<br />Those that returned aimed to dig “deeper than usual,” and just as the coal seam which built this place only reveals its rich resources with effort, like anything else, the deeper the dig, the more there is to be found. Since that initial period of intensive investigation of the Spode Factory, the artists of the Returns group have for over six years visited and revisited the city aiming to “investigate Stoke-on-Trent, its urban landscapes, diverse communities, manufacturing and craft skills, and the material history that has made it so distinctive.” <br />
<br />I recognise something of the working methods of the four returning artists, which are described as “idiosyncratic” in the exhibition guide, and consist of walking, looking and listening: as an artist working in relation to place and site, I know the value of ‘hanging around’ in places to understand and get underneath the surface. For the re-turning exhibition a Listening Pot was made with people of the city, as a way to open conversations about the migration of material, objects and people. The timing of this has been important, coming in another moment of pause for Stoke-on-Trent, where 69.4% of the city’s voters in the EU referendum voted to leave. Since that vote, national media branded the city the ‘Brexit Capital’ and worrying levels of intolerance and racism have been reported. It would be easy then to join the dots, and label this place as unwelcoming of incomers, and intolerant of difference. Building a Listening Pot with local people feels like an important symbol to offer up in a time of uncertainty, and a space to understand how it feels to live here at such a point. <br />There have been other moments of redefinition and upheaval, and it may be useful to look to the past, and to one artist’s experience of this place. I want to understand something of the complexity of arriving and making a living here, and how at times this city can feel like a site of compromise and forced groundedness. I will try, via one woman’s experience here, to understand where that may come from.<br />
<br />Grete Marks (1899 – 1990) found herself moving to inter-war Stoke-on-Trent in 1936, exiled from her native Germany after her Hael’s Pottery Factory was forcibly bought by the Nazis, for a fraction of its true value. Marks had designed and manufactured pottery which epitomised the Bauhaus ethos of achieving a balance between fine art and craft. Although originally meant as an architectural approach, the Bauhaus aimed to achieve a marriage between art and industrial techniques, something which Marks held dear throughout her practice, and which still feel like worthwhile ideas to strive towards. She believed that it was important for the designer to be embedded and connected to the factory process, and so being based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, she attempted to continue with the cutting-edge design work which she had begun at Hael’s. The early works, made in Germany, are exquisite in their simplicity, perfect form is accentuated with careful glaze techniques which do not distract from the shape of the ware, and which encapsulate the Modernist ideal. Marks is documented as finding the conservative British design industry of the time much more difficult to work within, and these difficulties can be seen via the works made in Stoke-on-Trent. <br />Some of the wares made in Stoke-on-Trent retain the identifiable Bauhaus form, but have acquired floral embellishments which see them lose something of their essence, and she found the UK ceramics market to be extremely conservative. There were arguments to be had, in relation to the authorship of her work which she wished to retain, and she was reported as being “difficult to work with” which may have been a misreading of the confidence she had in her design practice. <br />The confidence displayed by Marks, and the discomfort which it seems to have engendered in the largely male managers of the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent, make visible a particular unease with artistic creativity, which has been an uncomfortable, if under-articulated aspect of the city’s cultural life. Though a city of creative industry, it seems that the artistic part of this identity has always been underplayed, at least in relation to the individual. The designer, the mould maker, the pourer, the fettler, the dipper all take a hand in transforming a material which is dug from the ground into a work of art, but are viewed modestly as part of the factory machine.<br />
<br />The artists visiting Spode back in 2012, and the Returns group have sought to find the human amongst this machine. This explains, for me, the fascination with the human detritus, and the evidence of individualism which preoccupied some of the artists who had been involved in “Topographies of the Obsolete,” as they trawled through the ruins of an abandoned pottery, searching for clues about the nature of a place and its people built on clay.<br />Perhaps then it makes some sense, when seeking to understand the role that clay may have in the genius loci of this city, to visit a still operational pottery, and so, let me share the experience of a tour of Middleport Pottery, in constant production since 1888.<br />
<br />As an artist based here, but not from here, it is not all second nature to me that something solid and lumpen, pulled from the ground can, by passing through the hands of men and women, be transformed into a beautiful object. In this Model Pottery, the factory is laid out in process order, to make the manufacturing of wares smoother, and resulting in the transformation being viewed in real time. The clay end, where traditionally, the men worked (and the roles are still today very gendered) is as dusty as it ever was, and I am enthralled at the notion that liquid clay is being transported around the factory by pipe.<br />
I meet a fettler; her job is to clean the edges off the plates, and she lets me have a go. Fascinated, I ask her what is it like, working in such a historic, beautiful heritage factory. It must be so wonderful, isn’t it? “Not really duck,” she says. <br />It is my romantic view of the industry here, which sees art where others see work, and I want to say something to her about the importance of this work she is doing with her hands, but I have worked in factories myself, and being from Kent, learnt the hard way, that picking strawberries isn’t the same as it was in “The Darling Buds of May.” This distinction is important, and says a lot about this place, and how it talks about itself; the work can be dusty and boring, but I wonder if it does still feel creative on the factory floor?<br />Next along the factory line I meet a dipper; he shows me a tool he has fashioned himself, from what looks like packing materials. Throughout the tour I see handmade tools, the making of which has been passed down through history, an army of tiny machines which do the one thing needed to perfection. <br />There is something about this particularity which is only useful in this one place, along the line. It explains a lot about the city today, and its people, who, for a few hundred years, refined their roles within the machine, creating tiny apparatus to get the job done better. Working in dusty and well-used buildings around the city, they used their hands to transform something dug from the earth into beautiful gleaming works of art to be shipped across the world. Their three hundred years of creative endeavour have largely been anonymous, coming down to a few great names: SPODE, WEDGWOOD, MOORCROFT…<br />
<br />So, what about the next three hundred years? Perhaps those re-turning artists might have felt a possibility as I do, from time to time, that the city could be changing. That maybe some of the skill, and haptic knowledge which is still in abundance here, but which is in danger of being lost, could be gathered up, and transformed into something which recognises the individual and their talents, while still working together to make something worthy of global attention. Perhaps Stoke-on-Trent could become the sort of place where people like Grete Marks could now make an uncompromising go of things?</div>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-54054601349546805802023-10-25T12:10:00.000+01:002023-10-25T12:10:17.445+01:00Kidsgrove Canal: Nature Recovery Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdsueB0IjI6PlvMA623S1Gry7_0r2WeQ1M04Yj1SPbzxhW4ZxXqeMat80AhrCrcY0yG7LiUJTWKuE2FAmRpPa2jvKpNNGFGGqqINQ3TCC9CiEhRWIOuJZvijBuMTH2p2ZCoqnXoCX4dZIVlFKz1F8pUDDY6sgTvfgYwHRYblrB3Guet8m2p1V3ryJ7MSxM" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="567" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdsueB0IjI6PlvMA623S1Gry7_0r2WeQ1M04Yj1SPbzxhW4ZxXqeMat80AhrCrcY0yG7LiUJTWKuE2FAmRpPa2jvKpNNGFGGqqINQ3TCC9CiEhRWIOuJZvijBuMTH2p2ZCoqnXoCX4dZIVlFKz1F8pUDDY6sgTvfgYwHRYblrB3Guet8m2p1V3ryJ7MSxM=w281-h365" width="281" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a Stoke-on-Trent based artist I have been making work which explores urban nature for more than a decade. This has included leading urban nature walks, the creation of various floral trails and guides, events which connect people to nature and taking the lead on transforming a disused garden into a pocket park. </div><p>I am really pleased to be beginning a research residency on Kidsgrove Canal, commissioned by Appetite and The Canal and River Trust, and look forward to connecting with Kidsgrove people to find out what they love about the canal, and how they use it now, but also aiming to work together with people locally to begin to think further about how canals and greenways can provide important access to nature for urban areas, and to explore the relationship between humans and nature.</p><p>Through the work on the canal, I will look at the biodiversity of the plants and creatures that live on the canal, and to map and track local ecologies of the canal. I am keen to begin conversations with organisations and individuals who would like to consider what Nature Recovery looks and feels like in relation to the Kidsgrove canal, and beginning with questions about the role of canals in supporting nature.</p><p>I will be hosting walks and workshops over the next 6 months which connect to the canal and its human and non-human neighbours. Do you have something important you want to tell me about the canal and the plants and animals there? Get in touch!</p><p>Watch this space for more information about the project as it progresses.</p><p>As the project develops I will be continuing to write up what is happening, and will be also pulling out language that might be usefully explained in the context of the work via a Glossary of Terms:</p><p><b>Biodiversity </b>– the variety of plant or animal life in the world or in a given location, and in the context of this project, aiming to map and track different species in order to gain an understanding of variety and numbers.</p><p><b>Ecology </b>- the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. In this context, we are using ecology to describe the relationship between living things, including humans and other species, from micro through to planetary scale.</p><div><br /></div>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-39373137803370995082019-04-08T10:19:00.002+01:002019-04-08T10:19:49.267+01:00Adapt the NothingArtist Nicola Winstanley invited me to walk with her, in Summer 2018, around Middleport. She was embarking on a research project, inviting artists, and other professionals to walk with her in a part of Stoke-on-trent which has seen significant upheaval and change over the past 20 years - as a result of various regeneration programmes.<br />
The remit of her project was around a reflection on how places can be impacted by external factors and decision-making, and what this does to the experience of place, for people (and in my case, interested in the impact this has on flora and fauna there too.)<br />
<br />
The resulting artist's book 'Adapt The Nothing' is a meditation on the Middleport of today, where there is a lot still to be done, but where there is so much to celebrate. <a href="http://nicwinstanley.com/atn/" target="_blank">Full publication here.</a><br />
Here is my 6 page reflection on that walk, and the thoughts that it engendered.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73AzY9tO-tBzFTZzOU6GFJPz7PiX3fIsFVMlNLiFWhswaU4axifFHkMlM193avjhKJv2KCG40_EpaxeJJePRf4oHF8elPxi5tqU0ioK6D9yGbVg3qTZpNeevWQBc1nftBwzTZauAmA1Nl/s1600/essay-front-page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73AzY9tO-tBzFTZzOU6GFJPz7PiX3fIsFVMlNLiFWhswaU4axifFHkMlM193avjhKJv2KCG40_EpaxeJJePRf4oHF8elPxi5tqU0ioK6D9yGbVg3qTZpNeevWQBc1nftBwzTZauAmA1Nl/s400/essay-front-page.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXEAfi07pj0yTc7As10YInCgjpHC21YMhrdhWdN5f4YSkrilQ-S4behRT_LlQ7vqdCmzhpPDF3sPK9SADW1AZsICaan_c3126P6W-IgNfAW1Mh-delHjg7mDARji9Ytd4fAYiMJBbWNAe/s1600/middleport-page-one-replace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1128" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXEAfi07pj0yTc7As10YInCgjpHC21YMhrdhWdN5f4YSkrilQ-S4behRT_LlQ7vqdCmzhpPDF3sPK9SADW1AZsICaan_c3126P6W-IgNfAW1Mh-delHjg7mDARji9Ytd4fAYiMJBbWNAe/s320/middleport-page-one-replace.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAY-Ck8fISJNh4euao8ITJYNJ-dVpzQu1ija4A0X9dCpUkVDBFM49p3Ndy-iTRbkXZWZWeaFzzG_ZvhXO8ptz7w4SypeAtzbbjgFMmdmcDgnZi7DMgVJiYBClyUTSWpmpf4dWglLaYMYa/s1600/middleport-page-two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAY-Ck8fISJNh4euao8ITJYNJ-dVpzQu1ija4A0X9dCpUkVDBFM49p3Ndy-iTRbkXZWZWeaFzzG_ZvhXO8ptz7w4SypeAtzbbjgFMmdmcDgnZi7DMgVJiYBClyUTSWpmpf4dWglLaYMYa/s320/middleport-page-two.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx3j0mAAuAGuxStht8P3q5F0UPSvHIxOYrT440HM9AU0ypAz1dB6I8JTelrBKI8i6-FbXwHBY4CGJpZh7B5lGc8BMhqWBGdcLXeRPirLWnNFNbI1UdX03qVUsYLL3RD28mr7gmyjJAJ-w/s1600/middleport-page-three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx3j0mAAuAGuxStht8P3q5F0UPSvHIxOYrT440HM9AU0ypAz1dB6I8JTelrBKI8i6-FbXwHBY4CGJpZh7B5lGc8BMhqWBGdcLXeRPirLWnNFNbI1UdX03qVUsYLL3RD28mr7gmyjJAJ-w/s320/middleport-page-three.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisumew8Ry5aD8FKO1P5sC5AqEij6K0OpxkbIPS2gKQEHA5A6n65QiqfX05NpMGSzqyEnLcQuHUnQB_rVmCp0o-ZYQTJ5xOHJ_elYzI4Fw-eStMJO6Gt0UZ9cSnR5lIF_HEyBy3FQHf9hLE/s1600/middleport-page-four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisumew8Ry5aD8FKO1P5sC5AqEij6K0OpxkbIPS2gKQEHA5A6n65QiqfX05NpMGSzqyEnLcQuHUnQB_rVmCp0o-ZYQTJ5xOHJ_elYzI4Fw-eStMJO6Gt0UZ9cSnR5lIF_HEyBy3FQHf9hLE/s320/middleport-page-four.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWwG4nK2YHVG08D07zzdH8x2z3a4QXZMUYecmglor5ltDGc7kQBf_PhHkTHRQ4wXyHEBpUhimCSZA6YHlnn6XmdyFbNdmYQMjbGk4hwlr2qLk3AQyscbmbRehJHlMuG2SaHttQA81L63Z/s1600/references.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWwG4nK2YHVG08D07zzdH8x2z3a4QXZMUYecmglor5ltDGc7kQBf_PhHkTHRQ4wXyHEBpUhimCSZA6YHlnn6XmdyFbNdmYQMjbGk4hwlr2qLk3AQyscbmbRehJHlMuG2SaHttQA81L63Z/s320/references.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<br />Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-77815790927399724752019-04-03T17:58:00.000+01:002019-04-24T11:37:10.511+01:00Rules of Engagement: Presenting Two Sides of a Social Arts Project.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlpMAUB14-8yYpKZdidqno3oQ569jojELgzxX_o-aoutKA0lc79I6tPJgPL_6tZ8FhHwUe4xE5R0fusG8e0xxNAsfHwOcaXOqEtAQn0LyLk_dM9QKI7IoxaKIr3c09t2yNC47zTrgsjoA/s1600/community-maker-year3-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="960" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlpMAUB14-8yYpKZdidqno3oQ569jojELgzxX_o-aoutKA0lc79I6tPJgPL_6tZ8FhHwUe4xE5R0fusG8e0xxNAsfHwOcaXOqEtAQn0LyLk_dM9QKI7IoxaKIr3c09t2yNC47zTrgsjoA/s320/community-maker-year3-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Community Maker, 2017, Stoke-on-Trent.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="color: #444444;">As an artist working for many years with people in contexts
of change, I identify as part of the developing <b>Social Art Network</b>, co-founded
by Eelyn Lee and R.M. Sanchez-Camus in 2016 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as ‘a UK based community of artists committed
to building agency for the field of art and social practice.’<a href="https://staffsuniversity-my.sharepoint.com/personal/amf2_staff_staffs_ac_uk/Documents/my-practice/social-art-summit-write-up-results-blog.doc#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[i]</span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVfgWWuFBi_3BfjlktSQJ6pCu8Snx-U3kBC52o1Gz33DzAx0wJmVLYqw7jvSbI_4pJfHnQJz9Jt8XibFkekPQd-0plm1R_QCND8D7GOyqJRVCWqauLjQGw_qd1jfuFEJfXAUndIsc8GAz/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVfgWWuFBi_3BfjlktSQJ6pCu8Snx-U3kBC52o1Gz33DzAx0wJmVLYqw7jvSbI_4pJfHnQJz9Jt8XibFkekPQd-0plm1R_QCND8D7GOyqJRVCWqauLjQGw_qd1jfuFEJfXAUndIsc8GAz/s320/image1.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;">Lab: The Rules of Engagement with Dan Russell and Rebecca Davies during The Social Art Summit, Sheffield 2018.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="color: #444444;">I was invited to lead a lab at The Social Art Summit, which
took place in Sheffield, November 2018. I keenly felt the significance and
urgency of a gathering of artists to discuss the issues and challenges in
working in this way; particularly in the current climate of cuts to the arts,
but also cuts to so many public services across the UK, all impacting on our
ability to do our work, and to do it well. </span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">In planning a lab for the Social Art Summit I saw an
opportunity to create a safe space for open and honest discussion with other
practitioners, to (just for a moment) centralise the position of the artist, in
relation to the social contexts we are working within, and to be frank about
the challenges, and sometimes personal cost that making the work requires.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0caVma8ktKJhivneb_eRQv1DH1Clkys-1lpYnM0hKZmeJjSd-AZ-x1hierTfcxvdtbC9_ZVkcsyQiVS5dZ4zWxs_3_onfXBKY-ylFiMXwJuvVi2x5DWyCCrtL9IEggNR5wIc_u25CFCg/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0caVma8ktKJhivneb_eRQv1DH1Clkys-1lpYnM0hKZmeJjSd-AZ-x1hierTfcxvdtbC9_ZVkcsyQiVS5dZ4zWxs_3_onfXBKY-ylFiMXwJuvVi2x5DWyCCrtL9IEggNR5wIc_u25CFCg/s320/image2.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lab: The Rules of Engagement with Dan Russell and Rebecca Davies during The Social Art Summit, Sheffield 2018.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;">Planning the lab came at the end of a long, and varied
summer of action for The Portland Inn Project – which I work on with collaborator
and fellow social artist Rebecca Davies, who, with The Newbridge Project’s Dan
Russell, delivered the lab alongside me. To briefly set the context, our
project is in an area of Stoke-on-Trent, originally earmarked for demolition in
the Government’s collapsed Pathfinder Housing Renewal Scheme, and now known to
be the area where homes were sold for a pound. As an artist, working with
people, often on projects exploring regeneration and the artists role in places
of change, I was fascinated by this context, and what I, and my family could
bring to it. I believe that artists have an important role to play in society,
and that this role is often undervalued, or at least little understood. In successfully
applying to be a one pound home owner, I hoped to demonstrate through working
where I live, just what role an artist might play in supporting a community to
develop (one of the conditions written into the £1 home scheme contract, was
that each homeowner should contribute to community life.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWtKq3qNoymgkWeF-7U2VWpOEgmk4eBwc-rDt8l_Kphr9V_JS-bW-34GKuUWt3-h6Htnxr_tbT9DP82tWzEk_gBXrPxZspCNolBBR3MxCikotoXIsfjTyDb-EfeOy5qTaxIWznvhOgs2e/s1600/0P6A3640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWtKq3qNoymgkWeF-7U2VWpOEgmk4eBwc-rDt8l_Kphr9V_JS-bW-34GKuUWt3-h6Htnxr_tbT9DP82tWzEk_gBXrPxZspCNolBBR3MxCikotoXIsfjTyDb-EfeOy5qTaxIWznvhOgs2e/s320/0P6A3640.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;">'Raising The Roof' The Portland Inn Project community Co-build project, Summer 2018, Stoke-on-Trent.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;">The summer on Portland Street had been a mixture of highs,
as we worked with the fantastic Baxendale Studio architects, to co-build a
temporary community building with residents of the area, to real lows – as we
navigated some extreme local problems, including the drug dealing and taking of
Monkey Dust, which impacted daily, on our project delivery.</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">As we put together the slides for the lab, we began to
discuss how, particularly with social practice, we tend to show the positive
parts of the project, the things that went well, the smiling faces of participants,
but rarely do we present the other side of the project; the boring bits, the
awful bits where it feels like everything is collapsing, the moments of failure
and the dirty bits. We discussed that in leaving out the challenges, we fail to
show what really goes into making the work happen and <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">more, we make it easy for the true value of what we do to be missed. It
was for this reason then, that Rebecca and I decided to present the two sides
of our project; the side we always share, which we are careful to represent
thoughtfully but often positively, but also to present the second part which we
usually neglect to speak about; the more challenging aspects of making the
work.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We felt it important
within the lab to set out why we often err towards the positive when
representing the work that we do, so we set out our </span><b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Reasons to be cheerful:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">1. Negative stigma</span></b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> In the area where we are working the
community has had to overcome and battle with negative press and judgement for
so long; part of the work is about rewriting the story with local residents. Although
we may want to discuss the problems which the area faces, we are aware that in doing
so, we are at risk of adding to the negative stigma.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">2. <b>Morale</b></span><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;"> For our project,
and projects like ours it can feel important to keep positive, the celebratory
aspects of a project are important locally for hope and to keep up morale (of
residents and ourselves as practitioners)</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto;">. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><b></b><span style="background-color: #999999;"></span><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">3. Conscious of audience</span></b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> It is a concern that funders may see
it as a risk to invest in an area with <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>many visible challenges (something we have
heard directly from funders about the work we do). This may make them think
twice about funding projects if the difficulties faced in delivering the work
are openly discussed. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">4. Ethics</span></b><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> How on earth do you document, share
and expose some of the really difficult challenges, for example drug use and
dealing which we are navigating within our project, when doing so can be seen
as insensitive or at worst, unethical?</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We planned in
space within the lab to say why now feels like an important moment to share the
challenges.</span><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">An increasing
number of artists are working in this way.</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This<b> </b></span><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Means it's ever more important to be truthful and clear about the two
sides to the story, that we as artists have to negotiate. It feels important to
make the true work more visible in order to benefit the audience and those who
want to work in this way.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If we don’t show the full picture,
the full impact will never be understood.</span></b></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In
the context of enormous cuts to the arts and public services it is </span><span style="color: #26282a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">becoming increasingly difficult to secure
funding for art projects. In addition, the role and remit of the artist is expanding
in some respects, as public sector cuts mean that organisations that would have
supported the work previously are no longer equipped to do so. If we fail to
demonstrate the true scope of the work that we are doing then we make it easy
to undervalue what the impact is. A project's impact isn't demonstrated by how
many people came, in most cases, art happening in social contexts is more
nuanced and challenging than that. It is Important to be vocal about the gaps
we're filling. Our job title is expanding, and the support to do the job is
diminishing. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6i3MWVrX0ExrTZaw85dZg5NtY8LPnNvpEUJH8WrIBk53fsn7PfrmkQJZqynMLTg2R4Z_x0Wr1jE4rYr6eLQNrmET_sDOnDaOfWb4_MO3_OkHZSU5Xsw8NphhBNcb9F53XH4DFeM6zIxH/s1600/0P6A7300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6i3MWVrX0ExrTZaw85dZg5NtY8LPnNvpEUJH8WrIBk53fsn7PfrmkQJZqynMLTg2R4Z_x0Wr1jE4rYr6eLQNrmET_sDOnDaOfWb4_MO3_OkHZSU5Xsw8NphhBNcb9F53XH4DFeM6zIxH/s320/0P6A7300.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;">The Portland Inn Project, final day of the 'Raising the Roof' Summer 2018, Stoke-on-Trent.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">We then shared the two sides of
our project, the successful parts which are making a difference to the
community and location we are working within, the brilliant opportunity to
bring architects to our area, and really expand the horizons of our project,
and the people we are working with. Then we talked through the parts which are
really hard to deal with; the moments of risk and failure and the sometimes
personally troubling aspects of working in a precarious context. We talked
about this summer, and being threatened by drug dealers, having to call the
police on a daily basis, due to anti-social and illegal activity in the space
we were working on. We talked about the parts of our role which are generally
invisible, and genuinely surprising (even to ourselves) as being part of the
remit of the arts project – campaigning with our community all summer to have
the shit in the phonebox cleaned up, and going to endless meetings, some of
which feel like ground hog day. We did our best in the time provided to lay
bare everything that had taken place on Portland Street this summer. This opened
up space for group discussion, and time to reflect on what Social Artists are juggling,
navigating and at times quietly shouldering. From some of the artists and
practitioners in the room it felt like a sigh of relief was let out, finally a
space to talk about the crap. For others in the room, this felt like a step too
far – and even in this space with other social artists, questions were raised
about whether it is ever ok to share the shit in the phonebox, or if some kind
of unwritten code is being broken if you do. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Finally, the group (consisting
of artists, curators, educators and representatives from community projects
from across the UK) worked together to form some guiding principles for ourselves
and others for the coming years. After the Summit, the longlist of points were
put into a survey, to enable a wider group of artists to contribute to the final
resource. This has now been published by a-n, as a downloadable poster and also as a written respurce (including some of the context provided by artists on what the points raised were referencing. This is included within the a-n <a href="https://static.a-n.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Research-Paper-Social-Art-Summit.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0eN0uX8AbBdDqxj9ZTRCrrt6MociWfJLNbRdl_H82QMdJEYUsNo2_yeLw" target="_blank">Research paper published to document the Social Art Summit. </a> </span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The Rules of Engagement: Guiding Principles
for Artists working in Social Contexts.</span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiniHMJugz6-KGq17mCBoG9mSbF684-Gz2gkM29MdJovnUjAy5DRB3HYrJphSf1kkX7aQMMjLq8fwLegg7dl72IM-5ohbwiQqXN7qnxDluuaMBXmSjL_dyQcewcN7broUrfgy4WJ7lRRO6/s1600/RULES_ILLUSTRATION.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiniHMJugz6-KGq17mCBoG9mSbF684-Gz2gkM29MdJovnUjAy5DRB3HYrJphSf1kkX7aQMMjLq8fwLegg7dl72IM-5ohbwiQqXN7qnxDluuaMBXmSjL_dyQcewcN7broUrfgy4WJ7lRRO6/s320/RULES_ILLUSTRATION.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">
</span>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Rules of Engagement, resource illustrated by Rebecca Davies.</span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Expanding on the resource.</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The Social Art Summit
Lab included space for discussion around the work that socially engaged artists
do, including going over where we access support, issues of representation and
the strategies we employ in order to continue to make the work. This led to the
putting together of a set of guidelines within the session, which each group
talked through. The final 10 for the resource are expanded upon below, to
reveal some of the thinking that initiated them, but there were some very good
ideas that didn’t make the final 10, when the suggestions were voted on in a
survey.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The full 20 are
below, (the final 10 and then the ones that didn’t make it). Within the online survey
was also a space to add any additional guidelines that artists felt were
missing, I have included a few of those below too.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBS-NFrv0lFJ3flgfbRLqhEYiGxDSho0COwgZ39aCn2IHkdxJTgcPE4AU8XHY5S7sP0IokHAJHQx1nztgzBWf3PzANZ5j093YgP0oTIdIO8NpqF9qh30TAdC9fOSZLeUVSYHiqABNTFt2R/s1600/ppl_are_experts+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1129" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBS-NFrv0lFJ3flgfbRLqhEYiGxDSho0COwgZ39aCn2IHkdxJTgcPE4AU8XHY5S7sP0IokHAJHQx1nztgzBWf3PzANZ5j093YgP0oTIdIO8NpqF9qh30TAdC9fOSZLeUVSYHiqABNTFt2R/s320/ppl_are_experts+-+Copy.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span><b></b><i></i><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Recognise that people are
experts in the places they live and work:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> This point has come up again and again in gatherings of artists working
with people. It is often discussed that it may not always be the artists role
to create the culture or to act as some kind of expert, but in fact to almost
at times be an anthropologist or investigator. Facilitating the people of the
place to uncover and reveal their own stories, is more rewarding for
participants and usually has more impact long term.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX24ldUradMozga2kG8Zc_wAy1RQi2NuXQNyYiIebWtY48NOGuo9OS1ZZvSFqIFUbM8-HiHW0AJrh_TbyzJB1Nynt5OprpCSaxJ9pNZTyfMfHCB_RnriLw5RjQyDbJicmESjpxxIrqQypY/s1600/collaborate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX24ldUradMozga2kG8Zc_wAy1RQi2NuXQNyYiIebWtY48NOGuo9OS1ZZvSFqIFUbM8-HiHW0AJrh_TbyzJB1Nynt5OprpCSaxJ9pNZTyfMfHCB_RnriLw5RjQyDbJicmESjpxxIrqQypY/s320/collaborate.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Work collaboratively:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> we are capable of more when we work
together, but in addition, being vocal about the role each person has taken and
the input given to a project is important in truly successful collaborations. Everyone’s
contribution is valued.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnBxInNNGIQdI-hyqn7ci4mf_LDks_NCZ25RC8IDFa_iNJ00vvTi1ygCMkxAdHrHG5f6eYWFesN-9OIF-aRB1_mMD742soj_iotAOIIhvsfZW-3PuQn1GuG6z4mqYmVR02Qc6DK_gCUGm/s1600/social_change_aim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnBxInNNGIQdI-hyqn7ci4mf_LDks_NCZ25RC8IDFa_iNJ00vvTi1ygCMkxAdHrHG5f6eYWFesN-9OIF-aRB1_mMD742soj_iotAOIIhvsfZW-3PuQn1GuG6z4mqYmVR02Qc6DK_gCUGm/s320/social_change_aim.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span></div>
<div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></b><span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Be clear that Social Change
is the aim, Art is the tool: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Art
is a useful tool to mobilise and create space for discussion, but art is not the
end in itself: what we are really aiming for is social change.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyZgFjsxPdpOgw17F_nG9M3FjbSsuzsYWuKoDfnrIqN_XKuJLJtPIFc1KuSfFNeRiPDVfWXuNOe_T0fQGpPrkK5uqpwY7IJ4FqIot_b7_Lb2Zpz3lK0b_VuRJNL6z6xsXgIRhldzfwmdM/s1600/voice_of_community.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyZgFjsxPdpOgw17F_nG9M3FjbSsuzsYWuKoDfnrIqN_XKuJLJtPIFc1KuSfFNeRiPDVfWXuNOe_T0fQGpPrkK5uqpwY7IJ4FqIot_b7_Lb2Zpz3lK0b_VuRJNL6z6xsXgIRhldzfwmdM/s320/voice_of_community.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span><b></b><i></i><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Build in space for the voice
of the community: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As visual
artists we often have a sense of how something should look, feel, sound and be
experienced, and this is something which we are skilled at, however, if the
voice of the community is left out of the work, then the work is purely
self-serving of the artist. Rebecca Davies and I came up against this early in
our project, when a community member wanted to bring a 5 foot Minion into the
public area of our project, for the children. We were horrified, as it did not
fit the aesthetic we were working hard to create. It was an important moment,
realising that if there is no space for the community to bring in what they
want, at some point, we may find the community are no longer standing with us. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSv6ZUjnS3NpUZ-OOAgxT_w-nIL-NTEc6InEsh4oCCEqT2peybp0LJNU2J1pRSsyVpMzz7ulc-z6Kw_zoBW0N7K_aIYTpUlc984irMEh4JYiw3DGT-77D-IOmAFvUApx-DHjI00ZXA6tHn/s1600/time_critical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSv6ZUjnS3NpUZ-OOAgxT_w-nIL-NTEc6InEsh4oCCEqT2peybp0LJNU2J1pRSsyVpMzz7ulc-z6Kw_zoBW0N7K_aIYTpUlc984irMEh4JYiw3DGT-77D-IOmAFvUApx-DHjI00ZXA6tHn/s320/time_critical.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Know that having enough time
is critical: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Longer
durational projects work, but if a project is short term, hard work needs to be
done to ensure it is embedded and meaningful to its location.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVWsS3p3vNQdoLdeRxni6748vvUV_6Ip89rbSv33vMDZUXr_XTV-UTEE3h9HC1URxBvAyiYTXe-A6Ye5o65kRtA2kOxMb097zghKncxy72I_pqNQovYjTYbEMpiq2moT1Y1N_AE7vok1C/s1600/HONEST_shite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1129" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVWsS3p3vNQdoLdeRxni6748vvUV_6Ip89rbSv33vMDZUXr_XTV-UTEE3h9HC1URxBvAyiYTXe-A6Ye5o65kRtA2kOxMb097zghKncxy72I_pqNQovYjTYbEMpiq2moT1Y1N_AE7vok1C/s320/HONEST_shite.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Be honest; know your
intentions and share them: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It
is so important for building trust within the work we are doing with other
humans. In order to ensure we are not exploiting others, or allowing others to
be exploited, practice openness and honesty about what the aims and objectives
are within the project, and if these change – communicate that too.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Don’t make assumptions: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Never assume anything. Check and
crosscheck, and check again.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzRwe0xkgK4pQ6O4j06ClGYgQsmGymq51tBB-5wKu-aswZmbEgPKk181_OFMk4nCh6pgvAeJyiz4hjh2iN-CrH40IXPJN67Mr8U9plvHG5-uWUF9PtI7etG0abrHQgje7mObRYv-yrz4X/s1600/self_care_stop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzRwe0xkgK4pQ6O4j06ClGYgQsmGymq51tBB-5wKu-aswZmbEgPKk181_OFMk4nCh6pgvAeJyiz4hjh2iN-CrH40IXPJN67Mr8U9plvHG5-uWUF9PtI7etG0abrHQgje7mObRYv-yrz4X/s320/self_care_stop.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Practice self-care; know
when to stop:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> It is important
for artists to be clear about how much time they can give to a project, and do
their best to stick to it. At times, we can be our own worst enemies, if we
fail to value our own time as a resource within the project, we cannot be so
surprised when that same resource is undervalued by others.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Value the artist's role in
this context (we bring something different): </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The value and impact of the work that artists do can at times feel
misunderstood, or not fully realised. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is important that we understand and articulate what we bring to working in social
contexts.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiie1RkvHvx92x1r7GZoZ37d-jEONdg5j9yOHLtk6rnNc8O5vXbh7kVFCfKhArOp3dinrL5vJgeNbbER01dKWJacJSA6vOIk5kjE6BTkA6F-UTB2VEJs8Xu-gcudvxyItlC2RivpQdJ61li/s1600/supporter_champion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1129" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiie1RkvHvx92x1r7GZoZ37d-jEONdg5j9yOHLtk6rnNc8O5vXbh7kVFCfKhArOp3dinrL5vJgeNbbER01dKWJacJSA6vOIk5kjE6BTkA6F-UTB2VEJs8Xu-gcudvxyItlC2RivpQdJ61li/s320/supporter_champion.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 10.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rules of Engagement, by Rebecca Davies.</span><b></b><i></i><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Be a supporter and champion
for other artists working in these contexts: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It can be lonely, and difficult work at times, and so being a champion
for others is important, and having someone to turn to when you need it is
equally important. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And the ten guidelines which did not
make the top ten (but still worth sharing here):</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Build
RESPECT into the project</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Set
clear boundaries</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Do your
homework</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Practice
active listening</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be a
reflective practitioner</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Recognise
if you are the right person for the job: know your place</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be
flexible </span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Lose the
ego</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If
nobody wants it, don't do it</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Take
responsibility</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #444444;"></span><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Selected points that people felt were not
yet included were:</span></b></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be aware
of how funding influences decisions, broker those power dynamics fairly</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be aware
of the existing culture </span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
artist should be working on the assumption that if a project is a success, they
might not be needed in future </span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As far
as possible, have fun</span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Don’t
make promises you can’t keep </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #333e48; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333e48; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Rebecca Davies have continued to discuss the issues raised within the lab, and in particular, have become interested in why it is that sharing the challenges is something that we rarely do, as social art practitioners. This feels like an important area to explore further, and something we want to spend more time on. The Social Art Assembly, taking place at Tate Modern, as part of tate Exchange on Thursday 25th April, 2019 is a perfect space to expand on this particular area. We are going to test the notion of 'The Shit Exchange' creating space for social artists to share the shit bits of projects, but importantly to uncover what the barriers have been for artists in sharing them. We feel this is going to reveal a lot about the role and impact of artists in social contexts, and make more visible some of the diffcult contexts which artists can find themselves in. It will, we hope. also show what additional support may be needed for artists working in these contexts, which should be useful for all commissioners, and projects or organisations working with artists in social settings.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: top;">
<u></u><u></u><u></u><span style="color: #444444;"></span><br clear="all" /></div>
<div style="mso-element: endnote-list;">
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<a href="https://staffsuniversity-my.sharepoint.com/personal/amf2_staff_staffs_ac_uk/Documents/my-practice/social-art-summit-write-up-results-blog.doc#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[i]</span></span></a>
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Social
Art Summit. (2018). </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "&quot" , serif;">Social Art Network — Social
Art Summit</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; cursor: copy; float: none; orphans: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">. [online] Available at:
https://www.socialartsummit.com/social-art-network [Accessed 3 Jan. 2019].</span></span></div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-38800395103167314912018-02-09T16:43:00.001+00:002018-02-13T10:13:02.707+00:00Rounding up Community Maker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnPpVNfreQbYSWICR-dEMfCZ3rR0QA1PfsZIeagrVmY0eXsRKTIZe1BCWEUpp9fegPkd4fq140uztLp1no2tfehtjazvhzzm71DAinPlG3B9X3qrvB3YVHxA4KKQ6MRv1orvYjH3zT4sj/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnPpVNfreQbYSWICR-dEMfCZ3rR0QA1PfsZIeagrVmY0eXsRKTIZe1BCWEUpp9fegPkd4fq140uztLp1no2tfehtjazvhzzm71DAinPlG3B9X3qrvB3YVHxA4KKQ6MRv1orvYjH3zT4sj/s400/banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now that the Community Maker project is officially over, it's a good time to reflect on everything that happened within the 3 year project.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Initially, the project was commissioned by British Ceramics Biennial, in partnership with AirSpace Gallery and funded by Paul Hamlyn, as part of the World In One City projects. As a new resident in my area, and the recipient of one of Stoke's one pound houses, I had committed to support community activity and development, and so for me, it made sense if this could be via an art project for the area: Community Maker. To provide context: The Portland Street Area was one of the areas in the city which had been earmarked for demolition within the government's devastating Pathfinder scheme of housing renewal. It was one of the areas where the CPO processes were slow, and had not got to demolition stage, before the programme was scrapped in 2010. This left a mixed area, where some homes were boarded up, some were still in the hands of owner occupiers, while in many cases there were private landlords, some who had looked after their properties, but in many cases, properties were run down. The £1 home scheme aimed to address issues caused by the failed regeneration scheme, by bringing the worst homes (now owned by the council) back into use, and into the hands of owners who would invest in their properties and in the area. For the community members that had lived within the area throughout the period of being condemned and then left high and dry, the failed regeneration scheme was an open wound. They had seen good neighbours move away, the decimation of their community, and little investment. Despite this, the residents continued to try to maintain a sense of community. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The idea for Community Maker was to bring a fractured community together via sessions involving clay making and sharing food together. To begin with, the proposed outcome for the project responded directly to the area, and a local custom which was discovered soon after moving to the area. The community would organise a 'bring a plate' event, where each person would bring a plate of something to share, creating a community meal. The aim for the project, was to work towards creating a special Community Maker Ware, designed together via the community events, which would become the 'bring a plate' crockery for community events. I liked the idea that this set of plates would be stored in cupboards across the community, and would come out at community events, bringing the set back together. From the beginning then, we were working together to create imagery which could be included in the plate design. From the first session, BCB provided an excellent project support, ceramic artist Alice Thatcher, as this was my first time working with clay. Alice has been invaluable for the clay know-how, but perhaps more importantly, is from Stoke, and so connected really well with the residents.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiza0cFPRvKgAQy5N7EOECiGoHJZIn1txQaLDUKeLGoCQBeysGmzCWEWeXu0iHpjC_WwunJno5XS6t4PaZgugezQTD1A4kW9VL11jXnV39O8ty0ak7sR4mAyM0c9hwBKIwLYF_8sL-FNE8b/s1600/community-maker-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiza0cFPRvKgAQy5N7EOECiGoHJZIn1txQaLDUKeLGoCQBeysGmzCWEWeXu0iHpjC_WwunJno5XS6t4PaZgugezQTD1A4kW9VL11jXnV39O8ty0ak7sR4mAyM0c9hwBKIwLYF_8sL-FNE8b/s400/community-maker-map.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The first session in Summer 2015, was a drop-in session creating an asset map of the area, mapping resources, and identifying areas for development with the neighbours. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUn0mNUTfSlG-3AJnzMty1mSI54oa_1UrhtiUc3ecbSBbCUhkto3bblF58vjYTqqzBeMhEiBpMVa4xl5oDrInN15kwW68RM7WLmETJTmy6vM1abbs1jpjn0pF5abdXZK6FTb0lstPbnZog/s1600/fired-tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUn0mNUTfSlG-3AJnzMty1mSI54oa_1UrhtiUc3ecbSBbCUhkto3bblF58vjYTqqzBeMhEiBpMVa4xl5oDrInN15kwW68RM7WLmETJTmy6vM1abbs1jpjn0pF5abdXZK6FTb0lstPbnZog/s400/fired-tiles.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<br />
We used pre-prepared lino cuts, referencing the Victorian Language of Flowers to invite people to say what works about the area, and what needs work. These questions were chosen carefully, to avoid going straight for the negatives, and encouraging a discussion around the things that are good about the place, but also what people felt should be priorities for improving the place for the people that live there. Looking back this was a really important exercise, first for meeting the neighbours, but also in order to begin the conversation about this area from their point of view, a space for the residents to represent their own place, but also right from the start to identify the most pressing needs.<br />
<br />
To very quickly (because there are plenty of blog posts documenting what happened) round-up the 3 years, this is what happened:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUwRUXAaZ4a2lz-b_FHB22T8haGpSDxAJ1GIWEFe4MO6v3WyeNsxWUR-WawjKc5aPav6v1aasFN5LMo4Ub9EzgXIMU1kBQAIWM7-6dS5jvCdNZYvhf2RO9YwIq2CFyWmuk9qzPVR15OMO/s1600/tent-community.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUwRUXAaZ4a2lz-b_FHB22T8haGpSDxAJ1GIWEFe4MO6v3WyeNsxWUR-WawjKc5aPav6v1aasFN5LMo4Ub9EzgXIMU1kBQAIWM7-6dS5jvCdNZYvhf2RO9YwIq2CFyWmuk9qzPVR15OMO/s400/tent-community.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Year One: Community Maker took place in a tent. We were mapping and understanding the area, making connections, and hosted one big community celebration at the end of the 6 weeks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjwNTrCIXTYoZ6GqmR4HWrtfVf2RMP6BYwuGSTuHg7ba4IKECcU0xvWfV8OaX0f6YfibHoDCX1SlSzP2k8A1rwyu1rLqmJkRIeV-b4bPRNaZdwsfHqKlSviwhraXTiKkrc2-Sf7UHM5Sm/s1600/11850862_10206920986524197_956508782_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjwNTrCIXTYoZ6GqmR4HWrtfVf2RMP6BYwuGSTuHg7ba4IKECcU0xvWfV8OaX0f6YfibHoDCX1SlSzP2k8A1rwyu1rLqmJkRIeV-b4bPRNaZdwsfHqKlSviwhraXTiKkrc2-Sf7UHM5Sm/s400/11850862_10206920986524197_956508782_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The biggest finding from year one, which was repeated again and again by members of the community was the need for a community space to get together. The local pub, shop, community centre were all still boarded up, and people felt strongly that in order to thrive, a space was sorely needed. From a practical point of view, we had found the lack of a space problematic too, and while the tent was great for creating a sense of something happening, British summer weather meant it was not always comfortable. In addition, the tent size limited the number of people that could take part in the activity.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQz07Gjnq0THFC6MXp2akHSrcDmLzAol3HiPonHztiiSk4JEfH_U_chtmnl-xT55v1oL4YX6fLQDapKI8td3GWCivMfdGcBJf_itBala6MBMUmssVO4cd-0w5Gk_cKtURNJFloNGmxn9q/s1600/portlandinn_poster_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQz07Gjnq0THFC6MXp2akHSrcDmLzAol3HiPonHztiiSk4JEfH_U_chtmnl-xT55v1oL4YX6fLQDapKI8td3GWCivMfdGcBJf_itBala6MBMUmssVO4cd-0w5Gk_cKtURNJFloNGmxn9q/s320/portlandinn_poster_front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Year Two: as a result of the findings from year one, and subsequent conversations with the council and Rebecca Davies (whose Oasis Social Club had visited the area in 2015, and had the same outcome in terms of identifying a need for a permanent space) 2016 became all about asking 'What if we have a permanent space to share? What would it look like? Who would be involved? and What would happen there? For 2016, Rebecca and I applied to arts council to fund a one month programme of activity within the semi-derelict local pub, because the city council had mooted the idea, that if the community could show need, and a sustainable plan for the building, they would turn the Portland Inn Pub over into community hands.Partnering with a brilliant team of organisations: British Ceramics Biennial, AirSpace Gallery, Appetite, My Community Matters, The Portland Street Community Group and the city council meant we were able to deliver a lot within the programme. Over the four weeks that The Portland Inn Project took place, we delivered more than 50 activities, with over 600 attendees, and gathered the ideas and evidence for a business plan, to transform the pub into a community space, with makerspace social enterprise and some residential spaces upstairs, to bring in income and the opportunity to host artist residencies in the future.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We delivered the business plan to the council in November 2016. We were advised that it could take a good deal of time for the process to be complete.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HGeI4-S6twar5zRDDyaxs5FxWEVsjwCNERNIac-nqZJ74xY_nH7zh43702GNsYbRkUk-awFvq8-mlSJMU1gbKWhefil3bIUEs0bddhqx1JpgXvRDezmYNIHmU1q8K_k9wY_CsPkaF9Lg/s1600/community-maker-year3-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HGeI4-S6twar5zRDDyaxs5FxWEVsjwCNERNIac-nqZJ74xY_nH7zh43702GNsYbRkUk-awFvq8-mlSJMU1gbKWhefil3bIUEs0bddhqx1JpgXvRDezmYNIHmU1q8K_k9wY_CsPkaF9Lg/s400/community-maker-year3-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Year Three: the final year of Community Maker, we were back in the tent on the green space. By the summer 2017 the hole in the pub roof had got a lot worse, and a winter of weather leaking into the building meant it was not viable to be in the building. It was good to have the project happening while we waited for the decision on the pub, in order to keep some activity happening in the area. Being back on the green space in a tent, it was clear from the very first session that something had changed about the area in the year since our programme in the pub. Living in the area, I was already aware of an increase in drug dealing, but it was not until we were attempting to run a programme of activity on the green space that the scale of the problem became really clear. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There was a clear need for more support and services in the area, which being there and trying to run a community project brought to light. We were able to respond quickly, by organising a meeting with My Community Matters, to bring the council, local service providers and the community together to discuss a plan of action for the area. The summer was a real challenge, but demonstrated even more, why the pub was needed. Not least as a space for the community to take part in workshops and activity, but also as a space where services can be provided. From a very practical position, trying to run a clay workshop, when at times there were real concerns about safety was a real challenge, and I felt that if we had at least the luxury of being able to look after the boundaries of the activity - it would have really helped.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
John Domokos from The Guardian was in our area filming during the summer, and captured some of the challenges, and what we are trying to do in his film.</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B1rxdPePTj8" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The programme over 4 weeks involved continuing to talk to the community about the pub, and continue to advocate for the Community Asset Transfer to take place. Through the workshops we decided to produce a prototype set of plates from scratch. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreeI9lTKT00s-Tzxcbv1ISDTbiA4ieqSeJNIACvaI9qUAZS8a7YWWSouVd5tW8iyi5ruvylM4pKspzFTZuRNANThVyd1dITFHWWvm7oAADdmhO9VOF2NuiODyqZTkJ9ceutB48emfx6eO/s1600/faces1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreeI9lTKT00s-Tzxcbv1ISDTbiA4ieqSeJNIACvaI9qUAZS8a7YWWSouVd5tW8iyi5ruvylM4pKspzFTZuRNANThVyd1dITFHWWvm7oAADdmhO9VOF2NuiODyqZTkJ9ceutB48emfx6eO/s320/faces1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So, we used moulds and made plates, and then glazed the plates, and finally used ceramic lithographs (from imagery from years one and two) to add the patterns to the plates. Over the programme we asked questions each week 'How do we make the pub happen? What skills do we need? What role does this play in the wider community? It was clear that an important part of our role is in bringing services together to work with the community to make improvements. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHbBYt22eCvCdnOPSu0Um3hU49dIaGFE0vyILKhX7JcWsgWlCu29AW1lGfQYOusu0YiQ6oReQ0-JaT9z3NoZEyOF84BGkOb0CwIdQM3vnE4uecjFs-nYxnA7a1ZFi4QRwhE7M88VeHE9z/s1600/community-maker-year3-7+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="959" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHbBYt22eCvCdnOPSu0Um3hU49dIaGFE0vyILKhX7JcWsgWlCu29AW1lGfQYOusu0YiQ6oReQ0-JaT9z3NoZEyOF84BGkOb0CwIdQM3vnE4uecjFs-nYxnA7a1ZFi4QRwhE7M88VeHE9z/s320/community-maker-year3-7+copy.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
The biggest highlight of our final year was in the final community event, as part of the programme. Up until this point across the 3 years, it had been Rebecca and I organising the activity, but the bonfire party saw an important shift. Community members, Sarah, Leanne and Kerry came to us, and asked us to help support a community celebration. This was a big moment, and feels so powerful for the future.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZNSLloNFQ83xXOKCjF8YjkyaC92yu4TXItVc8r6IRB76M3dCusl0EJC97fn17aA-a2Ex7wg4IuxtK9HSHeTm0wLuyh6t_FYuIgh1OVB0NkOIIVJo0PRK8ZpaI7qbtDySxSUjDkQa6TPd/s1600/community-maker-houses-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZNSLloNFQ83xXOKCjF8YjkyaC92yu4TXItVc8r6IRB76M3dCusl0EJC97fn17aA-a2Ex7wg4IuxtK9HSHeTm0wLuyh6t_FYuIgh1OVB0NkOIIVJo0PRK8ZpaI7qbtDySxSUjDkQa6TPd/s320/community-maker-houses-final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So thinking across the across the 3 year programme, about how I feel about it. It is a mixture of complex thoughts. Community Maker has been a catalyst to bring people together, but it has been so important that I live here - so I am seen as a neighbour first (and maybe) an artist second. Being a resident and an artist has meant I am more aware of the rhythms of the place, and able to respond genuinely to what is happening on the doorstep. It has been good to be able to get to know my neighbours via the project, and the levels of trust established have been greater, I believe, because my investment and commitment to the area is clear (I live here.) What has been a challenge throughout the three years, but particularly in years two and three, have been in relation to the difficult aspects of the area. Whether intentionally or not, our presence as a project has, over the two years, interrupted some of the anti-social and illegal activity that has been taking place within the same space. This has at times, made us a target. At times personally, that was difficult, to know that I could not escape at the end of the session to somewhere else, as this is where I live. Also, in making this work you become more visible in the community, this can sometimes be inconvenient, and can leak into family time. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1Zz0aupJ9EvTOlFPWUQ2Vh29G7TNNzC8nFiCjIxC3FYszFgTRvTg1jACDjsLDgzlGXG2EnBFIP_yknlcGh-ZH_-kKCl85t5hGylIqiRSlW2CQAsSAHb8OHmnUmkWFJOwRwhr3WF4VHBh/s1600/community-maker-year3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1Zz0aupJ9EvTOlFPWUQ2Vh29G7TNNzC8nFiCjIxC3FYszFgTRvTg1jACDjsLDgzlGXG2EnBFIP_yknlcGh-ZH_-kKCl85t5hGylIqiRSlW2CQAsSAHb8OHmnUmkWFJOwRwhr3WF4VHBh/s320/community-maker-year3-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
To consider the outcomes over the three years, the intention of creating a ware which could be in people's cupboards has transformed into something new, more complex and in response to the community but what we have done is listed here:</div>
<div>
- imagery for community maker wares to be made in the future</div>
<div>
- lots of photos of activity</div>
<div>
- a business plan for a community led development project</div>
<div>
- a community interest company set up</div>
<div>
- a successful (under 15k) arts council project delivered (in addition to the Paul Hamlyn funded project)</div>
<div>
- a brilliant partnership with Rebecca Davies</div>
<div>
- a core group of active neighbours working together<br />
- a set of partner organisations who will continue to be involved in the development of the project</div>
<div>
- a community asset transfer (CAT) of the Portland Inn Pub in progress</div>
<div>
- a commitment of £50,000 from the council to shore up the building once the CAT is in place</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBMA_IEXXrR4-7BfYdFtiYR3ICxryTSBZbQnwNyslEY0C8xKd-GnwiP1RL9EjY3ogst0jZDq224S_lgOKa8QOYWG2izXuUwy1Ohzay_Jho0X8BahdKgDkOl4zXEoP91esXla-1upw8Ip1/s1600/community-maker-year3-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBMA_IEXXrR4-7BfYdFtiYR3ICxryTSBZbQnwNyslEY0C8xKd-GnwiP1RL9EjY3ogst0jZDq224S_lgOKa8QOYWG2izXuUwy1Ohzay_Jho0X8BahdKgDkOl4zXEoP91esXla-1upw8Ip1/s320/community-maker-year3-5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In terms of what is next for the project.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Rebecca Davies and I are going to the Scottish Sculpture Workshop for the best part of a month in February - March, to spend some time together working on the project. We will be writing some funding applications, thinking about the development of the organisation, testing out the making of some wares which can potentially be sold to support the funding of the project, and setting up a crowd funder. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We want to continue the Community Maker project within the Portland Inn - first making fixtures and fittings for the pub over the summer, then making the wares we have now designed with the community, which can go into production.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Longer term, we want to work with Industry partners to offer apprenticeships in the community, responding to the recognised skills gap in the city, by training apprentices in skills that can lead them into work. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The next few years are going to be busy.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf2A-YdvS6ZzylFAflFSd5tuckQMR1eNINrQy2YcKrqPT0NJIj7Dry1-boPlv89AoJWzbg8T8kP8rKLRBpWno46LoK9uxgKIqa-sGCOnODFVL2zsmeAG4CUoNxCk-TGexTg3_2U4LE3TA/s1600/the-portland-inn-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="945" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf2A-YdvS6ZzylFAflFSd5tuckQMR1eNINrQy2YcKrqPT0NJIj7Dry1-boPlv89AoJWzbg8T8kP8rKLRBpWno46LoK9uxgKIqa-sGCOnODFVL2zsmeAG4CUoNxCk-TGexTg3_2U4LE3TA/s320/the-portland-inn-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-66533154028835588232017-11-24T12:16:00.001+00:002017-11-24T12:16:50.676+00:00Article written for 'The Conversation' on Artwashing Gentrification.<h1>'Artwashing' gentrification is a problem – but vilifying the artists involved is not the answer</h1>
<figure>
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188755/original/file-20171004-6700-6gpk48.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="File 20171004 6700 6gpk48.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1" />
<figcaption>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/129231073@N06/31270115413/in/photolist-PDevSV-QDJQHo-YL543f-SZuwPY-7Vc4i4-yKzzQZ-zpWyTp-XFRx84-yKqy4w-WCUwhm-VY5PK5-e3b9q5-jXHtiX-8Bu1Ka-LU73of-v8oV2N-8b2rce-LwzTk-52XZFq-VY5DT1-LU8ucX-MRzNEP-MpxEty-MRzQ5H-MNxGPJ-6TbfyF-W1B1zt-Ac6qcU-Eaogsg-w5oYme-DATPQM-H72dDc-DcZk4t-DcXjkD-DATFcV-DcDLPY-DcXbmT-DAQKUr-E7ZhpL-DAQTTx-EanQPP-EanCB2-DASSjr-DcCc4y-EakDXT-E81fAU-E28yLZ-DcXRKx-DcCmyq-DYW5k5">Fred Romero / Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anna-francis-405036">Anna Francis</a>, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/staffordshire-university-1381">Staffordshire University</a></em></span>
<p>The value of culture in regenerating cities has long been recognised. Sometimes this happens centrally, whether via the commissioning of high profile public artworks, or the rebranding of city areas as cultural quarters. But in many cities, culture led redevelopment occurs organically.</p>
<p>Artists, generally on relatively low incomes, move to areas of the city where rents are affordable. The presence of the artists make the area interesting, leading to more interest in property in the area, and ultimately, seeing the area develop. Sadly, this process usually ends with the artists having to move on, as rents increase.</p>
<p>Councils and developers are now attempting to emulate these organic, artist-led processes, by purposefully moving artists in to areas of cities which they wish to see developed. The presence of the artists in this new contrived context is conceived, from the start, as an interim measure. In the worst cases, it is intended as a distraction from the dirty business of clearance and demolition. This has been <a href="https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/06/the-pernicious-realities-of-artwashing/373289/">described</a> as “a cleansing process in which the artists moving into a burgeoning area were treated by developers as a form of regenerative detergent”. Given such language, it is perhaps unsurprising that the artists involved in these schemes are finding their work labelled “artwash”. </p>
<p>“Artwash” is a relatively new term. It seems to have first been used to critique corporate sponsorship of the arts: large companies establishing a relationship with a cultural venue with the aim of improving their reputation. BP, for example, has long sponsored the Tate galleries in London, something that has prompted much protest. A spokesperson from one such protest group, Liberate Tate, <a href="http://www.anthropocene.online/liberate-tate.html">explains</a>: “Artwash is the process whereby a company buys advertising space within a gallery in order to cover up negative public image.”</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188756/original/file-20171004-6697-n89esf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A 2015 protest against BP’s sponsorship of Tate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/slowkodachrome/18944490672/in/photolist-pzSMPG-pSjW2x-pQeesu-q1qwq1-pHS3DB-pHXnpy-pzTSuv-pQef6U-pSp7dy-pzVMpu-pSp7mu-pS67AH-oVtpW3-pzSMDb-pSpbrd-pSjWnc-pzTM38-oVwx2Z-pzSLYd-pzTMek-pSjW5D-pSjVWx-4y9ZYG-oSsS6X-oVtqG1-pzTLU2-pSjVTM-oVtuEm-pzSRPq-Bhwq4g-pS6dbF-jkdHWs-uSwRvz-uS4t4w-uSwRn8-uzX47N-uQdmUL-uA5wiP-tVw5jG-tVFTyn-tVw59m-uA5w9v">slowkodachrome/flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Naming and shaming</h2>
<p>But now accusations of artwashing are reaching beyond corporate sponsorship to apply to individual artists in local communities. A new practice of naming and shaming artists working within the context of gentrification, particularly in larger cities where large scale development is taking place, has seen some artists working in social contexts accused of being “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2016/jul/18/artwashing-new-watchword-for-anti-gentrification-protesters">artwashing gentrifiers</a>”. In extreme cases, galleries and artists are being <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2016/jul/18/artwashing-new-watchword-for-anti-gentrification-protesters">run out of town</a>.</p>
<p>These recent, predominantly online attacks on artists and arts organisations have seen the artists being named as responsible within the process. At best they are labelled as naive to the developer’s game, and at worst complicit. </p>
<p>This practice is becoming particularly controversial in London because new development and fast gentrification is reaching an all time high, pushing more and more local populations out of their homes. Questions around who is really to blame for such a damaging form of gentrification are becoming more urgent. And more ugly.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188750/original/file-20171004-6753-110dyhm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A developer-led project in Deptford, London.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/2750697650/in/photolist-5Wrp9W-6Nt22j-eYRfaB-5bZLAz-6xYWoV-6y45gh-wu54Gu-wvGNay-vznD4G-PoWVYR-wwRU28-KgsUVq-KgsTab-6y44wA-5c53zy">Ewan Munro / Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The emerging animosity towards artists has led to a number of groups being set up in order to <a href="http://poplarpeople.co.uk/artwashing">target artists working within regeneration contexts</a>. The groups include activists, but in some cases, artists and academics are behind the campaigns, which use Twitter and other online platforms to voice dissent. </p>
<p>Interestingly, even artists aiming to question the role of the arts within processes of regeneration are finding themselves targets of the online criticism. I experienced this first hand when delivering an art project in London earlier this year. </p>
<h2>Estate Agency</h2>
<p>The project, “<a href="http://www.campbellworks.org/content/estate-agency">Estate Agency</a>”, involved a staged closure of London’s <a href="http://www.campbellworks.org/content/about">Campbell Works Art Space</a>, to see it reopen as a fake estate agency displaying affordable property in Stoke-on-Trent. The project aimed to raise questions around the experience of many London based artists and arts organisations, who have been finding it ever more difficult to afford to remain in the capital. </p>
<p>The Stoke Newington area, where Campbell Works is based, has seen property prices rocketing in recent years. Over the course of the project we heard many stories about the loss of community and the devastating impact of gentrification on people’s lives and sense of self. The creeping processes of gentrification, which can happen gradually, are often difficult to pinpoint. We aimed to make these processes of change more visible, and to create a space to discuss issues raised.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188746/original/file-20171004-6742-dlk7rk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188746/original/file-20171004-6742-dlk7rk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Estate Agency poster.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Anna Francis</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The manner in which we did so was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. “#YourLifeButBetter” was blazoned on the “estate agency”, which reframed Stoke-on-Trent (a city which became known as Brexit Capital last year) as a viable place for artists to move to, with affordable housing and studio space on display. Stoke is bidding for City of Culture 2021, and as such, is actively courting a new future via arts and cultural activity.</p>
<p>The aim was to create a space to understand the role of art and artists in these challenging contexts. Using the language and imagery of developers and prospectors, the project also explored the experience of towns like Margate; where swathes of artists moving in have changed the cultural make up at an alarming speed. </p>
<p>In dealing with the thorny issue of culture-led development, we found ourselves under fire by <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%20%23artwashing&src=typd">online critics</a>. They accused us of the very processes we were seeking to critique. Imagery and slogans from the project were taken up by online activists, who accused the project of artwashing gentrification. Their main objection was our use of irony in relation to a serious issue which is affecting people’s lives.</p>
<p>In understanding the role that art and culture can have in changing places, it is now important to ask if what we are creating is of benefit to everyone concerned. Artists have a role to play in both questioning the processes of regeneration, but also, I believe, in supporting communities within these places to articulate their experience, and to advocate for their rights. Far from being an artwash, this can be a celebratory and cathartic activity – even if the outcome, eventually, is the same.</p>
<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anna-francis-405036">Anna Francis</a>, Associate Professor of Fine Art and Social Practice, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/staffordshire-university-1381">Staffordshire University</a></em></span></p>
<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/artwashing-gentrification-is-a-problem-but-vilifying-the-artists-involved-is-not-the-answer-83739">original article</a>.</p>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-55639990093382567402017-11-22T17:41:00.000+00:002017-11-23T09:47:33.014+00:00The final year of Community Maker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRwv8K_gmv_-WJcBR3gRklSiRYzRizFdxJpK_dauoCpkR2bIBmURXyMdWxClRKDZxdQednAFSRXpc4SOl4Jwwjo24PIb-bRQH6RYS41VBJWnKTYgVrdWPtvqr4g_EgnqHeoeSiorU0oJj/s1600/community+maker+backstamp-01+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRwv8K_gmv_-WJcBR3gRklSiRYzRizFdxJpK_dauoCpkR2bIBmURXyMdWxClRKDZxdQednAFSRXpc4SOl4Jwwjo24PIb-bRQH6RYS41VBJWnKTYgVrdWPtvqr4g_EgnqHeoeSiorU0oJj/s320/community+maker+backstamp-01+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The 3 year Paul Hamlyn funding for the Community Maker project ends this year, so in many ways the 3rd year of the project could be seen as the end point, and as a good point to stop and catch our breath, but also it is a time to reflect and plan for the future.The project has been a partnership between British Ceramics Biennial and AirSpace Gallery, with me as lead artist. First, it is important to note down everything that has happened within Community Maker over the summer of 2017.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjwNTrCIXTYoZ6GqmR4HWrtfVf2RMP6BYwuGSTuHg7ba4IKECcU0xvWfV8OaX0f6YfibHoDCX1SlSzP2k8A1rwyu1rLqmJkRIeV-b4bPRNaZdwsfHqKlSviwhraXTiKkrc2-Sf7UHM5Sm/s1600/11850862_10206920986524197_956508782_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjwNTrCIXTYoZ6GqmR4HWrtfVf2RMP6BYwuGSTuHg7ba4IKECcU0xvWfV8OaX0f6YfibHoDCX1SlSzP2k8A1rwyu1rLqmJkRIeV-b4bPRNaZdwsfHqKlSviwhraXTiKkrc2-Sf7UHM5Sm/s320/11850862_10206920986524197_956508782_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So,at the end of year one, the biggest finding from the project was that the community is desperate for a space to meet, and to put on events and activities; as being outside means you are really exposed to the weather and other elements. This was also demonstrated by Rebecca Davies in her Oasis Social Club project. These findings led to the offer of The Portland Inn pub, a question from the Council about whether the community could take it over, and run it. For the second year of the project's immense activity, I partnered with artist Rebecca Davies to apply to Arts Council, and we tested and delivered 54 activities and events over 4 weeks, with a recorded 622 participants.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQz07Gjnq0THFC6MXp2akHSrcDmLzAol3HiPonHztiiSk4JEfH_U_chtmnl-xT55v1oL4YX6fLQDapKI8td3GWCivMfdGcBJf_itBala6MBMUmssVO4cd-0w5Gk_cKtURNJFloNGmxn9q/s1600/portlandinn_poster_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQz07Gjnq0THFC6MXp2akHSrcDmLzAol3HiPonHztiiSk4JEfH_U_chtmnl-xT55v1oL4YX6fLQDapKI8td3GWCivMfdGcBJf_itBala6MBMUmssVO4cd-0w5Gk_cKtURNJFloNGmxn9q/s320/portlandinn_poster_front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After that, Rebecca Davies and I worked on a business plan, based on our programme and everything we had learned, in order to begin the process of a Community Asset Transfer of the building. This was handed in in November 2016, and since then we have continued to campaign to get the building. In the meantime it was important to ensure that there was still a presence within the area, even though, in the background, we are working hard, this is not visible on the ground. So, the final year of Community Maker has been about continuing the conversation about what the building can be, and what the community needs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzOW5PftI1rHUokrsQMUdPOuh1F_qbWQlsc6v8NuIfiPnLF0zKpPf0PhGEko1_FQCeSii7L8UavBE15UpVuCTQg751y965vHnpVc6kX3UZJNfYPB8kkv9rRS8WWimHuqlqZljvLWFMHBe/s1600/tile-making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzOW5PftI1rHUokrsQMUdPOuh1F_qbWQlsc6v8NuIfiPnLF0zKpPf0PhGEko1_FQCeSii7L8UavBE15UpVuCTQg751y965vHnpVc6kX3UZJNfYPB8kkv9rRS8WWimHuqlqZljvLWFMHBe/s320/tile-making.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Image: Tile making decal imagery created by Community Maker participant.</span></div>
The Portland Inn, in Summer 2017, was uninhabitable, the hole in the roof is much worse, and the spaces are very mouldy and unhealthy. This meant that we were back in the tent in the green space again for our programme of activities.<br />
As it announced on the brochure of activity, that was delivered to each of the houses in the area: 'Clay has been used to gather and activate the community, encouraging individuals to communicate and form ideas about the future of our place.<br />
This summer, you can join Anna Francis to complete a series of interactive 'clay tests'. The tests are designed to see what types of clay and creative engagement should sit within the heart of the new social enterprise, The Portland Inn Pub.'<br />
The plan was to have a launch event, and then a few weeks later, to begin a series of 4 Saturday making sessions, from 1-4pm with a core group of individuals, signing up to attend all of the sessions.<br />
We learned in year one, that asking people in the area to commit to a programme was impossible, I had thought this may be because the project, and I, were new to the area, and that given that 2017 was the third year, perhaps our commitment to the community may be matched by some members of the community committing to 4 Saturdays with us this year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRksbv7QqBh9MpuaqV1pQ_5Okh6fDeklB7o2-0GrPnsov_-CPVup5nXjgYgf12nNcy0zz_NX9vgLfa6_uDJ05sjFzJziOjhQ08kBegbUJ0zIEqRGnokoSI59hbPKoM6V7IUVH1NnyTyCzi/s1600/faces1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRksbv7QqBh9MpuaqV1pQ_5Okh6fDeklB7o2-0GrPnsov_-CPVup5nXjgYgf12nNcy0zz_NX9vgLfa6_uDJ05sjFzJziOjhQ08kBegbUJ0zIEqRGnokoSI59hbPKoM6V7IUVH1NnyTyCzi/s320/faces1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Image: Faces of the Community decal imagery created by Community Maker participants.</span></div>
The launch showed that people weren't really confident to commit to this, and there are a number of factors that could have affected this. 1. being back in a tent - we are in a temporary structure, with no heating, ammenities etc.<br />
2. problems affecting the area in 2017.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WX1L2eGzLwg6-zhe9EkbQV3o1gVmXU5MX44BgXiyOSVAGBuBv8peQec_SOuGL_3NP8M1WczeBrobVtc8WFfjaAd3Jf5pc9c0nJBv00M9csmBuyLRweRW7ZJNVqw8t9mRnizHL2ie8qx9/s1600/community-maker-houses-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WX1L2eGzLwg6-zhe9EkbQV3o1gVmXU5MX44BgXiyOSVAGBuBv8peQec_SOuGL_3NP8M1WczeBrobVtc8WFfjaAd3Jf5pc9c0nJBv00M9csmBuyLRweRW7ZJNVqw8t9mRnizHL2ie8qx9/s320/community-maker-houses-final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Image: House decal imagery created by Community Maker participants.</span></div>
When the project began in Summer 2015, the one pound home owners had been moved in for approximately one year, and though there were still a number of residual issues, of fly tipping and some minor anti-social behaviour, things felt to be improving in the area. Our programme on the green space that summer was well attended, it was a pleasant place to be based and there was a lot of positivity and hope.<br />
This then gave us a measure, to see how much had changed in the area in Summer 2017.<br />
From the very first event, we noticed a change in atmosphere on the green space. Living close by, I was already aware that the well reported problems with addiction to legal highs in the city were impacting locally. It was also evident that a number of properties in the area were being operated by drug dealers. This, along with a public space protection order on the city centre, meant that the green space where we were hosting creative activity, which was just outside the protection order zone, had become known as a space to easily access, and consume drugs. We learned during the project, that it is known as 'The Mamba Fields.'<br />
The associated problems caused by the above meant that running the project on the space was very challenging. We realised quickly that we needed at least 4 people to be present at each event, in order to manage the space, assure the safety of participants, and still deliver a viable and productive workshop. At times, the precariousness of the situation left us feeling very exposed. <br />
<br />
The situation for the residents, participants in the activity too came into focus via the project. People told us that the green space was now viewed as a no go zone, and that the community would avoid the space when we were not there. All of this showed a need to reconnect the community to the services tasked with operating in the area. We contacted Marvin Molloy from My community Matters, a key partner in our work in the area, to ask him to help us to set up a meeting. The community were invited along with key service providers, the police, anti-social behaviour teams, drug services, housing teams, selective licensing team, and others. The idea of the meeting was to make visible the challenges in the area, and to ask for a multi-agency approach to dealing with the issues. The first meeting, there was a brilliant turn out from the community, but a disappointing turn out from the services, key partners were missing. At this stage, Marvin and I got in touch with our local MP Ruth Smeeth. Ruth has been a real champion of the project, and so we felt it was important to get her support in engaging the services. With Ruth's support, more of the services were engaged in understanding the urgency of the challenges being faced by the Community. Neighbours came to the meeting and talked about 'fear of walking into town' and young people refusing to leave the house, as they didn't feel safe.<br />
<br />
Since then, a monthly meeting has taken place with the community, but with the services meeting fortnightly, to first set targets, and then to deliver the changes needed to improve on some of the problems in the area, without simply passing them on to somewhere else (as has happened here as a result of the public space protection order). This has been really positive, and within weeks the improvements to the look and feel of the area were visible. Community members have been incredibly active, and vocal about what was needed, and this has made a difficult situation better, quickly. There is still more to be done, but everyone is working together to ensure support is given where needed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC8K-3VVcgHkRjIQ-HEnV96bfi7FAI9WrIi5QQnQgdGPcqZayAQAytphYO4RP5_psVW0DQlZO34tBF7Ukp5UjY84Hl27QctMjvZAsJycgWR52fye-H2YF0liPTvUdSuh-cO9D2DeZ2Z4A/s1600/heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHC8K-3VVcgHkRjIQ-HEnV96bfi7FAI9WrIi5QQnQgdGPcqZayAQAytphYO4RP5_psVW0DQlZO34tBF7Ukp5UjY84Hl27QctMjvZAsJycgWR52fye-H2YF0liPTvUdSuh-cO9D2DeZ2Z4A/s320/heart.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image: Heart decal imagery created by Community Maker participant.</span></div>
Leading the project over the years, and delivering the summer programme, meant we were able to see quickly, matters affecting the community, because they affect us too. The challenges this summer in delivering the workshops have galvanised the community around the project, really bringing everyone together around a common goal of improving the neighbourhood for those that live here.<br />
<br />
In many ways, the creative activity, making with clay, became secondary to the work needed to deal with some of the issues we faced in working here, and at times the real work felt to be in advocating for the community in the all services meetings, but still, a programme of creative workshops was delivered over a month.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8A0J7Cp90BlG1GamXkdPIKFRqqnAIyRulHpwWKRy7wQdYHtbJfy4azxoErKRLJgEe9IbWsi0fohUdRfjgJni7IA_3Fq7VtxkPOTSThAPqBneeWyc9cw1TDOR4o-RjNFH6mueYC9Dp7LD/s1600/community-maker-year3-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8A0J7Cp90BlG1GamXkdPIKFRqqnAIyRulHpwWKRy7wQdYHtbJfy4azxoErKRLJgEe9IbWsi0fohUdRfjgJni7IA_3Fq7VtxkPOTSThAPqBneeWyc9cw1TDOR4o-RjNFH6mueYC9Dp7LD/s320/community-maker-year3-5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
We wanted this time to see if we could make something quite sophisticated with the community. Alice Thatcher, our ceramics specialist on the project, has been working with us since year one, and knows the community well now, and has a great rapport with everyone. For both Alice and I, it was important that though we may have been operating from a bell tent on a green space, we wanted to step up a gear in terms of the ceramic skills being covered.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClS9YR6NVNdxUSMwqUvcpT8kqykGF8b3HSTczU7jBUOBs6m9oDz9vOL3jXa_NrYGBAQwjkHmRZWQSszXuT6dr7a4iPM5L3qDtJVwaY6glsz0XsV5EyOXH-6t7sU5zg4VnxmbNVvnP2BVq/s1600/community-maker-year3-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClS9YR6NVNdxUSMwqUvcpT8kqykGF8b3HSTczU7jBUOBs6m9oDz9vOL3jXa_NrYGBAQwjkHmRZWQSszXuT6dr7a4iPM5L3qDtJVwaY6glsz0XsV5EyOXH-6t7sU5zg4VnxmbNVvnP2BVq/s320/community-maker-year3-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In week one, we brought moulds to the space and made press moulded plates with the community.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM4DU7HJj0SaFDwkrDgqVTBMXamyvk_vX1unAFG1Sc1Lj7duXMmFfJ9Zm9FUv7ko0AWFspxbCzn9PG_kX_boYEEuUnny76Z7hBRNAP4NBOhIPfbhyphenhyphenYiQr52VUGrRXb4RrEBdzsAreX7O7/s1600/community-maker-year3-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="960" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM4DU7HJj0SaFDwkrDgqVTBMXamyvk_vX1unAFG1Sc1Lj7duXMmFfJ9Zm9FUv7ko0AWFspxbCzn9PG_kX_boYEEuUnny76Z7hBRNAP4NBOhIPfbhyphenhyphenYiQr52VUGrRXb4RrEBdzsAreX7O7/s320/community-maker-year3-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In week two, we worked on printing with clay, and making clay stamps, while our plates dried out and were fired.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-W99g-a88ae07sp2UwI47enw8Aq4Mn6Ql9L4OoveODXzOURH_rEup8muWVxJcXCwP-3bl7Hn8e1dMLUg16jV-BAv9r_yumSmBgKMmvSlYSJNtMlyNp9ifpXgPfOe-tAarbT3MMtqCtaK/s1600/community-maker-year3-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-W99g-a88ae07sp2UwI47enw8Aq4Mn6Ql9L4OoveODXzOURH_rEup8muWVxJcXCwP-3bl7Hn8e1dMLUg16jV-BAv9r_yumSmBgKMmvSlYSJNtMlyNp9ifpXgPfOe-tAarbT3MMtqCtaK/s320/community-maker-year3-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In week three the plates returned to the space to be glazed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJKcs_reqKQ2JgwybJRSYcA6QsnF5KbO5COuVxLGL8WRmSP0Eq7aDDMI13LgZ4PwWEiQMbOZliiIDbmtHQQ6R3isp713ETLuwyPi6imkhyphenhyphendM-f2Qpz8AWYPfxdr5NQJPLRvnH6WsdIwZT/s1600/community-maker-year3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJKcs_reqKQ2JgwybJRSYcA6QsnF5KbO5COuVxLGL8WRmSP0Eq7aDDMI13LgZ4PwWEiQMbOZliiIDbmtHQQ6R3isp713ETLuwyPi6imkhyphenhyphendM-f2Qpz8AWYPfxdr5NQJPLRvnH6WsdIwZT/s320/community-maker-year3-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Finally in week four decals made from images from year one and two were applied to the plates.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-d6c7oJOQvfaXzS3vRlZ57Oj_37iqYQQSyeoKuU6sJM5I5PiDeAzhgD1B4YKupncZcz4MlSx4tOpMqGunKiuTl_ZFfwo4CYlZAiNaAhMmOZbz-gMhrYfOAsoZxktaaF2hLQaktOPLzzE/s1600/community-maker-year3-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-d6c7oJOQvfaXzS3vRlZ57Oj_37iqYQQSyeoKuU6sJM5I5PiDeAzhgD1B4YKupncZcz4MlSx4tOpMqGunKiuTl_ZFfwo4CYlZAiNaAhMmOZbz-gMhrYfOAsoZxktaaF2hLQaktOPLzzE/s320/community-maker-year3-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We had a lot of rain over the weeks, but the final session in pouring rain showed the commitment of participants, who stayed for the whole 3 hour session, despite the rain and the cold.<br />
This session was very special, with participants, some who had come for all three years, but some who had only just started to come this year, told us how important the sessions have been for them. Working with clay has provided a moment of pause for people, the transformative nature of the material, which can move from one state to another quickly, without fuss feels like a mirror for the community. 'We're going to miss these sessions,' one neighbour said.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1NDlVqIgswzuXELrhPTBhSBaNWI0240ioitkEGbGjdr4kpgtxwCN54f8hOe8HqpJqLiJN65YQNM2ZD-srJThplkH7JQk4m5RKVwhdsaG6zoVod769Yj973Wt0ft0tymaAeftZq-mf6hx/s1600/community-maker-exhibition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1NDlVqIgswzuXELrhPTBhSBaNWI0240ioitkEGbGjdr4kpgtxwCN54f8hOe8HqpJqLiJN65YQNM2ZD-srJThplkH7JQk4m5RKVwhdsaG6zoVod769Yj973Wt0ft0tymaAeftZq-mf6hx/s320/community-maker-exhibition.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The Community Maker plates made during this summer's workshops were displayed at the British Ceramics Biennial from September to November. Thousands of people saw works made by our community on display beside the biggest names in ceramics. A special meal was hosted one Saturday of the festival, with key participants from the project invited for a 3 course gathering, eating from the plates we made. We invited our local MP, and drank a toast to the project, and to the community.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCylNfHki3i-EUb3WilrP8lmpUnxg6CVg7Sww4ViTBbu1h7zTu0d29KCnRCbNWL1ah3JXwnNl5Kw4bvTZxLhv6OVj8NSBRrElD8ckD2Xx5hgSLfOPFyoWkXj7E3evMTmRmg1ILp37y-7sL/s1600/community-maker-year3-7+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="959" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCylNfHki3i-EUb3WilrP8lmpUnxg6CVg7Sww4ViTBbu1h7zTu0d29KCnRCbNWL1ah3JXwnNl5Kw4bvTZxLhv6OVj8NSBRrElD8ckD2Xx5hgSLfOPFyoWkXj7E3evMTmRmg1ILp37y-7sL/s320/community-maker-year3-7+copy.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
Perhaps the very last events for Community Maker were a community bonfire for bonfire night, where bricks were made, as memory boxes, by firelight to be fired live in a raku kiln, at the Christmas Celebration, planned for mid-December.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqTa4Vp_noyYAMf4gJBsVx-KbGfHtHzr1pvKvgm7odMQTU0HEwDClo3WtrMxZ8wpKB2WCN-Uyhe9Q65GmIMQ4h4frmIZtSEQxIMdjBAwEDJUy0k9H9fLNINuWLspwd7-aA_UJt63Qph81/s1600/community-maker-year3-8+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqTa4Vp_noyYAMf4gJBsVx-KbGfHtHzr1pvKvgm7odMQTU0HEwDClo3WtrMxZ8wpKB2WCN-Uyhe9Q65GmIMQ4h4frmIZtSEQxIMdjBAwEDJUy0k9H9fLNINuWLspwd7-aA_UJt63Qph81/s320/community-maker-year3-8+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
These two events are different from the others, as they were not planned within the Community Maker project, but instead are events which the community has organised, and asked us to support. This is an important moment. Over the three years that we have been running the project, we have organised or been central to organising events and activity FOR the community, these two events are a turning point, we are now working on events WITH the community. That is the most important outcome of the Community Maker project in my book.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5GUcvYadAAVzMMkStIF5cd2wVZQtclqwVebyA2drydFbN2Ddxks9gEI1XQNXQ-UnrwnzXF6XEUyVWLJKPOWWlhhzCYqFclKCI5dPOYpBcxfL2d_EUlVgslcJOFixvhTF0rulCmmBvPyn/s1600/community-maker-year3-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5GUcvYadAAVzMMkStIF5cd2wVZQtclqwVebyA2drydFbN2Ddxks9gEI1XQNXQ-UnrwnzXF6XEUyVWLJKPOWWlhhzCYqFclKCI5dPOYpBcxfL2d_EUlVgslcJOFixvhTF0rulCmmBvPyn/s320/community-maker-year3-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The urgency to have the Portland Inn transferred into community ownership became very clear this summer. This community needs a project like this, in order to be able to respond quickly to changes, and to be a support network for each other. As much as we love our tent, we know we cannot have another summer like 2017. Rebecca Davies and I along with the partners in the project are working with the council to make the project happen, and coming up with a plan for Summer 2018, to ensure the community has a space to meet and make together, even if the pub is inaccessible, hopefully, due to renovation.<br />
<br />
Community Maker was used as a case study in the Local Government Association publication <a href="https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/12.3%20-%20culture%20and%20place_v4_1_1.pdf" target="_blank">'People, Culture, Place - the role of culture in Placemaking.' </a> and within the newly launched Culture Hub, a partnership by LGA and Arts Council England, highlighting good practice in delivering culture with councils and their partners.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-78176215707261333682017-09-15T17:11:00.002+01:002017-09-15T17:12:22.975+01:00The People's Walk of Fame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiratENImWAvAvCNeUG1seABwJu3pNUbwBHPdZrKTRx9R_LcmMchIT8vE-Hxf2JUtcIMOsznH5Tn2hkS5lW_yK1-Vd-KXDEeWNLfRvQ0SQKw5XzOhYWqpVKq3b-gixRD2v2THElajzYl9fR/s1600/LOGO_WITHLOGOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiratENImWAvAvCNeUG1seABwJu3pNUbwBHPdZrKTRx9R_LcmMchIT8vE-Hxf2JUtcIMOsznH5Tn2hkS5lW_yK1-Vd-KXDEeWNLfRvQ0SQKw5XzOhYWqpVKq3b-gixRD2v2THElajzYl9fR/s320/LOGO_WITHLOGOS.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today, in Hanley Market, Fountain Square, myself and artists Rebecca Davies and Glen Stoker launched 'The People's Walk of Fame' for Stoke-on-Trent.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
From a market stall we talked to the great and the good of the City about who should be represented in a Walk of Fame and why. Far from being a list of Stoke Celebrities, we hope to hear stories about brilliant people from all walks of life, past and present from across the city - and we were not disappointed today.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We heard some familiar names, Stanley Matthews, Arnold Bennett and Reginald Mitchell, but we also heard from Shel, about her elderly neighbour Ray, who died earlier this year, but who had looked after her and her family when her husband had a brain injury, and about how people like Ray are so important in making a city a place to live.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M_URQcBToB0yoKu9g5tZls6MGU9e_Y3i1N6ZIoRt42SDECZ2-uJsYo7YrZ159jm6K4SkA7Ivxoc218yQsCoETnM6ahDnzLkvrZPYw0hqlOHxlsw8Gl1YbFwao0lohK3Pvx08YUlF2FKZ/s1600/FLYER_BACK_PRINT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M_URQcBToB0yoKu9g5tZls6MGU9e_Y3i1N6ZIoRt42SDECZ2-uJsYo7YrZ159jm6K4SkA7Ivxoc218yQsCoETnM6ahDnzLkvrZPYw0hqlOHxlsw8Gl1YbFwao0lohK3Pvx08YUlF2FKZ/s320/FLYER_BACK_PRINT.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Over the next month we will be visiting the 6 towns to talk to people about their Stoke Heroes, and then on 17th October, we will be back in Hanley with the longlist from across the city. People will then be able to vote for the shortlist, whose names will go forward for a public artwork for the centre of the city.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The idea of a Walk of Fame comes from Hollywood Boulevard, where stars of stage and screen have their names in the pavement. This is a fun idea for Hollywood, but for Stoke, we thought about something much more grounded. The idea of a Walk of Fame made us think of shoes, and creating a journey. I like the idea that you could try on your heroes shoes, it feels aspirational, and invites participation, so our idea for a public artwork is to create a series of trails of shoes to follow, tracking the names of Stoke People who have made a contribution to the city's development, its history, its reputation, voted for by the people of the city today. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Lol0SFqhOmLYyDIL_DiS7sTcan_82ZUUenceURNMaDj-nsik3b7kG0msdLmf2Nzy9qIJzeUuDvRz_gGtckjEi1WgcNrNa346Q2OQ63mvqomS_z5bOEOmZEXcT-jrwAv3DFapcHLohyphenhyphenvk/s1600/A3_FAME_POSTER_2_WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Lol0SFqhOmLYyDIL_DiS7sTcan_82ZUUenceURNMaDj-nsik3b7kG0msdLmf2Nzy9qIJzeUuDvRz_gGtckjEi1WgcNrNa346Q2OQ63mvqomS_z5bOEOmZEXcT-jrwAv3DFapcHLohyphenhyphenvk/s320/A3_FAME_POSTER_2_WEB.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I am looking forward to hearing people's stories from across the city, of who should be celebrated. After just one day, we have already heard some brilliant tales. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We met Mike Bailey, working on the stall next to us in Hanley Market. A true legend of the city, selling perfume and wigs, Mike has been working the market for 40 years. Mike was very generous, helping us to sort our pitch and get a gazebo up, and welcoming us to Market - he even got a surprise vote for the People's Walk of Fame.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
People can vote online here until 15th October: <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/P77BCHJ">https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/P77BCHJ</a></div>
Enormous thanks to Rebecca Davies for the brilliant artwork for the project.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-67668254684554519232017-08-15T12:31:00.001+01:002017-08-17T17:48:33.451+01:00Spode Rose Garden at RHS TattonBack in 2013, Andrew Branscombe, Glen Stoker and I embarked upon a mission: to see an abandoned garden in the heart of the Town of Stoke transformed. <a href="http://www.airspacegallery.org/index.php/projects/the_spode_rose_garden" target="_blank">Details here about the history of the project</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnkm2zgiZi-AYfY_K_zualpu5u6TPGILTwmSplXVNFIZUTy8nLUMiYPbaAA_mwpr5x_7Vd2otbO-boowoXCNLvwEgpdJflxmyOEddOTOtnqgVQ66NSIsD9Du_zkpiB_5-_5zbyCEbqaYw/s1600/action-research.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnkm2zgiZi-AYfY_K_zualpu5u6TPGILTwmSplXVNFIZUTy8nLUMiYPbaAA_mwpr5x_7Vd2otbO-boowoXCNLvwEgpdJflxmyOEddOTOtnqgVQ66NSIsD9Du_zkpiB_5-_5zbyCEbqaYw/s320/action-research.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
Using an Action research approach, we worked with a ceramic flower maker (Rita Floyd), and a rose breeder (Gareth Fryer), to create a new species of rose, which would draw attention to the abandoned garden, and cause people in the city to question its state. Our dream was to bring together the people and resources necessary to see the garden transformed, and more, to work together with others to ensure the future sustainability of the garden.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPLvLsfbJSmdsTH1fPt6iSpK0XcSDFTgxzt9yeOsxVkBSUN25uf2e3ZjVJYWdd3fxBP5nE-Xrme7xlwoa9jjg8sYC70EI0f3h7e1GWLp0CXYQjtMH_r6X9z5taB89iDscII_YO2LMSWj6/s1600/spode-rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="1600" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPLvLsfbJSmdsTH1fPt6iSpK0XcSDFTgxzt9yeOsxVkBSUN25uf2e3ZjVJYWdd3fxBP5nE-Xrme7xlwoa9jjg8sYC70EI0f3h7e1GWLp0CXYQjtMH_r6X9z5taB89iDscII_YO2LMSWj6/s400/spode-rose.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In 2015 a Councillor noticed what we were doing, and towards the end of the year, we built a relationship with the city council, who owned the garden, to work together to secure funding to form a group and to renovate the garden.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyqAaJrKrRw6xkVTsivRcE9HqJKNv0LABbGepKyTj1XFFZyDZVmZXoStYUQFjSduWZkDmOoPFubDB1-V-pQ76Hn4PEHBJZ_PqWZfjcDQhSozJ7EwWJg4oA_J5-l5gh5-hE0hczQQ5QvXN/s1600/spode-rose-transform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyqAaJrKrRw6xkVTsivRcE9HqJKNv0LABbGepKyTj1XFFZyDZVmZXoStYUQFjSduWZkDmOoPFubDB1-V-pQ76Hn4PEHBJZ_PqWZfjcDQhSozJ7EwWJg4oA_J5-l5gh5-hE0hczQQ5QvXN/s640/spode-rose-transform.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
A Friends of Spode Rose Garden group was officially formed in may 2016 - but a few months before that, the group had already started working together on a consultation with the public, and then on the physical transformation of the garden. The consultation told us that people were keen to see the heritage of the Spode Factory reflected within the garden's design, and as a result the landscaping and planting represents some of the most popular Spode patterns.<br />
We have the Willow Pattern end of the garden, which was relatively easy, as there is already a huge and beautiful willow tree in the garden, but this year we decided to develop the other end of the garden, next to the Sub Station, using the Blue Italian pattern as a starting point, as this is one of Spode's most popular patterns.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24oG3N8-TEFVvT3yHngia1J6EGyyKvf5NICq1zNTw_fHoR54-JvjX4aVp9TekC8oSu8bbh6f33lVVjwLXYik9fJhyjciL3JbnZ3Ygf638PI6aUyitFO0NxUQqMZ5ypM6bb7oXBJ5qQwRr/s1600/spode-garden-launch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="475" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24oG3N8-TEFVvT3yHngia1J6EGyyKvf5NICq1zNTw_fHoR54-JvjX4aVp9TekC8oSu8bbh6f33lVVjwLXYik9fJhyjciL3JbnZ3Ygf638PI6aUyitFO0NxUQqMZ5ypM6bb7oXBJ5qQwRr/s320/spode-garden-launch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Spode Rose Garden Launch September 2016</span></div>
As well as developing the garden for these past years, and since formally setting up, the Friends of Spode Rose garden have organised and delivered a series of brilliant events within the garden over the year - which have brought new visitors and many conversations about the role that individuals can play in developing the places they live. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB9Cdah62cikc-zdP-SknjNfMsQ0JNr1kCqcMIt3trLJue6j0FXBq1YtskM1uSekvTTnxKJ7oMptgLix96kF5DoeVFteRqRHK9BU19rvpvJO2f3mtdWhTrkuYqNemdlu-QplxkINH-Mqf/s1600/spode-sunflower-party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB9Cdah62cikc-zdP-SknjNfMsQ0JNr1kCqcMIt3trLJue6j0FXBq1YtskM1uSekvTTnxKJ7oMptgLix96kF5DoeVFteRqRHK9BU19rvpvJO2f3mtdWhTrkuYqNemdlu-QplxkINH-Mqf/s320/spode-sunflower-party.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunflower Party, June 2017</span></div>
Through these conversations we have realised what a fantastic example of people power the Spode Rose Garden has become, and so we decided to spread this story a little wider, by taking the Rose Garden to a national platform. We applied to RHS Tatton, in the blooming border section, and were pleased to be able to develop the design for the Blue Italian Border for Tatton, with a view to moving the border to the Spode Rose Garden after the show.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoTpBOZs_-jQqQX2fb6SrVUAzdauu2sLVUglM5jPktjiMs_RwL7lhXS2VrvXt3-XGBK0oAEfrJYzbmxyG7A0aFE8eli8XKc9guU3zfVHyrVt6wHMAVyycKq9s8QlGXr9m-ORgWQ6ip34y/s1600/Blooming+Borders+-+Blue+Italian+-+Perspective+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoTpBOZs_-jQqQX2fb6SrVUAzdauu2sLVUglM5jPktjiMs_RwL7lhXS2VrvXt3-XGBK0oAEfrJYzbmxyG7A0aFE8eli8XKc9guU3zfVHyrVt6wHMAVyycKq9s8QlGXr9m-ORgWQ6ip34y/s400/Blooming+Borders+-+Blue+Italian+-+Perspective+drawing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Dawn Mayer, one of the Friends of Spode Rose Garden group, and handily a landscape designer for the city council led on our design for the border. Different members of the group brought their skills, time and muscle to help make the border a reality - <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsx-afxuSidg2apYQn8aDY2LMHfXupFBVYlL6WsVMXhbZms5E6KgzDxmlf2c_IS5YWOoK6ua7XakMvg_jXpiyjI9q77fC0LH8It41M0_uVTrzTFYKl-AChxzkbNBXS_nTfMvnN3UzCc2pb/s1600/blue-italian-framework.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsx-afxuSidg2apYQn8aDY2LMHfXupFBVYlL6WsVMXhbZms5E6KgzDxmlf2c_IS5YWOoK6ua7XakMvg_jXpiyjI9q77fC0LH8It41M0_uVTrzTFYKl-AChxzkbNBXS_nTfMvnN3UzCc2pb/s320/blue-italian-framework.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
with Andrew Branscombe building the framework, and Jo Ayre leading the group to create the ceramic plinths,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjK3y12CLnEEem59r9zTdmWqGbydFDOwzxS3IX7bHKVwS9Vby-cEEYwHkX-YbMfNxEM3A6jQsGYg8PiwwPfYmU0BNb6OEwCRPowKdnLGYxcE2_DncVL_frXfqnT6ugy3WeTsTqBib_rKX/s1600/blue-italian-plinths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjK3y12CLnEEem59r9zTdmWqGbydFDOwzxS3IX7bHKVwS9Vby-cEEYwHkX-YbMfNxEM3A6jQsGYg8PiwwPfYmU0BNb6OEwCRPowKdnLGYxcE2_DncVL_frXfqnT6ugy3WeTsTqBib_rKX/s320/blue-italian-plinths.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
made from moulds from the Spode Factory, and also creating the blue italian tiles for the frame<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXhSv53kK4xGJRSzTWTrHrYJGLA27SgEYwX7GXSd-ra5SZdTYHgG_WQZhEqFwqrg62r5aG10Wlst3JwoCHF-tW_foqC8FphOi1jJRlKuDoU7EWVF8L9ROxkcLzFsUL6qOp5JyzsBTUuyE/s1600/blue-italian-decals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXhSv53kK4xGJRSzTWTrHrYJGLA27SgEYwX7GXSd-ra5SZdTYHgG_WQZhEqFwqrg62r5aG10Wlst3JwoCHF-tW_foqC8FphOi1jJRlKuDoU7EWVF8L9ROxkcLzFsUL6qOp5JyzsBTUuyE/s320/blue-italian-decals.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
- it was a real group effort.<br />
The overall effect of the sculptural elements, with the blue and white planting was really beautiful, with everyone lending a hand with the installation.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PKzkytg77BySieu5IpfThaDI8QHRbNAIKgKPiBe_Df4I5dTI8pD50657-NAu6PvRRTT8zCaCEHRVz3tKTgDwrPm8_KW87r3sEOzQRmn155ZbwC9x7uVYT21wlRh5IH0_C_z1ybCMM2ma/s1600/blue-italian-pots-frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PKzkytg77BySieu5IpfThaDI8QHRbNAIKgKPiBe_Df4I5dTI8pD50657-NAu6PvRRTT8zCaCEHRVz3tKTgDwrPm8_KW87r3sEOzQRmn155ZbwC9x7uVYT21wlRh5IH0_C_z1ybCMM2ma/s320/blue-italian-pots-frame.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Each day of the show the friends of group were at Tatton rain or shine, talking to people about the Rose Garden and the city's resurgence, and inviting people to come and see the border for themselves within the newly renovated garden during the British Ceramics Biennial later in the year.<br />
It was amazing the conversation we had over the week with people about Stoke-on-Trent. People told us often that they used to visit Stoke but hadn't been for a long time. A lot of people have committed to visit, and in fact just this Friday, we met a lady in the rose garden that we had met at Tatton, who had no idea the garden was there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqxOyRR4hIMTqkg1RFoFH4yqY9G4wGm3Kzb-cNr_o3Ri_SsAHNlVekJ3v7vPeDjCR5wFWZt7_i598f8Cu0h8Hz8Xf0bJQQt-mx0Br99aMmqzphudvF6MT-1r6qRsZyrJmv6CG8PD5ExD9/s1600/tatton-blue-italian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqxOyRR4hIMTqkg1RFoFH4yqY9G4wGm3Kzb-cNr_o3Ri_SsAHNlVekJ3v7vPeDjCR5wFWZt7_i598f8Cu0h8Hz8Xf0bJQQt-mx0Br99aMmqzphudvF6MT-1r6qRsZyrJmv6CG8PD5ExD9/s320/tatton-blue-italian.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Advocacy for the garden and the city is so important, as we see the city strive to change its reputation. What I know, from taking part in this project since 2013 is, that you can have an idea for something good and positive, and here in Stoke, you can make it happen. There are people here who will do it with you, if you really have the commitment to want to do it. We have learnt so much over the past few years of the project, about gardening, about plants and most of all, about the power of people to make positive change for their city. It has been an immensely rewarding project to work on, and RHS Tatton was a real moment to celebrate the achievements of the group, and we even won a medal!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrO6CjjI4ps5uNCCOWptJJWtn0g-iH6wCi7n69sw1o_EfkO9hq7Jz_tkm6bpNgAVtm9Fo6annqexzugEfMuNe8ThUQ3lQ_iePD_ab8GowiLrR7pc0LPrQBQK2-pOQjrJjE216NrphOgDV/s1600/blue-italian-medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrO6CjjI4ps5uNCCOWptJJWtn0g-iH6wCi7n69sw1o_EfkO9hq7Jz_tkm6bpNgAVtm9Fo6annqexzugEfMuNe8ThUQ3lQ_iePD_ab8GowiLrR7pc0LPrQBQK2-pOQjrJjE216NrphOgDV/s320/blue-italian-medal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
RHS Tatton Blue Italian Border won a silver gilt.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GSxcm8dyQhqiSqpG-7D4Xn6eZmwTWE0cA3PDlLkj5ocDI49XyxqNxTXW-dEEDDObeSnRc1PhJKCQR0zK8kXPTxsd1biflrHheRsZeS6y6uZvpwg4B2EUakr1GI_2vOTCkdHqCyWL0DDC/s1600/silver-gilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GSxcm8dyQhqiSqpG-7D4Xn6eZmwTWE0cA3PDlLkj5ocDI49XyxqNxTXW-dEEDDObeSnRc1PhJKCQR0zK8kXPTxsd1biflrHheRsZeS6y6uZvpwg4B2EUakr1GI_2vOTCkdHqCyWL0DDC/s320/silver-gilt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thanks to various members of the Friends of Spode Rose Garden group for their photographs, documenting our activity.</div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-74441595439064623942017-07-12T13:12:00.003+01:002017-07-12T13:47:57.111+01:00A-N Assembly Margate: The Power of People at STAN Art Pod, Athelstan Road, Margate. 4/5/17<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJu6Ns_T90JH9TOeYDMXpMI1Njz35D4jd5CGfcr_oLJZ-UT1Z9jU5RyLyGMR0zsWbDSGLCBsQxwcOBaCK_ub2zan5iLlwck-MXeFu4d_UQBR0cMIG6Ub9dNBcsxwft4w7TfYQ1xzBTg5v/s1600/margate-stan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJu6Ns_T90JH9TOeYDMXpMI1Njz35D4jd5CGfcr_oLJZ-UT1Z9jU5RyLyGMR0zsWbDSGLCBsQxwcOBaCK_ub2zan5iLlwck-MXeFu4d_UQBR0cMIG6Ub9dNBcsxwft4w7TfYQ1xzBTg5v/s320/margate-stan2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The event was hailed as an opportunity to explore how
artists working with local community groups can, through creative acts, uncover
and support resources pertinent to that community. It was designed as a workshop
for artists working in social practice; with people in changing places. It was an intimate event, due to the size of STAN, but the conversation which the group had was so timely, useful and very productive. Many thanks to A-N, Louise Hargreaves and Dan Thompson for organising, but also enormous thanks to the artists and other practitioners that attended, and contributed to the thinking that follows.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghli4gNfXi2ugqrAB2YS1RddPZedaV5J-9gr0yE-IqWhTg_fZ8QFqu0cH3ixjezuLewSKJvEd3_2XCCoqj5XFwidAvfUGhbhPr_BG6Ev_nmXdXnsKJs2wgRJDOwSUi72tixdV9FIPejZsK/s1600/margate-stan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="682" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghli4gNfXi2ugqrAB2YS1RddPZedaV5J-9gr0yE-IqWhTg_fZ8QFqu0cH3ixjezuLewSKJvEd3_2XCCoqj5XFwidAvfUGhbhPr_BG6Ev_nmXdXnsKJs2wgRJDOwSUi72tixdV9FIPejZsK/s320/margate-stan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I began by talking about how working in Stoke-on-Trent for
over 10 years on projects which explore the city and its resources and the
artists role within this changing context, I have developed an approach to working
in the city; employing an action research methodology, which is always the
same, even if the context can change drastically. For each new site this
involves spending time really <b>look</b>ing,
and researching the place, gaining an understanding of the history,
development, usage and users of the space. Next comes a time for <b>plan</b>ning an approach to the site, based
on what has been observed and learned; perhaps based on the resources of the
place, or responding in some cases to a need or gap. The planning process is
also where partnerships can be formed around an approach to the site, plus
additional resources are, at this stage, assimilated and the intervention
agreed. Next comes time for <b>act</b>ion,
carrying out the plan. And finally, and very importantly, comes <b>reflect</b>ion. The point in the cycle
where the artist and those involved in the project look back at what has
happened, what has worked, what have we learnt? Is there a new understanding of
this place, and is there more to be done? Then of course, the cycle can begin again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An important aspect of the work is in <b>document</b>ing every step, both visually but also importantly, considering from the
very beginning the importance of collecting thoughts and evaluation materials throughout,
hearing from participants about the site, documenting any changes and then later exploring participant response to the
intervention. This supports the reflection and analysis of the project, but
also ensures as practitioners, we are remaining reflective and receptive to the
context. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh73k4lndTfoVs8sKRkBlfV5vDlgsha7kxiVeq8o8XwXaHP7HlsjvW7uVdgTooZIS_R1WAR6iY-MuhemaiiYQBTmEe80JV4sFvCdAmhKLiEUYvTJM_P6MGqhDY2zZ5IFElKAB2lPNDkNm/s1600/action-research-cycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh73k4lndTfoVs8sKRkBlfV5vDlgsha7kxiVeq8o8XwXaHP7HlsjvW7uVdgTooZIS_R1WAR6iY-MuhemaiiYQBTmEe80JV4sFvCdAmhKLiEUYvTJM_P6MGqhDY2zZ5IFElKAB2lPNDkNm/s320/action-research-cycle.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Considering the action research cycle, it is possible to <b>involve</b> people at any stage in the
process, and often is best to involve people at every stage, but this really
does depend on the context.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Via this methodology, I was able to set out three projects,
which demonstrate my particular approach, showing how an empty bandstand, an
abandoned garden and a disused pub have all become sites for my practice over
the years, and have all involved working with people, to temporarily and sometime more permanently make changes in the city.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started by setting out the roots of the word Community:
originating from the French late 14th Century, Comunit<em><span style="background: white; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-style: normal;">é</span></em> meaning
commoness and everybody, it also has roots in the Latin Communis meaning
'Common, public, general, shared by all or many'. This feels important within
an approach to working with people; keeping in mind consideration around
sharing and inclusivity, and perhaps creating a sense of belonging. In my work,
the 'community' I work with may be pre-existing, but equally sometimes the
community forms [temporarily] around the project.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The 3 projects I talked about were:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOi7iqje6-QQaSbuUJisnHNdCZNX9PD_gaJTXBrYRRPcTpTP9_tD98rdnIELj0PhyVdD68KM1hk9nsXTebNEoTQD1hQUSOZiKQ55sACT2hfSW8mh2rlTCHhzaJcEUdiBNlAM0X9UWRRl6/s1600/repopulating-the-bandstand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="531" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOi7iqje6-QQaSbuUJisnHNdCZNX9PD_gaJTXBrYRRPcTpTP9_tD98rdnIELj0PhyVdD68KM1hk9nsXTebNEoTQD1hQUSOZiKQ55sACT2hfSW8mh2rlTCHhzaJcEUdiBNlAM0X9UWRRl6/s320/repopulating-the-bandstand.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Repopulating the Bandstand from 2010 - a one day project as
part of an arts festival I curated within a park, that was identified as being
quite neglected. The project recognised the potential of the disused bandstand,
as a site for community celebration and action, and for just one day, my
intervention saw it spruced up and used as a venue for a brass band concert.
<a href="http://annafrancis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/reflection-time-at-headspace.html" target="_blank">More here</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy0l9mP3UF9sfIkeYe0dSgbWy25_UXX_vruWkRa1iqqjW-05NdBUcXD-XINEqPHvSHXDKIJVG9s2AZ-AWlnlz-1nSgEzMnShvPfHfKaRODyvGZDRvA3xwJ_s3CfJQ18kX8U6l-BuIV-FF/s1600/how-to-make-change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="842" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy0l9mP3UF9sfIkeYe0dSgbWy25_UXX_vruWkRa1iqqjW-05NdBUcXD-XINEqPHvSHXDKIJVG9s2AZ-AWlnlz-1nSgEzMnShvPfHfKaRODyvGZDRvA3xwJ_s3CfJQ18kX8U6l-BuIV-FF/s320/how-to-make-change.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Spode Rose Garden
from 2013 onwards, proposed and abandoned garden, as an important green space.
Through a process of intervention and engagement, myself and AirSpace Gallery
have worked to turn around this disused space, which is now a beautiful and
well used asset, transformed by a newly formed group 'The Friends of Spode Rose Garden'. <a href="http://www.airspacegallery.org/index.php/projects/the_spode_rose_garden" target="_blank">More here.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyosU2H9WH6gdVYRLaWM9w280Yn_TZhmOI3VjyUuonUnom-VHKykNCDOB43oJQ7Hr9ZiorK-ZazGgnnkpNZ01ZGiatqCn7uL4UO42Hiu_k2Hs0G67PcxrZyWY3gvno6zQ7bOUefdtij4vM/s1600/portland-inn17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyosU2H9WH6gdVYRLaWM9w280Yn_TZhmOI3VjyUuonUnom-VHKykNCDOB43oJQ7Hr9ZiorK-ZazGgnnkpNZ01ZGiatqCn7uL4UO42Hiu_k2Hs0G67PcxrZyWY3gvno6zQ7bOUefdtij4vM/s320/portland-inn17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and The Portland Inn Project, working with artist Rebecca Davies, using
participatory methods to engage a community (with a number of issues ASB, drug
and alcohol problems, etc) in finding an alternative and more positive future
for itself. <a href="http://theportlandinnproject.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">More here.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Artists have worked with people forever, and the community
arts movement of the 1960s and 1970s has led to an understanding of the way
that artists can work with communities. Socially engaged practice too is not
new, although there is relatively little written about artists working in
social contexts, compared to other areas of the arts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is relatively new is an emerging animosity towards
artists working in social contexts, and in particular, to artists working
within contested sites of development. A new online 'Naming and Shaming' of
artists working in these contexts aims to call out artists working in these settings
for being either naive to the role they play in acting as a buffer between
developers and the communities affected by development, or in some cases the
naming and shaming goes further to blame artists for 'artwashing
gentrification' something I found myself accused of in a recent project. An interesting Citylab article from 2014 sets out the
complicated context here. <a href="https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/06/the-pernicious-realities-of-artwashing/373289/">https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/06/the-pernicious-realities-of-artwashing/373289/</a><br />
Those naming and shaming include activist groups, working in particular areas
of development, but in addition in some cases artists and academics are
attacking other artists online. There have also been cases in America of
communities themselves rejecting artists and art galleries in their areas - due
to a perception that the presence of artists will lead to gentrification, and
the eventual pushing out of communities. It is a complicated matter, and at
this stage, not much has been written about the phenomenon, but it seems that
for the artists, who are often working in very precarious contexts, often with
little support, perhaps in unstable buildings and often with the sensitivities
that come with working with people (especially in these contested sites) the
addition of this external animosity may lead to artists shying away from
working in these contexts at all, something which concerns me, when thinking about the area that I am currently working in, and the great need there.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The conversation at Assembly centred around the need to
create support systems for artists working in precarious settings, but also
showed a need for a set of guidelines and considerations, in relation to working with people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Answers and votes:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Value the artist's role in this context (we bring something
different.) 6</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Recognise time and investment needed, (for this kind of
work) before, during and after. 5</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Be a supporter and champion for other artists working in
these contexts 2</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- compromise</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- lose the ego</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- be honest</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Commissioners: Trust Artists</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Be vocal against Short-termism - and involve artists (and
community) earlier</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Don't assume 1</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- recognise that people are experts in the places they live
and work 4</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- it doesn't always have to be big 6</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- the voice (build in space for the voice of the community)1</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- practice active listening 2</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- take responsibility 3</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What has become clear since the event is that this is a much
bigger question than could be reasonably covered in one session, and that as
well as considering what the artists can do themselves within the contexts they
are working in, this question, of support for artists in precarious settings is
one that needs to include the organisations and funders that work to support
artists. Since the event I have spoken to a number of organisations about the
worrying artwash naming and shaming, and have found a sector which needs to
really look at this, in order to support artists in making better decisions in
who they work for, and how they work with often vulnerable communities in
development settings. This is important and needed work, and the naming and
shaming really does little to understand the precarious position of the artist
and the people they are working with. Much of the work done by artists, in my experience, is not
about being a buffer for developers, but is about visibility for those people
being priced out of an area by development, as is described in this article
about Bushwicks and Chinatown in New York City.
<a href="https://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/article/why-local-nyc-artists-are-fighting-artwashing">https://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/article/why-local-nyc-artists-are-fighting-artwashing</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My intention is to
rally support around this area, and look to gain a better understanding of how
to support artists in these contexts, The A-N Assembly event was a great start,
but much more time is needed on this. Since the event, I have been speaking to a variety of people and organisations about this, and will be getting something together in response very soon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.a-n.co.uk/news/assembly-margate-working-artists-compelling-process" target="_blank">Write up of full a-n Assembly Margate event here. </a><br />
Image credits: Tony Jones, A-N, Rebecca Davies</div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-68521107294370444792016-12-29T18:22:00.003+00:002017-01-12T13:14:35.367+00:00#365daysofculture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNCMcxFIv4f2zQpZaRhKnISziqFlVRVOSkGvWBU1Zc3h1fOdD402T8w1cdIm8hZKQMiT1QNYsX7lFzrYd5BD2GrX8EjPsfxbQHRkAysXNLNT6Qn8MP0fNe58yHWI5sF6UOjR1-uYCaKdC/s1600/city-of-culture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="43" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNCMcxFIv4f2zQpZaRhKnISziqFlVRVOSkGvWBU1Zc3h1fOdD402T8w1cdIm8hZKQMiT1QNYsX7lFzrYd5BD2GrX8EjPsfxbQHRkAysXNLNT6Qn8MP0fNe58yHWI5sF6UOjR1-uYCaKdC/s320/city-of-culture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>What is it?</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Stoke-on-Trent is bidding for City of Culture 2021, and as we enter 2017, we know that all content generated on social media, and via other outlets will be scrutinised by the judging panels, as they decide, first who to shortlist for the award, and eventually, who should be the winners. This tells us that from January 2017, we need to make sure that the breadth and depth of culture (which we know is going on sometimes loudly and proudly, and sometimes more quietly but none-the-less importantly) in Stoke-on-Trent is being captured, and shouted about.<br />
<br />
The city of culture competition has been shown to really improve the reputations of those that win, but also, shows real ambition from those bidding, and it is this which is so heartening about the Stoke-on-Trent bid, a sense of worth and value ascribed to the culture here, is seen by the fact that the city feels in a position to throw its hat into the ring. This, along with many other initiatives and projects across the city, is changing the way the world views Stoke; so all for the good.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HKlbz41q89ftipSUkLvRwJE0dLFOMiLKCBZLFXmhUxUWRWieSpT-4uU-MO1nv68gkrsBZbpKbktlu4qEqbh0n04Za7NCGeT3wnUyGvFkBP-hg0V3ND6nvojjBo5dkYSNosrViFaQJXpE/s1600/400pix-solid-CofC-sig-strip-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HKlbz41q89ftipSUkLvRwJE0dLFOMiLKCBZLFXmhUxUWRWieSpT-4uU-MO1nv68gkrsBZbpKbktlu4qEqbh0n04Za7NCGeT3wnUyGvFkBP-hg0V3ND6nvojjBo5dkYSNosrViFaQJXpE/s320/400pix-solid-CofC-sig-strip-1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Stoke-on-Trent is a cultural city every day of the year, not just while we are bidding for the City of Culture accolade, every day across the city, people are making things: pots, artworks, music, changes, and many other things - and across the city we have different ideas about culture; what it is and how it connects to our lives. This project, #365daysofculture, aims to capture some of that, but also aims to support people from across the city to shout about what culture means for them, and how they are consuming, making and defining culture in their own lives, providing a platform for people to show what culture is, and a way for everyone to be involved in the bid.<br />
<br />
We know how important it is to show culture from all quarters and levels across the city, and with this simple social media project, everyone from across the city can be involved in defining and capturing culture for ourselves, something that we know, from speaking to people across the city about the bid, that people want to be involved in. This project is all about enabling everyone to be involved, and rather than waiting for permission this is all about everyone who wants to, being able to have their say on what is important, and what should be represented in a city of culture bid from Stoke-on-Trent. With this simple idea, anyone can have an imput into the bid.<br />
<br />
The idea for the project came from a conversation with Paul Williams, from the Stoke-on-Trent City of culture team, about the way that winning cities will need to put together 365 days of cultural programming, which will operate at a variety of levels, from the large scale cultural spectacle, to the smaller scale, community led event. Arguably, there is already culture happening across the city 365 days of the year, but we are quiet about it, or lack the capacity to really demonstrate the quality of it, or simply lack the resources to make the most of it. We know that to win City Of Culture would help us to really sing about what is here already, but also to build on that, build capacity and build resources; this project aims to start with what’s here and what’s happening already, and what can be celebrated right from day one of our bidding year (2017.)<br />
<br />
<b>Who can take part? And how do we build momentum?</b><br />
Anyone can join in, simply by using the #365daysofculture with the @sot2021 moniker, but we know from running similar campaigns, that we need to build momentum to get people involved and interested in taking part. To begin to get people involved I am contacting some key individuals, who I recognise as being important cultural catalysts, (with brilliant and far-reaching networks) and ask them to be the ‘early adopters’ of the project. These are people suggested by the campaign group, and other people I think have something important to say about culture in our city, but importantly, this is just a start - and the next step is for those people to hopefully want to involve others in the conversation about culture in our city, sop that we really build a sense of a multi-layered city of culture.<br />
From week one we will invite our cultural catalysts to adopt the week and tweet/facebook/instagram their 7 days of culture using the #365daysofculture, in addition we will ask them to identify people from their networks to also take part; creating an accumulative social media campaign, which begins to get a real sense of the cultural activity happening across the city, in all of the six towns. Though they will be asked to share at least one post per day during their 7 days, they will also be invited to continue to use the hash tag throughout the year, whenever they feel something cultural is worth capturing to add to the conversation around Stoke's bid.<br />
The aim is that after a few weeks of leading cultural catalysts generating the documentation of culture across the city, others will take up the mantel and the project will begin to self-generate content. By the time the judges look at the social media campaign coming out of Stoke's bid in April, there will be a real sense of the city getting behind the bid, demonstrating the variety of cultural activity taking place, from buildings, green spaces, factories, football terraces, schools and streets across the city.<br />
<br />
<b>How will it work?</b><br />
At the end of December I will invite a handful of key people to photograph themselves and their surroundings each day of the first week of January, stating what they are doing, and where for example;<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ko53rPGpA7wmd5feBJiqpvaVzbaxAJM-9nQ4M8tWDC6HQDiWc-hCmFII-VUl0qdKDmSzE9wQQ7QaygX62bmKV3ciPRCkfQupb6pxX_WQpQ0Fexe0adP0_3xUwSKo9hjuRrLOED26QKFA/s1600/twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ko53rPGpA7wmd5feBJiqpvaVzbaxAJM-9nQ4M8tWDC6HQDiWc-hCmFII-VUl0qdKDmSzE9wQQ7QaygX62bmKV3ciPRCkfQupb6pxX_WQpQ0Fexe0adP0_3xUwSKo9hjuRrLOED26QKFA/s320/twitter.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Image: Example of how a #365daysofculture tweet may appear.</span><br />
I imagine people will photograph events, activities, places, objects - anything from across the city which could be identified as cultural. They could be photographing a visit to the football, a night out at the theatre, breakfast oatcakes or even their day at work - and everything in between. They can post video, audio and images, as long as they always use the #365daysofculture and @sot2021 their content will be picked up and shared as part of the campaign.<br />
<br />
I will aim to contact a handful of people to look at week one (January 2017), who will I hope, then invite others and then I will involve others as the year progresses.</div>
<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">
</span></div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-46174120474546310472016-11-21T12:48:00.001+00:002016-11-21T12:48:26.888+00:00The Lost Gardens of Stoke-on-TrentIn 2008 I began researching the National Garden Festival. This year marked the 30th Anniversary of this amazing cultural regeneration project, the biggest of its kind in our city. It was wonderful to curate this project as a celebration of that, and as a way of thinking ahead to what could happen here, if we were awarded the City of Culture for 2021.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HyyOIMhFXuk" width="560"></iframe>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-66772505294453936572016-10-27T17:48:00.000+01:002016-10-27T17:54:22.672+01:00The Portland Inn Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULXxc_bkekEojV5q-ZubmAVsBTRlNHOGpDYobwBEpCh1k-ASlRwLeSlpis_J55Kt7X_Hv-ZsUQHv3QLPCUxMc99NXYwIllQSBv5fnsNhvpB95oNNWGbWgU38785gFrBmbN6xjt53GgAtM/s1600/portlandinn_poster_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULXxc_bkekEojV5q-ZubmAVsBTRlNHOGpDYobwBEpCh1k-ASlRwLeSlpis_J55Kt7X_Hv-ZsUQHv3QLPCUxMc99NXYwIllQSBv5fnsNhvpB95oNNWGbWgU38785gFrBmbN6xjt53GgAtM/s320/portlandinn_poster_front.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Community Maker and The Oasis Social Club merged during August and Early September 2016, to become The Portland Inn Project. <a href="http://theportlandinnproject.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">We kept an almost daily blog here.</a> The fantastic artist Rebecca Davies and I were lead artists on the 4 week project which</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> involved delivering daily activity, which ranged from Bingo, to dance and movement, to tae kwondo, through to a range of creative arts workshops.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvXr8gFCVUED1-kE4OTNvF0NYvBe_SYN_EgUkvnUh7NZKiErFQEX8vejnMDB6tizzoNIJhyphenhyphenhAVZKhq1NZhdv3o-LjwcXZFylblOLLGE_WHCTDBM3USiLxQ1g5kIvar7IdzUtAgmk7lC35/s1600/portlandinn_poster_back_WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvXr8gFCVUED1-kE4OTNvF0NYvBe_SYN_EgUkvnUh7NZKiErFQEX8vejnMDB6tizzoNIJhyphenhyphenhAVZKhq1NZhdv3o-LjwcXZFylblOLLGE_WHCTDBM3USiLxQ1g5kIvar7IdzUtAgmk7lC35/s320/portlandinn_poster_back_WEB.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The idea was to test what the community enjoyed, what people attended, and what times of day and week would work the best.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">We worked with project partners My Community Matters, the Portland Street Community Group, Appetite, The British Ceramics Biennial and AirSpace Gallery to make sure that almost every day had activity, and on a number of days, a number of things would take place throughout the day. The project was funded by the City Council and Appetite Community Events Fund, The Portland Street Community Group and Arts Council England.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHQcOtMP9AzOqj0YQQ-12ulax1w1P8mV0tf41n59vdReElC6-4vGqxjiCi_Yg_bxrctb4oWT5Sj_oBb37HbzmGBvGyveHXFwPj1Ks8Vo1Z1a8RSk2a1CcRaEWxEMplF4TOuH5Vd83izqT/s1600/portland-dance-movement-sarah-blanc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHQcOtMP9AzOqj0YQQ-12ulax1w1P8mV0tf41n59vdReElC6-4vGqxjiCi_Yg_bxrctb4oWT5Sj_oBb37HbzmGBvGyveHXFwPj1Ks8Vo1Z1a8RSk2a1CcRaEWxEMplF4TOuH5Vd83izqT/s320/portland-dance-movement-sarah-blanc.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">There were a few dance and movement classes with choreographer Sarah Blanc.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhCwUPyT7zSNKZO_wI8EwyWuafAJrqnemWM1QW8BBaM-F97L2MbUDdEPsQnq6QrIJZW1DCZ-GTtLpkqCXU5KuJFsgdgQDebKg5w0iqhySXVGpIPhtAyKnBLh246_awQj2Kdc5dy-EeimS/s1600/portland-tae-kwondo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhCwUPyT7zSNKZO_wI8EwyWuafAJrqnemWM1QW8BBaM-F97L2MbUDdEPsQnq6QrIJZW1DCZ-GTtLpkqCXU5KuJFsgdgQDebKg5w0iqhySXVGpIPhtAyKnBLh246_awQj2Kdc5dy-EeimS/s320/portland-tae-kwondo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">And Tuesday nights throughout the programme were an opportunity for young people in the area to take part in free martial arts workshops - with little ninjas for under 6's and then tae kwondo for the slightly older ones. These were really popular, and showed a real need for this kind of activity, and a base for it to happen in the area. These sessions, as well as some social media surgeries, and library sessions were organised by our partners in the project My Community Matters - who have been working in the area for a long time, and really feel the need for a project like this to have a permanent base in the area.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NBKYpq-Zshvlp6eauOPsY-maIKY8SXa5g8oeoyp5v_fOeqX_aG8ucLqaEIylMu1B6w7vxZX4tKqbPY7EdfRzP1Enserd_dpwCZlNy3SB5puz6Q9OU1iWMXGaSSUcI5HRKGE-udEdZ7yy/s1600/portland-appetite-taster-bees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NBKYpq-Zshvlp6eauOPsY-maIKY8SXa5g8oeoyp5v_fOeqX_aG8ucLqaEIylMu1B6w7vxZX4tKqbPY7EdfRzP1Enserd_dpwCZlNy3SB5puz6Q9OU1iWMXGaSSUcI5HRKGE-udEdZ7yy/s320/portland-appetite-taster-bees.jpg" width="315" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Appetite also supported the project with lots of advice, and practical support, in the form of furniture for the pub, but also in the organisation of what turned out to be our most successful day. The Appetite Taster Tour came to Portland Street, with the wonderful installation of interactive bee hives, by theatre company Artizani, plus a fabulous series of performance dances 'Topiary Trauma' by Kitsch-n-Sync.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIZon-c-o5FX6r9d3zzaDtM2Mx5LKqq6kdpSiS3SOkLGmXoL5UcSQ6qiKxD4iiEOTfaUcq6rX3jKR6Lud4xvTlEvBSEpikRnKaZg3FjeMNro-ilAD9g1otCV3iOYaHZ5m5RGJNbDSc-Eo/s1600/portland-topiary-trauma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIZon-c-o5FX6r9d3zzaDtM2Mx5LKqq6kdpSiS3SOkLGmXoL5UcSQ6qiKxD4iiEOTfaUcq6rX3jKR6Lud4xvTlEvBSEpikRnKaZg3FjeMNro-ilAD9g1otCV3iOYaHZ5m5RGJNbDSc-Eo/s320/portland-topiary-trauma.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Which together, provided probably the oddest spectacle that the area has ever seen, and felt like an important moment for the community, to imagine together, a future without limits.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The sessions which Rebecca and I organised were designed quite pragmatically to be productive, in relation to improving the space. While wonderful to have access to the Portland Inn, there was no getting away from the fact that it is really a derelict pub, with all the problems that come with that, so throughout the 4 weeks, our mission was also to involve people in transforming the space, and imagining together what it could be.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4BcocuvxJvjvy96U24boocJ7Qv0YNq50P4RlSZWeJEmmfRTDB1372cQQQ_JdwPUcEJhOqyqVHFQfs7F9D4Ecar06nLv5rIVsDOa3TUUwvrIOrx9_9NBNnvybeSJ4pfPnFxBKF-UkUqrP/s1600/portland-surface-decoration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4BcocuvxJvjvy96U24boocJ7Qv0YNq50P4RlSZWeJEmmfRTDB1372cQQQ_JdwPUcEJhOqyqVHFQfs7F9D4Ecar06nLv5rIVsDOa3TUUwvrIOrx9_9NBNnvybeSJ4pfPnFxBKF-UkUqrP/s320/portland-surface-decoration.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">So, for example: Rebecca's surface decoration workshop created patterns and wall decoration for the pub.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFeC4IvuJTYSVJKKhrKtUJKBncNGfkXyYBlxLvCyfzdl7Cn_SeYtJNd-vG-v9v5HYlpc3QF8by6iaN8vHDWakRSFgvLLAz0ubIYogBukhs0A7uhyOldtcwbR6oiMvp27cbRzDcGgCv75G/s1600/sign-writing-workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFeC4IvuJTYSVJKKhrKtUJKBncNGfkXyYBlxLvCyfzdl7Cn_SeYtJNd-vG-v9v5HYlpc3QF8by6iaN8vHDWakRSFgvLLAz0ubIYogBukhs0A7uhyOldtcwbR6oiMvp27cbRzDcGgCv75G/s320/sign-writing-workshop.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The signwriting workshop, showed everyone the basics of putting together a series of wonderful signs, and a number of brilliant and useful signs were made for the space.<span id="goog_852193152"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pDvL0xPSE6E2J-D9DQz-qUD4-Gd-d2WDwQeWZWd6Llpf37s-yu1R-aA42gdlBojKFfj3laFZojBbnw-1iPLrxZoywMEivK-Trhs7sc9y6iBjpL_RelEP6XhBkMHbzBl0ziDrx0PAk4UR/s1600/sign-writing-toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pDvL0xPSE6E2J-D9DQz-qUD4-Gd-d2WDwQeWZWd6Llpf37s-yu1R-aA42gdlBojKFfj3laFZojBbnw-1iPLrxZoywMEivK-Trhs7sc9y6iBjpL_RelEP6XhBkMHbzBl0ziDrx0PAk4UR/s320/sign-writing-toilet.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Even one for the Portland Inn Loo.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNGCa8GxjX8k4ORPdxnkIrTzZMSd67QPPOmpcsjK5aVGKhyphenhyphenYGXSiNI7QLDBLOOqRWmGuASDkTF3ZRdAxcg0PtVHChKNB1AsEJsLBTHMFIp2Kj4yTxjt8EanZuvERCOVhYLsfwggOlLPyj/s1600/portland-hanging-baskets1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNGCa8GxjX8k4ORPdxnkIrTzZMSd67QPPOmpcsjK5aVGKhyphenhyphenYGXSiNI7QLDBLOOqRWmGuASDkTF3ZRdAxcg0PtVHChKNB1AsEJsLBTHMFIp2Kj4yTxjt8EanZuvERCOVhYLsfwggOlLPyj/s320/portland-hanging-baskets1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span id="goog_852193151" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Sunday morning gardening club also provided an opportunity to spruce up the outside of the pub, with a hanging basket workshop.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkvX2TdMi5__vKeH9o7kmQ_RaJbnBZAT9EWoSatFDfaaNV63g43Mtexi7Pv8HpPi_TNqJxW7wxe-a7WdGyzx-LBc5twthkjN0GkzPmYqr7GTDhGktddRk5J4Zo3aYhzm9cXEcxykYdtum/s1600/portland-hanging-baskets2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkvX2TdMi5__vKeH9o7kmQ_RaJbnBZAT9EWoSatFDfaaNV63g43Mtexi7Pv8HpPi_TNqJxW7wxe-a7WdGyzx-LBc5twthkjN0GkzPmYqr7GTDhGktddRk5J4Zo3aYhzm9cXEcxykYdtum/s320/portland-hanging-baskets2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The sessions varied in terms of who attended, there were some people that came just once for something specific, some that came to nearly everything, some that popped in often but didn't join in, and others that took a while to get involved, but by the end, were a part of the team.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0AFzcLbSrn55xh9-HVceNhDHIMZ1ROxssR9tYvhna-kMZDrxibHZI3Xg-mlRtegCgptU6C05rvy9HCVV7xflzT_Xi1tdxZEfvQUPUneZ8Ae58c4Zi7ZZteXEHCuh-pEIRgNJIRZit_Zi/s1600/portland-tile-making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0AFzcLbSrn55xh9-HVceNhDHIMZ1ROxssR9tYvhna-kMZDrxibHZI3Xg-mlRtegCgptU6C05rvy9HCVV7xflzT_Xi1tdxZEfvQUPUneZ8Ae58c4Zi7ZZteXEHCuh-pEIRgNJIRZit_Zi/s320/portland-tile-making.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Throughout the 4 weeks the British Ceramics Biennial team were on hand to run a creative evaluation with clay - after each session, (developed by Ceramic Artists Jo Ayre and Alice Thatcher) the community would be invited to put their thoughts about the session, and the project onto a clay tile, using imagery to represent their thoughts, and providing notes to give the context. There was a colour code which the participant selected based on how they were feeling.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbu3e3p_3emtkfbL_gcr5u9_LAcYV7gNJNxT9AphTWBDthm2KxE1GFK4MZZeugHIt3KlQXk8_2LViOVhq-glWCnnwNwi8_jLT5qqQs_0CMH3gEOcMtXlM21DJfJ3-JZhHRRtqMOwToshyh/s1600/portland-inn-tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbu3e3p_3emtkfbL_gcr5u9_LAcYV7gNJNxT9AphTWBDthm2KxE1GFK4MZZeugHIt3KlQXk8_2LViOVhq-glWCnnwNwi8_jLT5qqQs_0CMH3gEOcMtXlM21DJfJ3-JZhHRRtqMOwToshyh/s320/portland-inn-tiles.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The idea of this is that these tiles will, we hope, become a new tiled frontage for the pub building, based on the wonderful highly glossed majolica pub frontages of the past. Below are the coloured glaze tests.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzhjYt3nNpGtxOMSdO32lUOLi4pQcKEBitsjGC5lQy485qI5584o-cdhh1ohCivoxr24aJN2G8rYY4yufFb24FRlXvgPXS1usLzy-7vLVEWX41TaQrWXjALPD9-1wWulNIqsAPaAobfvR/s1600/glaze-colour-tests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzhjYt3nNpGtxOMSdO32lUOLi4pQcKEBitsjGC5lQy485qI5584o-cdhh1ohCivoxr24aJN2G8rYY4yufFb24FRlXvgPXS1usLzy-7vLVEWX41TaQrWXjALPD9-1wWulNIqsAPaAobfvR/s320/glaze-colour-tests.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The Community Maker workshops which I ran over the weeks followed on from last years meet, eat and make with clay ethos, but where last year we experimented with a lot of imagery creation methods, this year's focus was around the idea of using imagery from last year, but thinking now about making prototypes for the Portland Ware plates, which are the basis for the project. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6YiYBFfmaGiiCnx6F6ls9dN9-IbRbtNmxbCiiNYhTYxlz1DuIGhw2vmW7JFuqtL7B4LM3kFS8I40bc43dflAMVkVS-J8z9DG4fnKXBhdN1a0V9Hobqu-QNkBtGEmkMijunct9AHpUuki/s1600/portland-mould-making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6YiYBFfmaGiiCnx6F6ls9dN9-IbRbtNmxbCiiNYhTYxlz1DuIGhw2vmW7JFuqtL7B4LM3kFS8I40bc43dflAMVkVS-J8z9DG4fnKXBhdN1a0V9Hobqu-QNkBtGEmkMijunct9AHpUuki/s320/portland-mould-making.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">The first set of sessions were designed around the 'bring a plate' tradition of the community in the area, who have learned to be self-sufficient, and resourceful, making something from nothing. Community events have often been a 'bring a plate' event, where each community brings something on a plate to share, and the result is a community meal.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">This time, neighbours were encouraged to bring a plate from home, and on arrival would be given a slice of cake to eat off their plate, we would then cast the plate to make a mould.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The next set of workshops used the moulds we had made previously to create a new set of plates, and then a printing workshop, used mono printing techniques (the old tissue paper method developed by Josiah Spode, for underglaze printing) to print last years imagery onto our newly made plates.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The idea for Community Maker this year has been about creating the prototype ware, which my absolute dream for, would be to find an industry partner, who would support the making of the ware, so that not only could each community member have the special ware in their cupboard, so that future 'Bring A Plate' events would see the special Portland Wares coming out of the cupboard to form a community gathering, and becoming an emblem for a resourceful community, but that potentially, if we can look at manufacturing the ware, and selling it, any profit could be ploughed back into the community, helping the community and the Portland Inn Project to become sustainable.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Therefore the aim for this year has been to create a prototype to be exhibited at BCB17, that is exciting, and beautiful enough to potentially interest industry partners, but which importantly has the ability to tell the community's story. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This is where the idea of talking ceramics comes in. Alongside the Portland Inn Project, I have been undertaking the<a href="http://randomstring.co/anna-francis" target="_blank"> Random String Fellowship,</a> offered by Ludic Rooms in Coventry.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This has involved some digital arts training and mentoring, to look at how a digital strand might support and develop my practice into new directions. I have been lucky to be allocated Ben Sadler from Juneau Projects as my mentor, which has been really rewarding.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The thought was that if we could make it, so that when visitors to the BCB touched the Portland Ware, they would hear the voices of the community, they would get a real sense of the way that a creative art project is supporting a community to develop. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">It has been fascinating experimenting with the Arduino technology - Jo Ayre and I had a good time playing with the tech and ceramic materials.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">We tried getting clay to talk:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuypjbluDmp3JPpmgxvRhmaAUs4wmR2l61TLXxe0gYS8fYUccwe8ot7OTfQX03YRJRc3xxL3M1_3xaJVBf6c-I3nzn1lyQZSnbW17U7hhiBafPD0iExTEQTqJxkX_cxeeo43tWXPSgNsKg/s1600/talking-clay-arduino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuypjbluDmp3JPpmgxvRhmaAUs4wmR2l61TLXxe0gYS8fYUccwe8ot7OTfQX03YRJRc3xxL3M1_3xaJVBf6c-I3nzn1lyQZSnbW17U7hhiBafPD0iExTEQTqJxkX_cxeeo43tWXPSgNsKg/s320/talking-clay-arduino.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The way the bare condictive arduino board works, is that if you connect conductive materials to it (via the gold pins) each pin can have a different sound loaded onto it, so if the clay were able to conduct, in theory, touching the wet clay, the circuit would be complete and the sound would play. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">What I have learned since our experiment, is that the water content in the clay is too low to trigger the sound at the default settings, but it is not too difficult to reprogramme the arduino to be more sensitive.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvSCUjbEzm65wPM1aPQd2oeb7vf4b4TvRjYEgrnQBvLhlOzPzLpsAcLDxKhju4S9SnbQgUgCu8aKDzFgfWcrBEtTewrwtL3jB6YPOvmMZBSMnQIFoLV0twtQuzqeMlRGsbyRsFlqCyMSN/s1600/talking-clay-slip-arduino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvSCUjbEzm65wPM1aPQd2oeb7vf4b4TvRjYEgrnQBvLhlOzPzLpsAcLDxKhju4S9SnbQgUgCu8aKDzFgfWcrBEtTewrwtL3jB6YPOvmMZBSMnQIFoLV0twtQuzqeMlRGsbyRsFlqCyMSN/s320/talking-clay-slip-arduino.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">So we tried clay slip, which again didn't work - but would work if we reprogrammed. But one thing that worked really well, was using a ceramic piece with gold banding.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GZl43oSc215GEdfnk00YB2G9bymhSwpdqNabeFiPpacVhQaL4BZEXs82-DfZo4YqhYWnf1eOSV5gfsZIDvGgIxXLZF6SPnzivDrdaRY4lnd9TnAA4tpBVowB5uhWX-YCXvPcB9AeHcjr/s1600/talking-ceramics-arduino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GZl43oSc215GEdfnk00YB2G9bymhSwpdqNabeFiPpacVhQaL4BZEXs82-DfZo4YqhYWnf1eOSV5gfsZIDvGgIxXLZF6SPnzivDrdaRY4lnd9TnAA4tpBVowB5uhWX-YCXvPcB9AeHcjr/s320/talking-ceramics-arduino.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The gold banding conducts beautifully - if it is a complete circuit. So the plan now is to add gold banding (circuity) to the Portland Ware Prototype, which will be displayed at the BCB. The set will be laid out like a community meal, but the tech will be hidden, so that the arduino etc is underneath, and we will develop a way that the ware does not need wire attached, via the gold banding, but when the wares are in place on the table, the voices of the community will be triggered when the wares are touched.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">I am very excited about this next stage.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjZ8l-qqYuA902kwqaZ1NEVYpmjNV6eTb4L16T6S0RykXJSuBNFvHwXmczM8qpCksTqkD7rA1JEpcC-SklB7YdxGtlWkf-4iEGME2vdIowbYAUksW7lIo615yXpOsKbS-G8LXiuPOqk7r/s1600/portland-questions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjZ8l-qqYuA902kwqaZ1NEVYpmjNV6eTb4L16T6S0RykXJSuBNFvHwXmczM8qpCksTqkD7rA1JEpcC-SklB7YdxGtlWkf-4iEGME2vdIowbYAUksW7lIo615yXpOsKbS-G8LXiuPOqk7r/s320/portland-questions.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Throughout the 4 weeks, alongside the creative and other sessions, we were asking a series of questions, all of which would inform the development of the project, and provide the evidence we would need for writing a business plan. We even offered a business development session, which helped to shape our thinking around the contents of a business plan.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPdmhM2EBehO8I0rIuqMsSeuCiKHe-Pi4060IjZSoYHIM8vQeZ_mH7vFUx-IQV9UtJk4iNUWcSwKYhJV8f6rq-MR6_Glj_R4GdUrPF_tKw3yoYza8oV0D8BFRoyLBfxYq2TgT1HHhesUx/s1600/portland_inn_development_day_flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPdmhM2EBehO8I0rIuqMsSeuCiKHe-Pi4060IjZSoYHIM8vQeZ_mH7vFUx-IQV9UtJk4iNUWcSwKYhJV8f6rq-MR6_Glj_R4GdUrPF_tKw3yoYza8oV0D8BFRoyLBfxYq2TgT1HHhesUx/s320/portland_inn_development_day_flyer.jpg" width="226" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The way that the community responded to the creative sessions, but importantly, how keen people were to be involved in making the place better has informed the direction the project is now taking.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The findings from the 4 weeks demonstrated the need for a space in the area, providing opportunities for the community to meet and make together with over 600 attendees at events, but alongside that,
there is a real need for the project to be financially sustainable. The
findings from the 4 weeks, and subsequent research have led to the conclusion
that the Portland Inn Development Project could see the Pub Building divided
into 3 different uses.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Upstairs could include a residential flat, which potentially
could be where the building manager lives. In addition there could be a smaller, one
room residency space for visiting artists to stay in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Downstairs the space would be split roughly in half, with a
carpeted community room, which is available for community events, training and
activity. This space can be booked, and hired out, but should always remain a
community space. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The other half of the downstairs would be home to a
community led enterprise, a workshop that has the ability to work on the
creation of wares for sale (initially the Community Maker Ware, but with a view
to diversify the range.) The facilities within the space would allow the space
to be flexible in its offer, but we envision that alongside the making of the
ceramic wares, the space can work on research and development of projects,
provide bookable space for ceramicists and kiln access, be a base for artists
residencies, and provide a space to
explore the role of the artist within design processes.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In addition, the space would be able to provide training,
apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities for the community, as well as
offering short courses for adult and family learning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This is where we have got to currently, as we put the business plan together - which needs to be delivered to the council mid-November.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielpMnIlVfqD7yrtYmyxB3vH8_QU2mpI4SLxx1mkQQx7BSe7XG-QvXkohC6UVLQEOwO5yBK5kSdzziQAUeThI9BrFeGjPWSQoCwiJwZFG4F0vvwN3PjPjx_Zn9t7eA8Pak7TR6TtmW6M1X/s1600/portland-inn-celebration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielpMnIlVfqD7yrtYmyxB3vH8_QU2mpI4SLxx1mkQQx7BSe7XG-QvXkohC6UVLQEOwO5yBK5kSdzziQAUeThI9BrFeGjPWSQoCwiJwZFG4F0vvwN3PjPjx_Zn9t7eA8Pak7TR6TtmW6M1X/s320/portland-inn-celebration.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The final event during the Portland Inn Development Project was a community celebration day, it poured with rain, which scuppered plans to spread out onto the green space. Over the day I ran a clay cake making workshop with Jo Ayre, to create ceramic cakes which can hopefully be displayed with the Portland Ware. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH14yIykAcCc3HG4Ggw2YkzRkVwhT-JMcy6ZcybRzfPIe-dW_GYTVpL1Zn-2y27EVg6esPolDIc8R03tg8cVVNlN5TYWvZIWT-_cNjosKrdsA3zOhDfuYaPHaOdL9cJ_AGLuSnTVkJF7D/s1600/portland-inn-cakes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzH14yIykAcCc3HG4Ggw2YkzRkVwhT-JMcy6ZcybRzfPIe-dW_GYTVpL1Zn-2y27EVg6esPolDIc8R03tg8cVVNlN5TYWvZIWT-_cNjosKrdsA3zOhDfuYaPHaOdL9cJ_AGLuSnTVkJF7D/s320/portland-inn-cakes2.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Penny Vincent ran a singing workshop, there was a work-it workers workout with Choreographer Sarah Blanc, the library van man came back and read us a lovely childrens story and lots more happened throughout the day - not to forget local resident Chloe, who had always wanted to do some facepainting, sho made sure we all looked great. Finally, there was a community photo shoot, where people had their photo taken acting out what they wanted to see for the pub's future. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdViInsUQ6WZOC9gc-1SCMQANpI6Emwua4loHDdm5blKMHh1rD-cWt-TFBBF3X-gKN0Tg3pS53DM4DDQdCj6SCCAIY4MHjqEWQ9E6_etNdi-7WMyvs0gYX8gpYS9ICxVeLeWG5Y5SvHNq/s1600/community-photo-shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdViInsUQ6WZOC9gc-1SCMQANpI6Emwua4loHDdm5blKMHh1rD-cWt-TFBBF3X-gKN0Tg3pS53DM4DDQdCj6SCCAIY4MHjqEWQ9E6_etNdi-7WMyvs0gYX8gpYS9ICxVeLeWG5Y5SvHNq/s320/community-photo-shoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The photos will be going up on the hoarnings of the pub, as a holding space, until we get back in there, but for now - <a href="http://theportlandinnproject.tumblr.com/post/149987676720/penny-vincent-and-community-singing-workshop-at" target="_blank">here is a video of the Celebration Event.</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The project has continued to raise questions about the role of art and artists in society, and for me personally, allowing me to explore what it means to work where you live, and not have the separation, and ability to be a 'stranger artist'. This all requires much more thought, but I am really interested in what happens if artists are in it for the long haul, and if projects take a longer term approach, than many funding streams allow.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This I will return to later.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">There are too many people to thank individually for being part of the amazing team that put this together - all I can say is - thank you all so much. and in Rebecca's words: Forward Together.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOFDybaUlbMsif2OcOQa84-TsVNtFYBEIZhbM00KCZzFAULNDpRqDhxlf3vH0QyhCFw2zEKrbqo2TOGuWfaUoV7gsrCrjXdYWwhS1_Kd9RiUnaC13i3l5ZT07ewY1kcy6c3ziYWraARe5/s1600/forward-together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOFDybaUlbMsif2OcOQa84-TsVNtFYBEIZhbM00KCZzFAULNDpRqDhxlf3vH0QyhCFw2zEKrbqo2TOGuWfaUoV7gsrCrjXdYWwhS1_Kd9RiUnaC13i3l5ZT07ewY1kcy6c3ziYWraARe5/s320/forward-together.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-26200497282310498902016-06-28T17:33:00.001+01:002016-06-29T17:18:34.495+01:00Community Maker 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsBaZS5WXxv7IN5jUou8ctS0RLBtNkvHAH-bjIi2KJLeFpQmQTABdwinV__dWiYlRm46Hru322Ytqrhec5Q38D0tsnBqKzeZGmd3hdvf-ZBSyciHAFTdr9Ycmxgq_KEw1Dzg3b4VinLU0/s1600/community-maker-banner-big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsBaZS5WXxv7IN5jUou8ctS0RLBtNkvHAH-bjIi2KJLeFpQmQTABdwinV__dWiYlRm46Hru322Ytqrhec5Q38D0tsnBqKzeZGmd3hdvf-ZBSyciHAFTdr9Ycmxgq_KEw1Dzg3b4VinLU0/s320/community-maker-banner-big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Community Maker is a 3 year project, a partnership between British Ceramics Biennial (now known as The Clay Foundation - since the activity delivered is all year around, and not just during the Biennial) and AirSpace Gallery. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2015 - the project was all about aiming to create space for a community to get together, eat, meet and make - and explore together, how to develop the area. I am the lead artist of the project, and much of my thinking around the project stems from the very interesting dilemma of being an artist and a resident. I have worked in public and community contexts many times over the years, but this is the first time I have done so within my own neighbourhood. The interest for me stems from the context we, as a family, find ourselves in, as members of the £1 home scheme - we were tasked, as part of the deal, with being 'active members of the community - and agreeing to be part of community life, using our skills and resources to support the community to develop.' We, and 32 other households across 4 streets agreed to this when we took on our £1 houses in this area. I was really interested in exploring what role an artist might be able to take in this context, and the Community Maker project takes this as a starting point.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_rN-mYdeYzS1N45ktVhSQRldos_yySKszQsBP2fKM44UmhcG-WqMr-mWP1EmwbnBhMM9wQL9o-GeAfc5vw2FMH7eGRxi9-vg_wjQ3fzeMANuZ6nrvOImIy-dLh2LvHj1ptiSYHAW9t7a/s1600/homemaker-ridgway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_rN-mYdeYzS1N45ktVhSQRldos_yySKszQsBP2fKM44UmhcG-WqMr-mWP1EmwbnBhMM9wQL9o-GeAfc5vw2FMH7eGRxi9-vg_wjQ3fzeMANuZ6nrvOImIy-dLh2LvHj1ptiSYHAW9t7a/s320/homemaker-ridgway.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The project methods came from thinking about the Homemaker tableware, designed by Enid Seeney (the first female to be trained within the design team at the Spode Factory - a strange coincidence, which I was not aware of when first setting out on the project - given that BCB are based at Spode.) The homemaker design came at a time just after the war, when people began to think again about a little luxury being brought back into the home, the plate is a template for 'modern living' and proposes the ingredients of a successful home - my thinking around this was that though I became a homemaker when we took on our £1 house - the context is not just about me in my house, but all of the houses on the street, and this got me wondering - what are the ingredients of a successful community - and what would a plate for that look like? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition, early meetings with other community members had a real 'make do and mend' feel to them - in this area, a residents have told us during the project, people have tended to get on and organise things for themselves, without much in the way of outside resources. One such 'tradition' in the area that has sprung up out of this has been get togethers where people 'bring a plate' - with everyone contributing a plate of something, altogether a community meal has been created. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love the idea of all these different plates, coming from all the houses - and the thought was that what if we were able to celebrate that attitude with a special community plate, which comes out of people's cupboards at community events - but which was not regarded as a make do and mend activity, and a point of necessity, but a choice for the community to share - celebrated with this special community ceramic.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WDlJODEMsGjT_aokTslIw5AAJSnCPUjZO3ThRBUCRFHc8v7H9U0c_YGzDwJe2Fd3wHwzuaMKdNnKLH0dbJKksFRmMeQqM11UV0Mrw99N0M9u5wojH_7E5P9IuByf9PSwQZuY4EoJEYC-/s1600/tent-community.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WDlJODEMsGjT_aokTslIw5AAJSnCPUjZO3ThRBUCRFHc8v7H9U0c_YGzDwJe2Fd3wHwzuaMKdNnKLH0dbJKksFRmMeQqM11UV0Mrw99N0M9u5wojH_7E5P9IuByf9PSwQZuY4EoJEYC-/s320/tent-community.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The biggest hurdle we face in Community Maker 2015 was the lack of a venue - and so we ended up running our sessions from a tent on the newly developed green space,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What we know from 2015 is that without a community base, it
is really difficult to build momentum in the area, and for the community to
begin to become successful and feel connected. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also in the summer last year, The Oasis Social Club came to our area, with lead artist Rebecca Davies, though the idea around this project was always to be housed within a temporary structure, the project aimed to work with the community to uncover the communities hopes and aspirations, and to support the community to identify what would be needed to help the area to grow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Throughout our conversations, and events the recurring issue
of the need for a community space was raised, both within the Community Maker and The Oasis Social Club projects. Since the Community Maker
sessions in Summer 2015, the community group have attempted to organise events,
but the lack of a space has continually made these events difficult to manage.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since the positive experiences of 2015's 'Community
Maker' programme, we were contacted by the City Council, who asked us to look
into the viability of turning the currently boarded up pub over to the
community, keeping all of these things in mind, it would seem to make sense if
Community Maker 2016 were building on the successes of the 2015 programme - and
cross checking if the results are right, and that in fact the thing that this
community most needs to make it successful is a space, and importantly, ascertaining whether there is enough energy, commitment and will within the community to run the space if it is handed over by the council.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Therefore our primary aim for Community Maker 2016 is to
find out: Does the community want to take over and run The Portland Inn?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If so, what and who would that involve?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is there enough commitment from the community to make this work?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the community were to take over and run The Portland Inn,
what activities and events would happen there and who may be the potential
tenants who might be interested in being involved in taking space in the
building, in order to ensure financial stability?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNVBRM7y38rXCwrN8682ImsuzT4ShWNKKiFw-xT7voCiDRIZesU0hvNpiWOu03Pcer4gx1EXR4CEltdbo9MJK98M7z7vs0ZHFVD8FG3cYv7G-eVvGJKx0Bt-_9FFYSRCr7Yv8QkVx2tnq/s1600/planning-meeting-dena-jo-community-maker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNVBRM7y38rXCwrN8682ImsuzT4ShWNKKiFw-xT7voCiDRIZesU0hvNpiWOu03Pcer4gx1EXR4CEltdbo9MJK98M7z7vs0ZHFVD8FG3cYv7G-eVvGJKx0Bt-_9FFYSRCr7Yv8QkVx2tnq/s320/planning-meeting-dena-jo-community-maker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Dena Bagi and Jo Ayre from Clay Foundation and I have just spent time planning for this year, and leading in to 2017, and it feels like a very exciting strand is about to be explored</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over 4 weeks the Community Group will organise events and
activities each day - and within that Community Maker will aim to deliver 5
days of that programme within the pub, before working on a physical artwork, in the form of 'Talking Tableware' - using digital technologies to bring the ceramics to life with the voices of the community.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPov6EjXQGewFkGCrGm_A9cV0pEltTn-n8ZOwQkdulLoVHLe1Q7rcMBSWqnQE9Mu45LLmOYwIK-c5xq5saohzUoHaBRXTzIGTvXqeiufmUIQ3MBN0XEBC2k70g_LnHYYuiOeTCA1Szsh-V/s1600/community-maker-planning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPov6EjXQGewFkGCrGm_A9cV0pEltTn-n8ZOwQkdulLoVHLe1Q7rcMBSWqnQE9Mu45LLmOYwIK-c5xq5saohzUoHaBRXTzIGTvXqeiufmUIQ3MBN0XEBC2k70g_LnHYYuiOeTCA1Szsh-V/s320/community-maker-planning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In 2015 events were generally for two or three hours - but
in 2016 - in order to see the pub activated, it will be more of a residency
approach - I will be opening the pub from 11 - 4pm on each of the session days, working within the space, and then running a public workshop in mould making, mould use and ceramic glazes - with the community - working together to create a set of table ware for the artwork.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We will then present the experimental artwork over two events, one aimed at artists and other creative practitioners who may be interested in discussing the role of food within art projects, and the second a community Christmas Meal, where the artwork will be shown.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9rOn79ETsNeJ60_cQdmQorwPgXD9F0rV2kGUxcWac0AWBJqS_j_29Ka4eGkz9wNldaF9rI4MKHvpBPt01JoBKzvsC80xFPg2WTMjv7oURBwug4CYeodnKgkVWJgVfYqvO5Tp8up3EbMH/s1600/community-maker-conductive-glaze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9rOn79ETsNeJ60_cQdmQorwPgXD9F0rV2kGUxcWac0AWBJqS_j_29Ka4eGkz9wNldaF9rI4MKHvpBPt01JoBKzvsC80xFPg2WTMjv7oURBwug4CYeodnKgkVWJgVfYqvO5Tp8up3EbMH/s320/community-maker-conductive-glaze.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The exciting and unknown part is in exploring conductive glazes, mixing in arduino technology - and in particular seeing if we can make talking tableware - something which we hope to work on towards 2017.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In order to continue to explore the role that food and
making can have in supporting the community in coming together, we will be
keeping in mind the Portland Inn development project's four week timetable, but
also looking to incorporate our own design process.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our ultimate goal for 2017 is to create a community ceramic
plate, which everyone has in their house, and which comes out for community get
togethers, when people will 'bring a plate' to contribute, and also to set the
precedence for community meals/food sharing in the area.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SYDh8p6wqAFyj3TnpauOj3drZXvqUDGVBIS-QPJIeO-fwQFfADK2h8ScvZiig84q23EvJil_B079FM38ak16bMGz334C9eXjWDBsxQZytKbObUZa9QTOlU4sbUBdjXXvxrf5BYFMqlbu/s1600/community+maker+backstamp-01+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SYDh8p6wqAFyj3TnpauOj3drZXvqUDGVBIS-QPJIeO-fwQFfADK2h8ScvZiig84q23EvJil_B079FM38ak16bMGz334C9eXjWDBsxQZytKbObUZa9QTOlU4sbUBdjXXvxrf5BYFMqlbu/s320/community+maker+backstamp-01+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The aim for 2016 will be to work together to create a
hand-made dinner service, as a prototype artwork for 2017. We can return to the
highlights of 2015 - imagery and texts already gathered, and use these as
starting points for 2016. We will aim to also be able to give a full experience
for the community, so that if anyone were to follow all of the community
workshops, they would have experienced a full range of clay making processes,
including: making moulds from objects, using the moulds to create tablewares, printing onto wares and glazing wares - and then finally hearing their own voices within the wares.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-52219232886523680322016-03-23T13:25:00.002+00:002016-06-18T20:06:02.685+01:00Adopt a Mobile Bird Hide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fKguftFWABiEpgiI-rVxzBVZ0mmx3azUjhKh3Az32j7NiSM6VrIdGzD4KNCPnGqijFj2Y-Z9EEnW6qTIq1-_H2-yNwI0ISZeuqm-7ovYBJnogeUg5u9fJflzDYCMTPTn7pqQSFFitY1z/s1600/mix-house+182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fKguftFWABiEpgiI-rVxzBVZ0mmx3azUjhKh3Az32j7NiSM6VrIdGzD4KNCPnGqijFj2Y-Z9EEnW6qTIq1-_H2-yNwI0ISZeuqm-7ovYBJnogeUg5u9fJflzDYCMTPTn7pqQSFFitY1z/s320/mix-house+182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
UPDATE: The Mobile Bird Hide will be going to Hulme Community Garden Centre, who will us it as a nature hub for carrying out a nature audit within a reclaimed car park. We hope lots of people will enjoy the ownderful bird hide.<br />
ADOPT A MOBILE BIRD HIDE: We need to find a new home for the Birder's Paradise Mobile Bird Hide. It is a wonderful, converted caravan, now a mobile nature hub. Based on a traditional RSPB Bird Hide, there is space for a nature library, binoculars and other resources, and a little room, which can house a portaloo if necessary, but is also a good spy spot for watching the birds.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgG8hlNRRFasVpP3mANToOrhQsZAPyF9dRu-z1v3mAQjXH2gfZfxt2pjDEIaWp8iLa8x9ewrX_YH2zOBnzaASGCYsfS7I3cC1YKv-1QYRYTgtrWaDtcsoAvQ5lFYQAZ6gXh6tXIH3p-db/s1600/IMG_0450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgG8hlNRRFasVpP3mANToOrhQsZAPyF9dRu-z1v3mAQjXH2gfZfxt2pjDEIaWp8iLa8x9ewrX_YH2zOBnzaASGCYsfS7I3cC1YKv-1QYRYTgtrWaDtcsoAvQ5lFYQAZ6gXh6tXIH3p-db/s320/IMG_0450.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We would ideally like the Hide to go to a project/organisation interested in nature, or a educational establishment who could use it as a resource, and can use it to tell people about the importance of supporting nature. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE-BlvGphmfznFdLY67TkAvltry2iWSLbwryA9TB6vx7uFTuPc3pMpYAyIrfSqXG27ONkelp5v0PJ81V0ZJR2knUgChAK6442Vv5kHUXMntQbveiGyeiOcW6KEtFXOZjLBDud0KCgsBX5/s1600/mix-house+187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE-BlvGphmfznFdLY67TkAvltry2iWSLbwryA9TB6vx7uFTuPc3pMpYAyIrfSqXG27ONkelp5v0PJ81V0ZJR2knUgChAK6442Vv5kHUXMntQbveiGyeiOcW6KEtFXOZjLBDud0KCgsBX5/s320/mix-house+187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The Hide will be free to a good home, but we would like to know a few things: 1. who are you and your organisation/project? 2. where will you keep it? 3. who will use it (your organisation, and who with - participants) and 4. how will it be used?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBX6NbwZmlyvbRG8UR5MgqJ31Nc0dCLg6pvg4OMGYKJwULG7VxUtGmH30w4a4B3G4L36ICFpJc73EfG0g7Z7ymZGJyFeK9eBsjDg1-poF5o4QX5smcDnUvgZMlTO-P8Ea9BD2_lGmYQF4i/s1600/park-birders+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBX6NbwZmlyvbRG8UR5MgqJ31Nc0dCLg6pvg4OMGYKJwULG7VxUtGmH30w4a4B3G4L36ICFpJc73EfG0g7Z7ymZGJyFeK9eBsjDg1-poF5o4QX5smcDnUvgZMlTO-P8Ea9BD2_lGmYQF4i/s320/park-birders+010.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
Please get in touch to express your interest ASAP by email to Anna Francis: amf@airspacegallery.org - More info of the hide in action: http://annafrancis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/birders-paradise-stoke-on-trent.html<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3L_H1LsBXHoenPX-fCOccZupAjtJzeCDd12Z1SgzycNMYd-TADO7QvKWd-R6C3r09N0qclJjk6L7t3bJiQvDde_9ah_Vde4BYmyUR4kmb4TYvRz4kRWT3XcT7x-4LyOBwQqZfyuijIcG/s1600/park+068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3L_H1LsBXHoenPX-fCOccZupAjtJzeCDd12Z1SgzycNMYd-TADO7QvKWd-R6C3r09N0qclJjk6L7t3bJiQvDde_9ah_Vde4BYmyUR4kmb4TYvRz4kRWT3XcT7x-4LyOBwQqZfyuijIcG/s320/park+068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Do share with anyone you think will be interested.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-17234556175908457442016-02-27T17:34:00.002+00:002016-11-13T14:37:14.146+00:00A-N Go and See - Artist Led Development: Place and Resources<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4LVSIZCnneIYMsAVGHYeZBGRqFkjIuwuHKbfraXbo4ByZFayy4mKedLfwWRMmFwtRcRBP0alQw5mAESjjnJ0R4llQ8Xiy7GcUlCcWVaJWoRmkaWLyuIPk2f-OT9FCskZ4z1UQ0koHMP4/s1600/margate-seafront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4LVSIZCnneIYMsAVGHYeZBGRqFkjIuwuHKbfraXbo4ByZFayy4mKedLfwWRMmFwtRcRBP0alQw5mAESjjnJ0R4llQ8Xiy7GcUlCcWVaJWoRmkaWLyuIPk2f-OT9FCskZ4z1UQ0koHMP4/s320/margate-seafront.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
AirSpace Gallery is about to enter its 10th year as an artist led organisation in Stoke-on-Trent, and as a result we are thinking about resilience, and how organisations can connect to the places where they are to ensure a sustainable approach.<br />
With this in mind, each of the 3 AirSpace Directors have been on trips around the country to meet up with organisations and individuals whose projects have been around a while, or who we think are making interesting connections to the places that they are situated in. We have been wonderfully supported by an A-N go and see bursary, allowing us time and financial support to make these visits.<br />
Glen has been to Preston, Andy to Sheffield and I have been to Margate.<br />
Recently I have been thinking about the long term impacts of public art and arts programming; Probably for a while, but brought into sharp focus, when I was invited to speak at the 'In Certain Places' and Ixia (Public Art Think Tank) conference '<a href="http://incertainplaces.org/the-art-of-dwelling-a-one-day-conference-exploring-long-term-approaches-to-public-art-place/" target="_blank">The Art of Dwelling: Exploring long term approaches to public art and place.'</a><br />
This was a really interesting opportunity to hear about projects from across the UK who are all still going after quite a time, what these projects all had in common was that the people leading on them were absolutely embedded with the place that their organisation was based. The projects were specific, and bespoke to those places, and had a flavour to them which would not be possible anywhere else. The projects are site-responsive, completely engaged with the particularity of the places that they inhabit - and in most cases, really making a difference to participants, and the places they operate. It was a privilege to be invited to speak alongside Deveron Arts, In-Situ, In Certain Places and others, but what stayed with me, was a question about what the organisations are responding to in their prospective places, and whether there was any commonality in approach.<br />
It got me thinking about Stoke, and the particularity of this place: and raised some questions for me about the relationship between a place's resources, and the projects that happen there.<br />
In recent years the projects that we have engaged in at AirSpace have often questioned the role of the artist in society, have engaged with overlooked resources (space, skills, materials) and have, in recent years, had recurring themes around food and green space in cities.<br />
Interestingly, we are not alone in this here, and so, this go and see bursary felt like a great chance to undertake some research into the resources in another place, and the effect that may or may not have on the artists living and working there.<br />
I decided to visit Margate - I am really fascinated by the amazing speed of the development of the arts scene in Margate in the last 5 years. My interest is partly personal (my family are from the area, and I worked, with my sister and brother in the Dreamland Fun Park as a teenager) but also, I am interested in Margate as a place that lost its industry, and where the regeneration and development solution has been mainly culture led. This is very relevant to us in Stoke - the industry is very different, but the solutions may be shared.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5z4cArGBesjkr_1CjSJt0p1ykn_-3pLO1YPRgdp1OniF-iBT2u_O3ovmTkCZX2LB95V21rV8xUtpCMpfLb8VSjk6WhH-th2iobWsIAKTL1UntUJdeaocDMklH9yfA4_XTsYsrtCOJwab/s1600/turner-opening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5z4cArGBesjkr_1CjSJt0p1ykn_-3pLO1YPRgdp1OniF-iBT2u_O3ovmTkCZX2LB95V21rV8xUtpCMpfLb8VSjk6WhH-th2iobWsIAKTL1UntUJdeaocDMklH9yfA4_XTsYsrtCOJwab/s320/turner-opening.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Turner Contemporary opened in Margate in 2011, and I was there at the Opening, to document and <a href="http://annafrancis.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/turner-revealed-you-are-here.html" target="_blank">review the opening f</a>or A-N.<br />
Nearly 5 Years on, I wanted to look at the changes in the artist led scene in Margate in those 5 years, and to find out from those working there, what it is like to be in Margate now. I set up meetings with <a href="http://www.leighclarkeworks.com/" target="_blank">Leigh Clarke</a>, at <a href="http://www.cratespace.co.uk/" target="_blank">Crate</a> - as I was interested in talking about the changes in Margate, from the point of view of a space that had been in Margate before Turner, I then spoke to Nick Morley at Resort Studios, a very young space, which has achieved so much in such a short space of time and finally to Dan Thompson, an Independent Artist, who moved with his family to Margate a few years ago.<br />
My first appointment was with artist, printmaker Leigh Clarke - in his studio at Crate.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hp2ITPSftToMWGxrhmA3I9lX7TVP3rVMdYSP1Ku3o0R4pJ8B8dy-4OEFWk-LAi9mMikzAd8pEXBh9AXWASHx_6qcIkGvxKMZHI2jCQp1NsfZ6D33mK6lIIs8DlsnaeotbL62ACgVkWIi/s1600/crate-margate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hp2ITPSftToMWGxrhmA3I9lX7TVP3rVMdYSP1Ku3o0R4pJ8B8dy-4OEFWk-LAi9mMikzAd8pEXBh9AXWASHx_6qcIkGvxKMZHI2jCQp1NsfZ6D33mK6lIIs8DlsnaeotbL62ACgVkWIi/s320/crate-margate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Crate was started in 1996, by some graduates from Canterbury University - a disused print works, they wanted it to be a space for artists to work, and also a project space, for others to visit.<br />
It always had a theoretical slant to it, originally housing the 'Critical Research Bureau' - and the connections to research continue today.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScVZlpVpbnhoDqJEwFkzPftgJk4igZQuAk-CrAjRLzpWkX2gidYnh6QF5ujJdRETUzpFtUQ8Tupfx9oNtvPMCRyMlV9Oonpi7JrTjuTw1lKf0loURU3nrkpR-KCYBfjgOUM9q3aErDWnC/s1600/limbo-margate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScVZlpVpbnhoDqJEwFkzPftgJk4igZQuAk-CrAjRLzpWkX2gidYnh6QF5ujJdRETUzpFtUQ8Tupfx9oNtvPMCRyMlV9Oonpi7JrTjuTw1lKf0loURU3nrkpR-KCYBfjgOUM9q3aErDWnC/s320/limbo-margate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Soon after Crate opened, Limbo opened up next door, creating a bit of a hub and a great relationship between the spaces - which culminated around 2 years in an almost merger, as the two organisations looked to secure the old Burton building nearby.<br />
When the project fell through, they asked Leigh to be a Director there, to help the organisation's develop in the next few years.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3nA-aUUfmfR8tNCsvwsy1qBgjLBJUaa1h6wQYHlm0tUcy1xM4qvWoxw4-KV6q2WKcnFP0JuFm2E76d2V-IpUPzENObsb7sZ4s26GKNbXlJb3V3Yfz3E49QMDoV1D2bMribYAuOqeYrzT/s1600/leigh-clarke-in-conversation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3nA-aUUfmfR8tNCsvwsy1qBgjLBJUaa1h6wQYHlm0tUcy1xM4qvWoxw4-KV6q2WKcnFP0JuFm2E76d2V-IpUPzENObsb7sZ4s26GKNbXlJb3V3Yfz3E49QMDoV1D2bMribYAuOqeYrzT/s320/leigh-clarke-in-conversation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Leigh Clarke, in his studio at Crate</span></div>
Leigh moved to the area, from London two years ago. It was really interesting to hear from Leigh about his experience - he described his experiences as an artist, with a studio in London, and the gritty reality of Hackney at that time, a trip to the local pub, 'The Gun' was literally the place you visited to get a gun, but a recent visit reveals the stark realities of gentrification - the pub now serve craft beer, The Prada and Burberry factories are now round the corner. Margate today feels like Hackney did 10 or 15 years ago. The fact that artists are completely part of the gentrification was not lost on Leigh - he talked about the strange push pull of the process. Its a process that is replicated in every city - we (artists) move in, the place is gritty, reality on the doorstep - our presence starts to change things, cafes open, the street art improves, the costs to rent space start to go up, other types of business start to take an interest and move in, space becomes a premium, artists can no longer afford the rent, artists start to move out (and anyway the place has changed, so artists aren't that interested any more.)<br />
Leigh talked about the effect that Turner Contemporary has had on Margate, and the amazing rate of change -saying 'It's still cheap in Margate, but you can definitely feel that it isn't going to be like that for long.'<br />
The same week that I was in Margate, I heard from another artist that we, at AirSpace have collaborated with, that he would be moving to Margate imminently, to open a new studio project - it is a story that we are hearing more and more, as the prices to rent studio in London become completely beyond most artists, the train service to London from Margate, which was greatly improved a few years ago, and now sees you able to be in Kings Cross an hour and a half after setting off, and for just £13 makes the option of living by the sea so much more viable.<br />
This is something that we are really interested in, we don't have the sea in Stoke, but we are one of the U.K.'s greenest cities, the train to Euston takes at best an hour and 23 minutes (unfortunately the price is something that needs work) but with the low cost of living, and London based studio provider <a href="http://www.acava.org/news/studios-stoke-trent" target="_blank">Acava opening 43 artists studios</a> a 5 minute walk from Stoke Station, the prospect of being a Stoke based artists looks more interesting than ever.<br />
Crate, as organisation that has been running for 20 years, is very interesting, having been in Margate, before Turner Contemporary, and since. We talked about the way that organisations develop into their buildings in an organic way - and not necessarily in a strategic way which recognises the resources and potential of the building - and that because of this an organisation will need moments of restructuring and rethinking, and that Crate is in a bit of a period of change now, with 2 new directors and an interest in getting back to some of the original emphasis as a research hub.<br />
One of the main questions I had was a direct question around whether Leigh, Nick and Dan could identify what the particular resources might be in Margate, and what impact that might have on the way that artists and art organisations work in Margate.<br />
Leigh felt that Margate, first and foremost has big spaces that are accessible to artists, but also that the place has really interesting pubs and shops - that feel non-commercial and unlike other places, an unspoilt bohemia. He also felt that Turner Contemporary are providing a great support to artists in the Town, and that the networks in Margate work well - people know each other and collaborate across organisations really well. Leigh also described the upsurge in popularity of right wing politics in the area as something which had galvanised the creative community, and brought people together to counter that.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaeAOYL2UJefVFmMBRGsDMhsVSzqD7q5Wezs0jAsYBre5xYpJs9xyI6otfrbkNTgKEQBy1NmzEoW6szL82DsCHfsXyoza61udAzxps2XQswwc0Bn3W1oRH29v_vLzvdvHYPAJZFZllsZt/s1600/leigh-clarke-deer-in-progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaeAOYL2UJefVFmMBRGsDMhsVSzqD7q5Wezs0jAsYBre5xYpJs9xyI6otfrbkNTgKEQBy1NmzEoW6szL82DsCHfsXyoza61udAzxps2XQswwc0Bn3W1oRH29v_vLzvdvHYPAJZFZllsZt/s320/leigh-clarke-deer-in-progress.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Works in progress, Leigh Clarke.</span></div>
I was interested in whether the resources of the place, may impact on the themes and ways of working of artists in Margate, Leigh talked about the landscape having an impact and featuring in people's work, but that in many cases it is a slow creeping thing, that happens in people's work, and is almost unnoticed at first. It is of course like this for most artists, whether an artists work is directly related to place or not, places do seep in, and impact on the direction, rhythms, materials and feel of work.<br />
In terms of making work, Leigh talked about how cheap it is to get materials and to get things made, compared to London. He also talked about the Charity Shops as a fantastic resource for him and his work. Leigh turns the abundant wastage of a consumerist society into materials for new works of art, and currently that material is the Celebrity Autobiography.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7SvYTJnqpy4ZxLHdlYrS17nS7CR0MRnYXckfMvilNb3yAzIQXhig1tL7PdrLoptUQfXsQFR6ikIJmpUpQ_3D0OM118FucXfN7cVz92ZVxKIZOLOaFAyw1n5K5nRTB0YEM6q_AEOZdoMG/s1600/leigh-clarke-works.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7SvYTJnqpy4ZxLHdlYrS17nS7CR0MRnYXckfMvilNb3yAzIQXhig1tL7PdrLoptUQfXsQFR6ikIJmpUpQ_3D0OM118FucXfN7cVz92ZVxKIZOLOaFAyw1n5K5nRTB0YEM6q_AEOZdoMG/s320/leigh-clarke-works.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Works in progress, Leigh Clarke.</span></div>
'The Charity Shops are my Art Shops, the more I wander around Charity shops, the more I am spotting things that appear a lot at one time. In 2009 I exhibited my collection of 500 <i>Batman Forever </i>VHS videos, that I'd collected for 5 years. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhMQr2kKRTfmArjEHrM-VBgdTdGYrhe07Agvxv3libbWo3weLQYD0DwcsKpUVPRPMX_Jb9UM2TXUkzY8-8WMFhL_FvJ4voAWc_sCQGdN0rcsDyLCXgJIg6wkeTapX356TBS3k_5TlqQ05/s1600/leigh-clarke-print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhMQr2kKRTfmArjEHrM-VBgdTdGYrhe07Agvxv3libbWo3weLQYD0DwcsKpUVPRPMX_Jb9UM2TXUkzY8-8WMFhL_FvJ4voAWc_sCQGdN0rcsDyLCXgJIg6wkeTapX356TBS3k_5TlqQ05/s320/leigh-clarke-print.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Works photographed in Leigh Clarke's studio, December 2015.</span></div>
At the moment, these autobiographies are everywhere, because nobody really wants them. I would never have been able to get the stuff I make my art from if I was in London. I just got Anne Diamond for a quid.'<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpzCSqu8bqCW8iXaxkhCASfDmaU2K___qldAp-jppCde0gsXzwCUlUC9xVjIFFNBeLeYK8ga-HP9907rXPGkNqPsviu8Nrxn86N2uNI52K4cYmlvKwdA0tmUdtT04dK4UhEr9XYQreQtw/s1600/resort-margate-petmans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpzCSqu8bqCW8iXaxkhCASfDmaU2K___qldAp-jppCde0gsXzwCUlUC9xVjIFFNBeLeYK8ga-HP9907rXPGkNqPsviu8Nrxn86N2uNI52K4cYmlvKwdA0tmUdtT04dK4UhEr9XYQreQtw/s320/resort-margate-petmans.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Petman Building: Resort Studios.</span></div>
My second visit took me up the hill to Cliftonville, to <a href="http://www.resortstudios.co.uk/" target="_blank">Resort Studios</a>, and a revisit to Nick Morley at <a href="http://www.helloprintstudio.com/" target="_blank">Hello Print</a>. I was in Margate in March for one to one Print training with Nick, <a href="http://annafrancis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/hello-print-studio-margate-making-it.html" target="_blank">write up here</a><br />
Resort and hello Print are already established as an import part of Margate's arts ecology, providing affordable studio space, open access to the print facilities, and recently a jewelry and soon to open dark room are added to the Resort Menu, which includes drawing club, professional development and a series of interesting events throughout the year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiWugha3CJoC4jA6QVBkX_JvjCZX6Ai_L3XhGVGCVuQhnPt_-wrHz8doBJ4eA9SuSqMMNysSWx9UAdDlH69X25VLCBGMI-3zGuH6j5cTqZ0oIgqOGdbW7TcziHlD2hgkrUF_0mshKVMhh/s1600/resort-dark-room-margate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiWugha3CJoC4jA6QVBkX_JvjCZX6Ai_L3XhGVGCVuQhnPt_-wrHz8doBJ4eA9SuSqMMNysSWx9UAdDlH69X25VLCBGMI-3zGuH6j5cTqZ0oIgqOGdbW7TcziHlD2hgkrUF_0mshKVMhh/s320/resort-dark-room-margate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The new dark rooms, Resort Studios, Margate.</span></div>
Resort now hosts at least 40 artists, but many more associates, with the print space and events, the energy in the building is positive, productive and friendly - and the space there is obviously already very desirable - there is a selection process at Resort - and they really can attract 'serious' people, as there can be 3 applicants for each studio or desk that becomes available.<br />
There are a number of things which make Resort such an interesting place to work - the physical design and how the building has been broken up, is purposefully thought out to encourage interaction. The 4 directors have very different skill sets, which makes for a well balanced organisation - the pool of skills, contacts and interests across the board keeps things interesting.<br />
We discussed how quickly things are moving in terms of development in Margate - in the six months since my last visit, new galleries have opened on the route from Turner to Resort, and just around the corner on Northdown Road a new clay based open access shop has opened, and is already offering clay workshops.<br />
Nick talked about the pace of change as being the thing which really feeds creativity, but that there is also something (in the background) which is worrying about the speed that things are moving. There is a worry that they are starting to reach a tipping point, that point where Margate becomes cemented as the next big thing - and the gentrification becomes the thing that makes Margate lose its Margateness. It is a responsibility that artists and arts organisations may have, as we know we are part of the process - the thing which is shifting and speeding up the change - and which ultimately means we end up having to move on. We talked about the need for organisations to think forward - to after the gentrification has happened, to do our best to think sustainably - and try to secure the properties we are in ahead of the curve. <br />
This is such a difficult thing for an arts organisation to do though, our experience at AirSpace has been that we did try to secure a longer lease, but that without spare money hanging around, it is really difficult to future proof the precarious artist led organisation.<br />
What is amazing about Crate, is that they own their building, and this really has to be the holy grail, you can't be shifted on, when the prices rocket, if you are the owner of the building.<br />
Nick and I discussed the resources that Margate has to offer - Nick chose Margate in the first place, for its seaside location as he and his partner were looking to get out of London, but also for the large buildings, and importantly for Nick, no other print provision anywhere near the area. Nick talked about the feeling that in Margate, you really can make a bigger impact,<br />
'If you put on a good event here, everyone knows about it, but in London there is so much competition.'<br />
I think it is more than that too, In Stoke, it has felt for the past 10 years like the lack of infrastructure and other activity has perversely made it somehow easier to do things, not so much red tape, and in a way, because you are often doing things for the first time, it does make a bigger splash.<br />
Resort is a young organisation, and therefore at this stage is rightly focused on getting established and getting organised, and not overtly concerned with engaging the public around them, in my experience anyway, this will come later - but the day to day connections with local residents and neighbour businesses will see the slow and steady, and more natural impact that the presence of Resort will have. We talked about the responsibility of the organisation to its neighbourhood, and what that might mean - which for now is about improving the spaces around the building, being welcoming and open, so that the locals don't feel alienated by the changes taking place - and which may, eventually change the area entirely.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAt69O41wQQbXrFv7T8yObZfhrKC8m6VDEQ-N7ob140q-mKBr5o3TqQ7wyjGMkiMeUX_tMTu9NCTam8fxT1oFCkjUamy6HDM38xInTI01QZBBhqyZiEq4tdCsHybH3y0RHYFkAv4TMi7uf/s1600/dan-thompson-gentrification.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAt69O41wQQbXrFv7T8yObZfhrKC8m6VDEQ-N7ob140q-mKBr5o3TqQ7wyjGMkiMeUX_tMTu9NCTam8fxT1oFCkjUamy6HDM38xInTI01QZBBhqyZiEq4tdCsHybH3y0RHYFkAv4TMi7uf/s320/dan-thompson-gentrification.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dan Thompson - site responsive artwork in Arlington House - etched Parquet Floor.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The final visit in Margate cemented the conversations around gentrification, and the artists role and responsibility. It was great to catch up with <a href="https://mrdanthompson.wordpress.com/about-2/" target="_blank">artist and writer Dan Thompson</a>. Dan has been working and campaigning for many years, around the use of abandoned high street shops - and on his website his about describes him as being<br />
'...<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "baskerville" , "playfair display" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 27px;"> interested in the creation of social capital, in abandoned or underused spaces, and in DIY approaches to art, culture and social action.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "baskerville" , "playfair display" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 27px;"> '</span><br />
As an independent artist, who very consciously moved to Margate with his family a few years back, I was interested to hear from Nick about the phenomena of culture led gentrification in Margate, and the impact that people like him are having on the town.<br />
Though Dan moved to Margate two years ago, he has been working in Margate variously since 2003, so had a real knowledge of the town and the potential there before moving his family, there was the draw of the sea, but also Turner Contemporary being in the town was important.<br />
We talked about the interesting question around resources, and the impact that this can have on the way that artists live and work. In Margate, like Stoke, Dan identified that space is relatively easy to get hold of, and that it is impressive, characterful space, that makes the project so much more interesting and ripe with creativity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6by-_L99WkvaL1a5DLlPPw1gy3xmi-gtTykxSHg-wmlo_-O7DKnOLWR7RfBMN-yXYxoWLLNnv7y8EO0RWTUbXjnIAXkWXIUARf8VaAnmj22Srec8iEmHlDoNbossENki1BVNwt5TbcQnH/s1600/arlington-house-margate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6by-_L99WkvaL1a5DLlPPw1gy3xmi-gtTykxSHg-wmlo_-O7DKnOLWR7RfBMN-yXYxoWLLNnv7y8EO0RWTUbXjnIAXkWXIUARf8VaAnmj22Srec8iEmHlDoNbossENki1BVNwt5TbcQnH/s320/arlington-house-margate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Recent projects have seen Dan working with a group of other artists to put on a site responsive exhibition in Arlington House, one of the most controversial, and impactful buildings on Margate seafront. Getting hold of amazing spaces like this would be difficult anywhere else. This building is an interesting one, I remember from my youth, Arlington House being regarded as something of a ghetto, by those that didn't live there, and in Pawel Pawlikowski's 'Last Resort' film, it was there that the main character ended up, Arlington House, the ends of the earth.<br />
My Gran's friends had a flat there, and said it was the best place they had ever lived, as Dan pointed out, due to the amazing architecture of the building, every flat has a sea view.<br />
In Stoke too, projects like Art City have seen some amazing spaces made available for artists; our colleagues at Re:Stoke put on an epic production in the closed down Tunstall Swimming Baths, AirSpace led on the Kules Residency in the old Olympus Engineering Works, and the project itself launched from the Chatterley Whitfield Colliery. In Stoke, we are in the moment before the moment that Margate is in, amazing spaces are accessible, at little or no cost - but people are starting to notice - 43 artists studios on the Spode Factory this month will bring a much welcomed influx of creative people, but this, like in Margate may be just the start.<br />
Talking to Dan, Nick and Leigh, they all shared this story of a move to Margate being about getting away from the commercialism of London, or towards the amazing character that Margate has, where space can be accessed, things can be done but that there presence itself could be the thing which makes it all flip the other way.<br />
In Dan's case, in the two years that he has been living there he has seen property prices rocket - purchasing a flat in Arlington House was something that could have been achievable two years ago, but its proximity to the train station, sea views, and the influx of other tower block appreciating creative people have pushed the price above and beyond what most artists could hope to afford.<br />
In Margate they are not at the tipping point yet, but everyone seems to feel it coming.<br />
We don't have a Turner Contemporary in Stoke, or the sea for that matter, and at the moment it feels like a bit of that gentrification might not go amiss - but there are rumblings here that its on its way.<br />
The city is bidding for city of culture 2021, good places to eat have suddenly begun to appear, and the positive press we are getting is really making a difference to how we are viewed from elsewhere.<br />
What it feels we could do with is one big catalyst to really bring it all together, a Whole City Art Project - Maybe bidding for City of Culture could be it?- and it does feel that that needs to be artist led, and done with a moral compass. How can we avoid the pitfalls of how it has been done badly elsewhere, and make sure it is not top down development, but something new?Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-72659402510060793212016-01-15T14:00:00.004+00:002016-01-15T14:15:22.169+00:00Stoke-on-Trent: A City on The Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUvpsBTpaUkK5Rqf_CWAcnqSuwzTYA8IIuGKsTaiXAZo93pAuVVkAu8kW_CV-afJqqMRQLrppsQtdo_puWTIT-lQEikOsDaMqxrwI02Bqlf7AGQPV5P2kNIjN-Tive1wQkXpDGvLTo5dX/s1600/indefinable-city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUvpsBTpaUkK5Rqf_CWAcnqSuwzTYA8IIuGKsTaiXAZo93pAuVVkAu8kW_CV-afJqqMRQLrppsQtdo_puWTIT-lQEikOsDaMqxrwI02Bqlf7AGQPV5P2kNIjN-Tive1wQkXpDGvLTo5dX/s320/indefinable-city.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
Since I returned to the City in 2005, the city of Stoke-on-Trent; my home, has changed immeasurably. Like many artists, the place I live leaks into, influences and is often the subject of my practice and research. The change happening in Stoke over the years has been frighteningly fast paced: both in terms of the deindustrialisation and demolition which seemed to be everywhere around the time that I curated 'Indefinable City' at AirSpace Gallery in 2007 and in the last couple of years in the pace of development, in terms of housing and business investment.<br />
Much of the change has been a result of top down decision making (good and bad) in relation to the housing renewal, and clearance, and the various initiatives and projects to regenerate which have been variously successful. <br />
What is particularly interesting is the growth in the creative industries - and in particular the power and the growth of artist led activity in the city.<br />
Within my practice as an artist, and research as an academic, I have been interested in the role of artists in regenerating the places they live and work since the Indefinable City exhibition of 2007 - and have spoken about, and lead projects which explore this since then; so I was delighted to be invited as a speaker for a panel discussion at the V and A, on 30th October - during their monthly 'Friday Late' event which was exploring the theme 'The Potteries'.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RTllp44L1PpD5GdTkW4z0BJi27vUNQ3KjuUUmy3i18AUjYNegahl_8RazLKHGEGQcZohUbUldYmkHpzfzl_RiryHI3WW-1X8CJF4n940fHbAb5bd1oYVimdlrxn4oGYLeC6wEP0aQpOE/s1600/panel-discussion-pottery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RTllp44L1PpD5GdTkW4z0BJi27vUNQ3KjuUUmy3i18AUjYNegahl_8RazLKHGEGQcZohUbUldYmkHpzfzl_RiryHI3WW-1X8CJF4n940fHbAb5bd1oYVimdlrxn4oGYLeC6wEP0aQpOE/s320/panel-discussion-pottery.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Copyright to V and A Official Photographer</span></div>
The panel discussion was exploring 'The Future of The Potteries' and was chaired by the V and A's ceramics curator Olivia Horsfall Turner, and joining me on the panel was Steven Moore (Director at Middleport Pottery, and one of the experts on the Antiques Roadshow) as well as David Proudlove from Urban Vision (also a writer for The Sentinel.)<br />
Thinking about the discussion on the way down to London, what I really wanted to do was to present Stoke as the city which I know; one with its own share of problems, but a city with so much potential - so much going for it. In many ways, as an artist living in the city these past 10 years, I have benefited from the particular context here - there are so many gaps - and as artists, what we are really good at, is recognising gaps and seeing them as opportunities to make things happen. The things that I have been able to do, in terms of curating, and making projects happen, just would not have been possible in any other city. Over these ten years I have seen Stoke-on-Trent talked about from within the city, but also in National Press as a failing place, somewhere that no one wants to be, the city featured regularly in 'worst place to live,' and 'unhappiest city' polls. In the past 2 or 3 years however, the way the city is described, and the types of polls we are now featuring in have shifted dramatically. Suddenly we are featuring in 'Best Cities to raise a family' polls or 'Fastest Growth' polls. In addition, there are many more positive news stories coming out of the city than ever before. The Panel Discussion then, felt like the perfect time to really begin to spread the positive word about the city - and I was very happy to be part of that.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMv0vHnyty9k-7OEqf9UqawdDYkJ1WBa9UZ6V7P-D1OuVp8mgafijrjM0SPSAMVaOobZZIsOksFvo7q1ae1PluJeDcYzJSkQCfujUCEVHKIPAQ_mc0YhV8pyholcyhCI6XdZMAglHEf1w/s1600/panel-discussion-pottery2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMv0vHnyty9k-7OEqf9UqawdDYkJ1WBa9UZ6V7P-D1OuVp8mgafijrjM0SPSAMVaOobZZIsOksFvo7q1ae1PluJeDcYzJSkQCfujUCEVHKIPAQ_mc0YhV8pyholcyhCI6XdZMAglHEf1w/s320/panel-discussion-pottery2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Copyright to V and A Official Photographer</span></div>
It was very interesting to talk about the role that art and arts organisations are having in the city, but also to talk about the role of the University - in celebrating the City's Ceramic Heritage.<br />
At the end of the talk a number of people stayed behind to let us know how refreshing and heartening it was to hear such positive news from the city. I really feel, along with many others, that this is an important moment for Stoke.<br />
We all felt that in the next 5 years there will be a lot of development in the city - and that the future for the city is really looking good. Since the discussion, the official announcement has been made that Stoke is to bid to be City of Culture 2021. This would probably have been unimaginable 5 years ago - I look forward to looking back in 5 years time and seeing how much further we have come.<br />
Dave Proudlove wrote up his take on the discussions here:<br />
<a href="http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Dave-Proudlove-Ceramics-Stoke-s-new-industrial/story-28148812-detail/story.html">http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Dave-Proudlove-Ceramics-Stoke-s-new-industrial/story-28148812-detail/story.html</a><a href="http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Dave-Proudlove-Ceramics-Stoke-s-new-industrial/story-28148812-detail/story.html" target="_blank">http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Dave-Proudlove-Ceramics-Stoke-s-new-industrial/story-28148812-detail/story.html</a>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-26150024287913956232016-01-08T14:12:00.002+00:002016-01-08T14:20:54.647+00:00Spode Rose: Landscapes, Designs and Thoughts from the Public<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCBYtzmkOYYMcPs9vyzKGVbRg5bkU0Ue_hHVec4UwHtv1O9Cez7WLPxwHUzo5dnPeSuNewedg7uFUX83P8qik671yhEZSx-XZAaMGyfna0EMQ72vqjj2ZRIB4vXFJ4WhJZPe5Ca3PlLyf/s1600/spode-rose-garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCBYtzmkOYYMcPs9vyzKGVbRg5bkU0Ue_hHVec4UwHtv1O9Cez7WLPxwHUzo5dnPeSuNewedg7uFUX83P8qik671yhEZSx-XZAaMGyfna0EMQ72vqjj2ZRIB4vXFJ4WhJZPe5Ca3PlLyf/s320/spode-rose-garden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The results of the Spode Rose Garden Consultation are in, the Council report being amazed by the response, mentioning that there were more respondents for this questionnaire, than when they consulted on the poll tax. <br />
The level of interest is testament to how well loved this space and the factory are within the hearts of the public - what is also really heartening, is to see the number of people who have expressed an interest in being involved with the garden in the future - and perhaps potentially forming a 'Friends of' group for the space.<br />
This is really key to the sustainability and long term plan for the space - The council have committed to spend £12,000 on the garden, all of which will go on landscape plans, landscaping, treeworks, restoration and plants. It is imperative that this investment is not wasted - and therefore finding custodians for the space long term is a real concern for us, as we don't want the work to be done, only for the garden to return to its previous abandoned state.<br />
For us at AirSpace then the idea of a programme of engagement and public art works seems a great way to involve people (so it is this part of the project that we will have to look for investment for.)<br />
What is really clear from the questionnaire is how important the heritage of the garden is to people, with many mentioning that the garden should nod to and incorporate Spode designs and history - something which myself and Dawn Mayer (the council's Landscape Architect that we are working with on the project) are keen to explore this further.<br />
There are a number of key elements that we hope to include in the Spode Rose Garden's future design, but we also hope to retain as much of the current layout and features as possible.<br />
Conversations based on the questionnaire and our own thoughts about the space centre around the following principles currently, which we will be taking now back to those interested stakeholders for cross checking:<br />
- The garden's history as a rose garden is something we hope to build on, showcasing the new Spode China Rose which has been the central motif within the project.<br />
- From the questionnaire and subsequent design conversations, we are looking at a design which includes and references Key Spode Patterns: ensuring that the garden references the Factory's rich heritage, but is also able to be a learning resource about the history of Spode.<br />
- Spending some time looking at the current layout of the garden, we hope to accentuate the series of circles/semi-circles around the space, seeing these as templates for referencing the Spode Wares (A series of plates in the space - delineated with landscaping features, and referencing the plants and fruits from Spode wares via planting schemes and other features.)<br />
- Tree works are a priority in the garden - as some of the trees have a lot of dead wood and others are damaging neighbouring buildings.<br />
- A number of people have mentioned the railings - and needing these to be done up - this would take quite a large part of the council's £12,000 budget, but would be something that would be really beneficial for the future of the space.<br />
- One key individual who has a real interest in the Spode Site and has done a lot of work in keeping much of the rest of the factory site looking presentable with plants and flowers over the years, discussed the idea of a second gate into the garden, which would create a sense of being able to walk through the garden (a nice idea) and which Dawn will look into for costs.<br />
- The council has a commitment to including edible elements within all green space development, as part of their Sustainable Food City Initiative - something which we are also really on board with at AirSpace, and in addition to this a number of respondents to the questionnaire mentioned edible planting as being desirable. This offers a real opportunity for the design of the space to reference two key artistic movements which are going on in the City (and beyond) at the moment, which have seen two key themes emerge in how artists and art organisations are working: projects and works which use food and growing as core interests.<br />
The Spode Rose Garden thematically then, can talk about the growing and sharing of food - through the design and planting schemes, we create a space where it is possible to pick and eat your lunch, and the space itself references the ceramic wares we are all familiar with eating from.<br />
The next stage for the project is to hold a meeting, where we invite interested individuals to hear about the project, and to talk about how we move forward as a group in ensuring the future sustainability of the garden, as well as inviting people to input into the design stage, by suggesting which of the Spode Wares they would like to see referenced in the garden.<br />
We hope to do this in early February.<br />
<br />
For now, some interesting statistics and date from the Questionnaire:<br />
out of 108 respondents answering the question 'Should the Garden be Improved?' Two were unsure, only one said No, and the reasons were to do with worrying about the work being vandalised afterwards. (That means that 97% said Yes the garden should be improved.)<br />
When asked 'what do you like about the garden?' 13% of respondents said 'not much'.<br />
10% mentioned the willow tree and 12% said they liked the links to Ceramics and the use of ceramics within the garden - and this is backed up with many more people expressing the need for the design to reference ceramics. It was interesting that a number of people felt that the feeling of privacy/secret garden aspect was really positive, something that I hope we can build on.<br />
In giving their ideas a number of key themes are emerging which are informing the direction for the design:<br />
9 people mentioned artworks and sculpture.<br />
21 people (19%) mentioned seating.<br />
5 people talked about edible plants as an idea.<br />
11 mentioned a water feature.<br />
11 said that the planting should support wildlife and birds.<br />
9 said that the ceramic heritage should be referenced within the design and a couple of people thought that a second entrance would create a walk through, and a handful more thought that a sheltered area would be good, so that the garden can be used in all weathers.<br />
In relation to the planting schemes within the space:<br />
44 people talked about the planting considering wildlife, and being bee and bird friendly, with another 6 people talking about planting considering using native wildflowers within the garden.<br />
22 people mentioned scented plants, with a further 6 suggesting a sensory garden.<br />
16 people mentioned that edible planting could be incorporated, but 3 people said No edible planting.<br />
A few people mentioned the idea that the planting could reference Spode in some way, and a few more said they would like to see more roses in the garden.<br />
27 people talked about the planting including some evergreen, but also that interest throughout the year should be considered - this is in keeping with providing a space for pollinators and birds (as we found with the Bee Friendly Garden) as there is a real need to provide year round support for our birds and bees - so this is something I would be really keen to look at.<br />
4 very sensible people mentioned that the planting should be low maintenance.<br />
In terms of maintaining the garden long term, many people talked about volunteers (44) and that to set up a Friends of Group would be a good way forward (7) something we are now looking into, but a lot of people thought that the council should maintain - which unfortunately is not likely to happen, hence the need for engagement from the community.<br />
Of the 108 people that filled in the questionnaire 17 people said they would like to volunteer to help with the garden in future - which is brilliant.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-9037586801334376752015-12-30T13:05:00.002+00:002015-12-30T21:14:14.940+00:00Wayward walks for the British Ceramics Biennial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77nN2yMqEIuMZoZ2EpoY2k1VioYm6mbBn5TzMd-YbVHP19vV9XSvqjMoU1KwPiDNOMB9CqyVxJhcH80sJEhZqVW_87IzJQbj5wV9LsArxt1susVlXZa5bkvxRtLCFPyVy6-EcJOoSD_ZB/s1600/WP_20150927_037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77nN2yMqEIuMZoZ2EpoY2k1VioYm6mbBn5TzMd-YbVHP19vV9XSvqjMoU1KwPiDNOMB9CqyVxJhcH80sJEhZqVW_87IzJQbj5wV9LsArxt1susVlXZa5bkvxRtLCFPyVy6-EcJOoSD_ZB/s320/WP_20150927_037.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I
was commissioned by the British Ceramics Biennial to deliver a series
of Wayward Walks for visitors to the Spode Factory during the Biennial.
My recent work has involved explorations of city sites via the Victorian
Language of Flowers, and last year I was commissioned by the Saturday
Market Project to create a lovely Urban Exploration Guide, something
which I greatly enjoyed. To launch the guide SMP commissioned me to do
an urban exploration walk around Shoreditch during the London Design
Festival - it was a mixture of things really on the walk - a sort of
walking workshop, with some poetry writing, urban exploration and plant
identification.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHcOFlvDvSAFElOyvJr3CJnbNgNdRcjwXPQ-7xzG7PQpNZr2RvSQlJPMTZBOzsU8bUXBZj9_FAZahzmyc5ihJ3WBhO2jy4-KaPNAmHLmJK8JbRoTtmHO_KMXV8FppwZgLoJ8nBsZPI2sQ/s1600/IMG_2632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHcOFlvDvSAFElOyvJr3CJnbNgNdRcjwXPQ-7xzG7PQpNZr2RvSQlJPMTZBOzsU8bUXBZj9_FAZahzmyc5ihJ3WBhO2jy4-KaPNAmHLmJK8JbRoTtmHO_KMXV8FppwZgLoJ8nBsZPI2sQ/s320/IMG_2632.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I was also asked this year to develop a workshop for the Arnolfini's Floating Ballast Seed Garden (above and below)- an amazing floating garden project.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJgtnheAcXs-8KbrDzOOCTslZpDrOOnp1A436gLynxcwWf87vkYoGdUXI93p-PYz4BRpS1o91rw4UVeOxHtN_-ewwZY7jZNycixyrYcAzcr6dfco5ekL_5a3Z3qEalu8u7Spcloo5xxWT/s1600/IMG_2654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJgtnheAcXs-8KbrDzOOCTslZpDrOOnp1A436gLynxcwWf87vkYoGdUXI93p-PYz4BRpS1o91rw4UVeOxHtN_-ewwZY7jZNycixyrYcAzcr6dfco5ekL_5a3Z3qEalu8u7Spcloo5xxWT/s320/IMG_2654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The garden is planted up with seeds excavated from Bristol Harbour that had been dumped from Ship Ballast around the time that England was a great shipping nation, visiting and trading with countries all over the world, and as a result, inadvertently bringing in wayward plants from all over the world via the ships ballast.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutwJdkkXCOCjQIE18pVGTH51Q1j9l7fwqRQK-0SwTV7cknaT4VUraEbQmQ5Q8rm6WOZRoSfEwB2UMRg28KEm8Uh1ptoZAR5_vuU_X0PIGdbgGvAixjVB5pEYAe6cIT3-w6bzd0xQ6JhTJ/s1600/IMG_2617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutwJdkkXCOCjQIE18pVGTH51Q1j9l7fwqRQK-0SwTV7cknaT4VUraEbQmQ5Q8rm6WOZRoSfEwB2UMRg28KEm8Uh1ptoZAR5_vuU_X0PIGdbgGvAixjVB5pEYAe6cIT3-w6bzd0xQ6JhTJ/s320/IMG_2617.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I developed a workshop to think about the plants on the boat, and creating a special Ballast Seed Garden language with participants. This is exactly the sort of work I hope to continue to do, engaging with amazing gardens and finding ways for other people to think differently about the plants in cities, so I was thrilled to be asked to work on this fantastic project.<br />
For the BCB Wayward Walks, the idea was for
visitors to gain an insight into the history and architecture of this
amazing heritage site - and then to do something practical with clay.<br />
The
Spode factory has such a rich history, it was difficult to decide what
to focus the walk on, but one thing which is really fascinating is the
role that Spode played in the development of printing onto clay - so
this became my focus.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfvDske0V80Ym2B8twvDOvgOep2M4lgZ972oquj-45sCPQSn15NwAvHKpj0mqNt0W8FGWS3FG4nQtwkB8asngxRGaplFvttI85GNVQbQvMTPAXXvGCoyoHFNPjTnsuh4xuZ1TZU6Xkvsg/s1600/WP_20150927_008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfvDske0V80Ym2B8twvDOvgOep2M4lgZ972oquj-45sCPQSn15NwAvHKpj0mqNt0W8FGWS3FG4nQtwkB8asngxRGaplFvttI85GNVQbQvMTPAXXvGCoyoHFNPjTnsuh4xuZ1TZU6Xkvsg/s320/WP_20150927_008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My
walk involved taking participants around the site, as it is today -
with many buildings not currently in use - there are a lot of weeds
growing around the site, so my stopping points on the route drew
attention to these weeds - encouraging the walkers to see the beauty in
them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbio04Rjp6HVKXJtOgq24nV2LmyGpk6nW1KHAnDjjlqFOOHjCtpydCf86h62ULLOPVbMle3-M8UhxXoLjrYhCHYUc6aTShOwpsdI_tnZgkhmz33QO8H9EU1feEDyBJSmlVz5JhYLnRHl0/s1600/WP_20150927_011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbio04Rjp6HVKXJtOgq24nV2LmyGpk6nW1KHAnDjjlqFOOHjCtpydCf86h62ULLOPVbMle3-M8UhxXoLjrYhCHYUc6aTShOwpsdI_tnZgkhmz33QO8H9EU1feEDyBJSmlVz5JhYLnRHl0/s320/WP_20150927_011.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
At
each plant I would introduce historical information about the factory,
or the development of particular printing techniques, for example bat
printing, which was an 'over-glaze' printing method - and not very hard
wearing - but more groundbreaking was the development (by Josiah Spode)
of underglaze printing methods, like pluck and dust or the tissue
printing techniques still used today at Middleport Pottery.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViSXWu1QP7s5X69dmgblv-JQsoEPluJzAHau8okjZd_jAlG72frG40XTsCFqaba8mo9odIZbmv-lOgMuxUtiT_YhZnRepkQKsRK6ZuWzHAfO8Q6z-fwOPgbaM8g4ypWfNJuf4VpzPJyL2/s1600/WP_20150927_012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViSXWu1QP7s5X69dmgblv-JQsoEPluJzAHau8okjZd_jAlG72frG40XTsCFqaba8mo9odIZbmv-lOgMuxUtiT_YhZnRepkQKsRK6ZuWzHAfO8Q6z-fwOPgbaM8g4ypWfNJuf4VpzPJyL2/s320/WP_20150927_012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I
would then introduce Spode floral design from wares using the
techniques - as a way to showcase some of the beautiful patterns
developed at the Spode Factory.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr8Wqko_qn93ZmwFEK6yy4LRP-xrgis81NdDhnT-0PC6JBYa8hOWzE9SXRX6vrtjxYEwp2MhfeId8i1xHKmzq4W-LFyu4UyMTVm8eXZmpDO57qr3y9kOUGPGovkaaa19B0sKjUUNohh1Y/s1600/fern-in-bottle-oven.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr8Wqko_qn93ZmwFEK6yy4LRP-xrgis81NdDhnT-0PC6JBYa8hOWzE9SXRX6vrtjxYEwp2MhfeId8i1xHKmzq4W-LFyu4UyMTVm8eXZmpDO57qr3y9kOUGPGovkaaa19B0sKjUUNohh1Y/s320/fern-in-bottle-oven.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
During
the tour participants would collect plants found growing on the Spode
Site, (above- fern growing in the remains of a bottle oven) and the last
stop on the tour, we would discuss the site as it is today - discussing
this wonderful moment we are in on the site - as if the site is holding
its breath - the pause between the out and the in breath.<br />
The
factory closed in 2008 - but with the announcement of 1.7 million to be
spent on the site, turning Spode back into a creative village once more -
those plants growing on the site will probably be dislodged before
long.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORiTZnGd_H5zVtoSQu3W47yOmIoA0OR6P8k-H5bDWPebhyQZRTgDHMHc3tOcctFQiMxqc7w6GxCPhzZXpk-LePuteetuwjOqKjzwPWumziciDMK_76bMk5mx6ENxHfp5uJvU3enqp2obd/s1600/WP_20150927_016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORiTZnGd_H5zVtoSQu3W47yOmIoA0OR6P8k-H5bDWPebhyQZRTgDHMHc3tOcctFQiMxqc7w6GxCPhzZXpk-LePuteetuwjOqKjzwPWumziciDMK_76bMk5mx6ENxHfp5uJvU3enqp2obd/s320/WP_20150927_016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We
then returned to the Spode China Hall, one of the largest buildings in
the factory, once a thriving factory floor, and now the main event in
the BCB showcase. This year the BCB has an extra feature - The Hub,
where a series of workshops and activities have been programmed, with
the strapline 'Get Clay Under Your Fingernails' where there are plenty
of opportunities to learn new techniques and processes.<br />
I
revisited the idea of the blue and white floral designs we had been
considering, and talked about creating a new Spode ware for the day -
which celebrates this pause moment and looks ahead to Spode's creative
future.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1UR0BinyRprGthP2sIZI_28KpdtyWoHQQooq2kfB5QVLwh3_AIl0rH-2aoAOV59maeJfso0uygMn1n0-jJ2NHnSa-5LRZWOAIPY8j_mee5DfvL9N-ma3pWct9sPAOZ-E0x5tzHryh6OY/s1600/WP_20150927_028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1UR0BinyRprGthP2sIZI_28KpdtyWoHQQooq2kfB5QVLwh3_AIl0rH-2aoAOV59maeJfso0uygMn1n0-jJ2NHnSa-5LRZWOAIPY8j_mee5DfvL9N-ma3pWct9sPAOZ-E0x5tzHryh6OY/s320/WP_20150927_028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Using
Studio White Clay - which fires to a wonderful bright white
Participants then used their collected weeds to press into the clay, and
then added detail with Cobalt Oxide (which adds the fantastic Spode
Blue colour).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2XMgxav8quDXCP8l1fdM93_iqfyWsBY50lEApoFFB-9D32tPvg1H3OhGbgoqgN97ICjv8hXVUeYLoLQky_o_cidFybrIcok3KGxITncu7NvAdgdnI_VOgx0YCfiJI-cC78fmhdLjeS_N/s1600/WP_20150927_030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2XMgxav8quDXCP8l1fdM93_iqfyWsBY50lEApoFFB-9D32tPvg1H3OhGbgoqgN97ICjv8hXVUeYLoLQky_o_cidFybrIcok3KGxITncu7NvAdgdnI_VOgx0YCfiJI-cC78fmhdLjeS_N/s320/WP_20150927_030.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Then we talked a little bit about the Victorian Language of Flowers, and assigning meaning to plants found on the site.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1cdZMHUvqLRvslRSzBF3HouCwVqwW2zPwPZQQ8iGSB71SgtVGyjmrnyqD3NEdzp-n1LzBkEQDP4SAETHBtURu8_YVFQVlIopx5Th2gBxgdvFKn2a36cNPGMKkRWb5caoSZ4zP15Fi0Y6/s1600/waywards-walks2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1cdZMHUvqLRvslRSzBF3HouCwVqwW2zPwPZQQ8iGSB71SgtVGyjmrnyqD3NEdzp-n1LzBkEQDP4SAETHBtURu8_YVFQVlIopx5Th2gBxgdvFKn2a36cNPGMKkRWb5caoSZ4zP15Fi0Y6/s320/waywards-walks2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Over the different sessions people seemed to really enjoy the combination of walking, history of the site, and making.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3FBxlyjRs9x9SK4v_rVGPC9lC11nBRz7WJpDGTjkFZX_2nXX-9lWfZ8vrdjmJy4gU0vPPVDhk07XZzW5OGCN51lf6erpNs0Ns_lpSZh8CeUez38Hd-auVw7cHlNGckWMZT9aVYjzoHxN/s1600/wayward-walks1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3FBxlyjRs9x9SK4v_rVGPC9lC11nBRz7WJpDGTjkFZX_2nXX-9lWfZ8vrdjmJy4gU0vPPVDhk07XZzW5OGCN51lf6erpNs0Ns_lpSZh8CeUez38Hd-auVw7cHlNGckWMZT9aVYjzoHxN/s320/wayward-walks1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The workshop really appealed to all ages, from 3 upwards!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRI22kKyA76BXEqji05RwrhA16FI9Ft4pkWoL6VtvkioQNhmvy8-17FwsxEtU2QZ8eWH3-frltck3nHJuoHLbnbpY61XZBM8fM-Iy9V-Bkl5aw0W_Oi1q9R_9rKdRfq0JA-jy0zAud0rg/s1600/waywards-walks3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRI22kKyA76BXEqji05RwrhA16FI9Ft4pkWoL6VtvkioQNhmvy8-17FwsxEtU2QZ8eWH3-frltck3nHJuoHLbnbpY61XZBM8fM-Iy9V-Bkl5aw0W_Oi1q9R_9rKdRfq0JA-jy0zAud0rg/s320/waywards-walks3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
There
were so many beautiful tiles made - each one different and each one
really successful. The brilliant thing about the workshop is that
everyone can make something that they are pleased with.<br />
At the end
of the sessions (which typically lasted about an hour and a half)
people left feedback about how they found the activity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3an3dpGQGFFgj9ZQGIGUsVLg-Zi72nmh6TQ0KhAbMm4-HxY9xVhR1eOJu2AboTH1hNk-_HoJxDnBwiBRWQ4OaV4XQVL_SvCG1jv6z-MNYAXfhOUBRXjt811dPJYw6N5mxFmU99evTJ20O/s1600/wayward-walks-comments1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3an3dpGQGFFgj9ZQGIGUsVLg-Zi72nmh6TQ0KhAbMm4-HxY9xVhR1eOJu2AboTH1hNk-_HoJxDnBwiBRWQ4OaV4XQVL_SvCG1jv6z-MNYAXfhOUBRXjt811dPJYw6N5mxFmU99evTJ20O/s320/wayward-walks-comments1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVAlwJvVYYU4f4yYKz5YoFDh9Gru2KppinM4nV8gxrxHN5L3wa6zxs48NoWxeS_hZxYaNW9_yQc6beCg5LxMgMRSwqdo6d6T_4VFgNCQDhKZnq8tqHypJkyMzQbFvFNzah8mwaK0F7cwk/s1600/wayward-walks-comments2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVAlwJvVYYU4f4yYKz5YoFDh9Gru2KppinM4nV8gxrxHN5L3wa6zxs48NoWxeS_hZxYaNW9_yQc6beCg5LxMgMRSwqdo6d6T_4VFgNCQDhKZnq8tqHypJkyMzQbFvFNzah8mwaK0F7cwk/s320/wayward-walks-comments2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I was pleased to read how much everyone had enjoyed it, as I am really keen to do more with this format.<br />
I
am really interested in developing the idea of works which explore site
specific weeds and plants in cities. I hope to continue with tours and workshops
like this in 2016, perhaps looking for an opportunity to develop the
format within a project which explores the history and future of sites
through the weeds and plants growing there - leading to a permanent
artwork of some kind, an intervention or a publication.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-28605981578773866062015-10-19T16:24:00.000+01:002016-12-29T20:02:01.304+00:00REVIEW: Dangerous Discoveries at Biddulph Grange<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7JwDR6ISHPETSBK0Acu2av1ltbqF3d1-Pis3Dj9zUvtCtKzkDrm7OiBUxCGpqurg8dEdhmP2oXA3zKb7kHP9ecafSpkJney8tO_0tcMvArUguBy3QtrdG7hI_hE4OEChOP-dkKEIoBa3/s1600/biddulph-grange+255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7JwDR6ISHPETSBK0Acu2av1ltbqF3d1-Pis3Dj9zUvtCtKzkDrm7OiBUxCGpqurg8dEdhmP2oXA3zKb7kHP9ecafSpkJney8tO_0tcMvArUguBy3QtrdG7hI_hE4OEChOP-dkKEIoBa3/s320/biddulph-grange+255.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Standing on the edge of the lake in the formal Italian
section of the garden, admiring the giant koi as they cut through the water
before disappearing back into the murky depths, an English afternoon is
suddenly interrupted by song, floating across the water from elsewhere; it is
Rebecca Lee's <i>Song Sung When. </i>At
first listening the song sounds faintly familiar, a folk song misremembered? But
as I move towards the sound the words reveal themselves to be something other
than English, the effect of this and the other sound works in the collection,
create a jolt - a rupture in the fabric of the day, throwing the listener into
some other time and place, which feels ancient, other-worldly and at odds with
the Englishness of a day out with the
National Trust. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMZjoKsFkeDCA0eQKfZ3cl95TDklp7Ca2hVCyqV179JUNX0bRXsXzXMUJUUBajm0vb83XijNrJNkTSox188Zcd7rXXAC7rPMFT4nTLCnFDLwtJlLSKB1cmJ3sov1u97v33w-V1CNqECRc/s1600/biddulph-grange+154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMZjoKsFkeDCA0eQKfZ3cl95TDklp7Ca2hVCyqV179JUNX0bRXsXzXMUJUUBajm0vb83XijNrJNkTSox188Zcd7rXXAC7rPMFT4nTLCnFDLwtJlLSKB1cmJ3sov1u97v33w-V1CNqECRc/s320/biddulph-grange+154.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sound works presented here are selected field recordings
from Nepal, Morocco, USA and Italy, and are presented alongside plants
originating from these places, perhaps creating in the listener a similar sense
of the exotic as would have been felt by those avid plant hunters, the
Victorians - when setting out their collections of plants from all over the
world, amidst the ordinariness of the English country garden.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8pKBjDLEjQp7MncrIKbkj6bizA8xPz2wL-WsC2MSNWViTRZbsK8iqqkRuHI2DzTU1EGxt1Om3WA1fXAfUoGxSmGZAPx8umxb1_u2IrAlIYMkhRCohsADVIKnp9zqrtjrEkqHzVC815kv/s1600/biddulph-grange+230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8pKBjDLEjQp7MncrIKbkj6bizA8xPz2wL-WsC2MSNWViTRZbsK8iqqkRuHI2DzTU1EGxt1Om3WA1fXAfUoGxSmGZAPx8umxb1_u2IrAlIYMkhRCohsADVIKnp9zqrtjrEkqHzVC815kv/s320/biddulph-grange+230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is James Bateman's glorious Biddulph Grange; the design
of the garden suggests a series of outdoor rooms or small countries, the effect
of which is to make the site seem bigger than its 17 acres. The garden was
designed in the period somewhere between Capability Brown's large scale
landscapes and the high Victorian period of garden design, which sought to
accommodate the new craze for plant collecting from around the world. Bateman
and his wife were avid plant collectors, and with the help of artist friend
Edward William Cooke, the Biddulph Grange gardens were designed with their
collection in mind.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-g_xpkdgHB1YDAiMSYusvm1gVS6N4cRNkKPkaxdIrBKJV0X9DwW7Aqev2ORRZYveT5LOx2QDN2SZUAdFd3Nul2PVkgJIvY1FZ0sC13xWJmpZ63YyBTyYwnBbD_u2fwsxPhSc6C_YFIZr/s1600/biddulph-grange+188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-g_xpkdgHB1YDAiMSYusvm1gVS6N4cRNkKPkaxdIrBKJV0X9DwW7Aqev2ORRZYveT5LOx2QDN2SZUAdFd3Nul2PVkgJIvY1FZ0sC13xWJmpZ63YyBTyYwnBbD_u2fwsxPhSc6C_YFIZr/s320/biddulph-grange+188.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
A walk through reveals a series of pocket gardens, each
reflecting the styles and landscaping features of other, far-away places - and
indeed accommodating their plants too; conjuring ideas of the grand tour in
miniature, where not just plants but architectural follies surprise the
explorer (visitor). The idea of a Chinese Pagoda, over the hedge from an
Egyptian Pyramid flanked by Sphinxes seems incongruous, and has something of
the theme park about it, but it works here, since it is a theme park to nature.
The excitement and thrill expressed through the design itself, may not be immediately
obvious in today's garden, but Bateman's passion is revealed through the artworks in
Dangerous Discoveries, which seek to make visible the hidden and forgotten
world of the plant hunter. In addition, the works draw our attention towards the
understanding that comes with hindsight around the unchecked introduction of
thousands of foreign species into the English Countryside, which the Victorians,
men like Bateman, were responsible for. This obsessive importing of species grows
ever more concerning, in particular in relation to some of the plants that are
now known as invasive species by bodies like the Royal Horticultural Society, who
describe these fast growing non-native species as problematic in the way that they:
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
"- Outcompete native species
either by habitat change or by spreading so rapidly as to crowd out slower
growing species, threatening the long-term survival of species.<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">-</span>Take a long time to become
invasive. Many of the plants now considered invasive have been growing in the
UK for over 100 years and for much of that time showed no sign of becoming a
problem."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<a href="file:///D:/Anna/Documents/Dangerous-discoveries-review.doc#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 6pt; line-height: 115%;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; line-height: 115%;">Royal Horticultural Society (2015) <i>Invasive
Non-Native Species.</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; line-height: 115%;">Available: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=530. Last
accessed 6th October 2015.</span> </span><span style="font-size: 6.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPPwlOSkDdw7VZBstLbqXDfVRjjxwbKfZc-8n5Dfc_vJ9O9HxDriAnLEAsO-MVnWOFtAcDvQ_8mJMFTkwjFXIEHtPQVFO01zCrjgq86DSs2RqKGHZ779L7P2oEennVwWfBjaavJr7dof2/s1600/biddulph-grange+209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPPwlOSkDdw7VZBstLbqXDfVRjjxwbKfZc-8n5Dfc_vJ9O9HxDriAnLEAsO-MVnWOFtAcDvQ_8mJMFTkwjFXIEHtPQVFO01zCrjgq86DSs2RqKGHZ779L7P2oEennVwWfBjaavJr7dof2/s320/biddulph-grange+209.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A number of the artworks in the show deal directly with
plants and Laura Youngson Coll's exquisite orchid works seem to most closely reflect
the shows title. The dangers of orchid collecting and hunting are well
documented and these works refer directly to James Bateman's horticultural
credentials as a leading authority on tropical orchids, as set out in his book
of 1843 <i>Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala<a href="file:///D:/Anna/Documents/Dangerous-discoveries-review.doc#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[ii]</span></b></span></span></a></i>.
The book reveals in some detail the little care for the terrible destruction of
natural habitats across the world which was the result of the Victorian's plant
obsession; native species decimated in their homelands for the sake of the
Victorian's thirst for the strangest, rarest and most exotic of species. These
intricate and beautiful artworks, through their display, look at first like
simple botanical specimens; but on closer inspection reveal themselves to be something
all together stranger. Made of vellum and hair sheep leather on top of an
armature, the plants are beautiful but deadly looking objects of immaculate
skill. In <i>Grotesques Creatures, </i>in
particular,<i> </i>the artist has taken the
already otherworldly orchid and created something akin to a plant and insect
hybrid, a flowering of parasitic insects suggest a genetic modification turned
mutant. Two of the artworks are found within the Shelter House, a grand
architectural turret, overlooking the Dahlia Walk; a feature that was lost in
history (during the Grange's time as a hospital) but reinstated in recent years.
The siting of the works here seem to bring the viewer a moment of pause - as
the building brings the journey around the garden to a momentary stop - a
chance to look back at where you have been. The final work in the series is
hidden within the tunnels which lead to the Chinese Garden, the effect is to
create a feeling in the viewer of something secret and precious, perhaps
contraband. These are some of the works in the show that respond to the unique
character of the garden, which is as much about hidden passages, routes and
inside spaces, as an experience of the great outdoors.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJ4LEoFRnOA9t2dXJFTKRRm4aXc6LJLpMcCi6VtI9WqHjOAlgJMAIvo6JOGPZ1D8CwE9FJxuvrMWxPKUDAEdHovXrPA_PijQlnpfGIj4o6dFc6GgwcB9458B0_UC-ZGEbWgblSLZCZMSS/s1600/biddulph-grange+177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJ4LEoFRnOA9t2dXJFTKRRm4aXc6LJLpMcCi6VtI9WqHjOAlgJMAIvo6JOGPZ1D8CwE9FJxuvrMWxPKUDAEdHovXrPA_PijQlnpfGIj4o6dFc6GgwcB9458B0_UC-ZGEbWgblSLZCZMSS/s320/biddulph-grange+177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Sarah Tulloch's <i>Parallel
Nature </i>one such interior space is utilised, and the feeling of being moved
from one place and time to another, which seems to recur as you move throughout
the garden is extended by the invitation to stop for a moment in between Egypt
and somewhere else. The video piece consists of a series of montages, which
explore aspects of the garden in minute detail. The collection of images, sounds
and photographs document the work which continues in the garden today and at
times reveals the hidden world of micro-biology. This work takes the viewer from
swamp land, to woodland glade and through to formal manicured landscape,
perhaps reflecting the evolution of life in the garden. The experience of
standing and watching the projected works in the tunnel close to Egypt gives a
nod towards those awe inspiring scientists, the Ancient Egyptians. With this
work the garden is experienced on an entirely different level, as a living,
breathing ecosystem of organisms, the piece too, seems to place the gardener at
the centre of this sensitive ecology, working hard to maintain the precarious balance.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7qwu7zEmMs8N5z2GM2XsFWy9d6bRApsRwr7Fq5Sm2DCbT7CZA07CUUdMarzCr_6908Mw17qTU6OnqZEF4bXGYzH6_EBaxkNFCtmGQ4Q4lDUrBvzA_LuloY0j4nUPuaZRnwWVvkeuglK2/s1600/biddulph-grange+149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7qwu7zEmMs8N5z2GM2XsFWy9d6bRApsRwr7Fq5Sm2DCbT7CZA07CUUdMarzCr_6908Mw17qTU6OnqZEF4bXGYzH6_EBaxkNFCtmGQ4Q4lDUrBvzA_LuloY0j4nUPuaZRnwWVvkeuglK2/s320/biddulph-grange+149.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If Tulloch's piece requires the viewer to focus in, and
uncovers the hidden and invisible micro world, the works of Katie and Rebecca
Beinart highlight the physical architecture, responding to the gardens platforms
and levels. At times the viewer is invited to move around to unexpected aspects,
creating the feeling of experiencing the landscape almost from above. The four
sculptures reference the Wardian Cases which were developed by Nathaniel Ward
in 1830, which for the first time developed a way for plants to be transported
across the world, surviving long sea crossings. <a href="file:///D:/Anna/Documents/Dangerous-discoveries-review.doc#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> That
some of the sites for the sculptures are at odds with the preferred habitats of
the plants housed within, directly responds to the difficulty of transporting
plants to and from other places. In particular the case containing Hart's
tongue ferns, found on the grassed area by the geological gallery in full sun, has
resulted in some quite sickly looking plants. It is well documented that
Bateman himself was often frustrated by some species inability to adapt to the
English climate, and no level of horticultural skill will coax a plant to
survive and thrive in an unsuitable habitat.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SjTOwTJFBz-7VWLpoJMBFLDDBRNotSnfalkcE8-pyD0PdKipMsKa_qKzX2AdtOipsHGzm_CTxSOig0PyqrmCQ8CgkWHcI32W5bS3zqTYk2EbC3GJiSjVIgz9XgitAP2D_Al7fE9rPC7A/s1600/biddulph-grange+151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SjTOwTJFBz-7VWLpoJMBFLDDBRNotSnfalkcE8-pyD0PdKipMsKa_qKzX2AdtOipsHGzm_CTxSOig0PyqrmCQ8CgkWHcI32W5bS3zqTYk2EbC3GJiSjVIgz9XgitAP2D_Al7fE9rPC7A/s320/biddulph-grange+151.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The materials which the pieces are constructed from
reference the key industries of North Staffordshire, steel and ceramic; and perhaps
nod to the development of the gardens from the Bateman's family money, made
within the local coal and steel industry. The suggested geographies within the
works request that the viewer stand back from the garden and provide a macro
view of its design; suddenly an overview is achieved, as the viewer is placed
in a position of omnipotent onlooker. The pieces shift the scale of the garden
once more, and we are reminded that everything here is not natural, but designed.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXVBcvpn95cHytOPgihIWhpAGsyqf6YhboSyOaQldqBdvH6ZkR3sosFOmxNJR8d49b3iHeVb_KLj81-JEfPGM4lyGVF_qRfwDTNr0RCWJNm4vOiXCwqoiBrHe8iaIIPEmYFcQ6N6dvA-b/s1600/biddulph-grange+254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXVBcvpn95cHytOPgihIWhpAGsyqf6YhboSyOaQldqBdvH6ZkR3sosFOmxNJR8d49b3iHeVb_KLj81-JEfPGM4lyGVF_qRfwDTNr0RCWJNm4vOiXCwqoiBrHe8iaIIPEmYFcQ6N6dvA-b/s320/biddulph-grange+254.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The experience of moving around Biddulph Grange gardens
creates an immersive feeling of being somewhere else, the walker can feel lost
in the labyrinthine tunnels, walkways and interlocking rooms, the Beinart
Sculptures, however, jolt the viewer back to the reality of constructed
landscape, by providing the privileged view of the architect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The artists in Dangerous Discoveries have responded to, excavated
and revealed a fantastic jewel of a garden on many different levels. The Trust
New Art series, which this exhibition is a part of, is bringing a new arts audience to gardens and
properties like this, but in addition, the artists are enabling new views of
familiar places for frequent visitors, and uncovering new ways of uncovering
the hidden histories within our heritage. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dangerous Discoveries continues at Biddulph Grange until
31st October, 2015.<br />
Review commissioned by The National Trust as part of the Trust New Art series.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="edn1">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="file:///D:/Anna/Documents/Dangerous-discoveries-review.doc#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Royal
Horticultural Society (2015) <i>Invasive Non-Native Species.</i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span>Available:
<a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=530">https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=530</a>. Last accessed 6th October 2015.
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn2">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="file:///D:/Anna/Documents/Dangerous-discoveries-review.doc#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> James Bateman (1843).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="text-align: -webkit-center;">'Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">. London</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="edn3">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///D:/Anna/Documents/Dangerous-discoveries-review.doc#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> National Trust (2015).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="text-align: -webkit-center;">Dangerous Discoveries</i><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">.
Staffordshire: Trust New Art.</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-40511867755784380792015-09-26T09:16:00.002+01:002015-09-27T00:30:46.630+01:00Artist Soup Kitchen Works Instruction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo32_Uc5Acm4BIrAwzXCTY8pbIdOGoQU8Oypg_ObRWRyO91FhiK3RtBfM3VXZu3SRw_xdHEei78AoxttmBoBmwjr3EwItFO06XN8povNoMPVQjsO3lQiyONXk1stgrEB2GXI8n98TAksjZ/s1600/how-to-artist-soup-kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo32_Uc5Acm4BIrAwzXCTY8pbIdOGoQU8Oypg_ObRWRyO91FhiK3RtBfM3VXZu3SRw_xdHEei78AoxttmBoBmwjr3EwItFO06XN8povNoMPVQjsO3lQiyONXk1stgrEB2GXI8n98TAksjZ/s400/how-to-artist-soup-kitchen.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
For the AirSpace studio artists exhibition Assemblage, I have prepared the Artist Soup Kitchen Works Instruction, and on the opening prepared assemblage soup.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54Ba8RszGjBBMhSZ5jxDOhoVRaKTFOELWAWXTIJ9R00wNh2ERv89oCYW82SehaeI9MHx-jZBuo-SVKG4U_FAsoAUtESExhNpK8Ar25GMF2wqZCdhiJ8aWg_pmZe6tf9-oy3JPTjMx31H0/s1600/assemblage-soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54Ba8RszGjBBMhSZ5jxDOhoVRaKTFOELWAWXTIJ9R00wNh2ERv89oCYW82SehaeI9MHx-jZBuo-SVKG4U_FAsoAUtESExhNpK8Ar25GMF2wqZCdhiJ8aWg_pmZe6tf9-oy3JPTjMx31H0/s320/assemblage-soup.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<br />Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-41506258264365773372015-09-18T09:46:00.000+01:002015-09-18T22:58:40.566+01:00Community Maker - Houses, Shops and CelebrationsThe AirSpace Gallery/British Ceramics Biennial 'Community Maker' Project continued with another workshop in our makeshift pop up community space (big tent) and a very special and enjoyable community meal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv13y1MVs9LfD7kSYQwg8pdl7Ri6Aq28uhZD2e9VNEcKOpxCLoT2v1RD_sYgW14S2Cj21fHS7j3FQR5DHFrrP_CMVfW-aeehCtYzFDXz4dYOvmhk0KWCfd6KVOScIKJG9nYgicCIS5NhJL/s1600/community-maker+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv13y1MVs9LfD7kSYQwg8pdl7Ri6Aq28uhZD2e9VNEcKOpxCLoT2v1RD_sYgW14S2Cj21fHS7j3FQR5DHFrrP_CMVfW-aeehCtYzFDXz4dYOvmhk0KWCfd6KVOScIKJG9nYgicCIS5NhJL/s320/community-maker+072.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The workshop invited people to make themselves as a house - and it was really interesting to see how much detail people went into while making them. It was a lovely activity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZQRvYSuJAHeCVQ1JIu-mELKAcsLtM37-ZH2xLn-CFZMVq4gn3BzkK0UeLcNRRmQ5PXOqTjdvLh4eG7zSt9Bdh3mEBXjeVtE2XcJlcfPYSTE9CrGLY-Cg9LisFHWXiOMOrcoDKWAaDxEH/s1600/community-maker+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZQRvYSuJAHeCVQ1JIu-mELKAcsLtM37-ZH2xLn-CFZMVq4gn3BzkK0UeLcNRRmQ5PXOqTjdvLh4eG7zSt9Bdh3mEBXjeVtE2XcJlcfPYSTE9CrGLY-Cg9LisFHWXiOMOrcoDKWAaDxEH/s320/community-maker+079.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
And started to really give people the opportunity to be creative with the clay, above is a lovely example by resident Kerry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyttEGE8EYomOAO5xyAwSp1Mg08_kFnY_rD-PuTTBpa0OGfv-lasntcgI6t5MqaPdDhZ8cbg_vwH3fMgpCx6KN0Ljw5W6m5CBJhN80FuIZt5dU9JPvfxMsUjSLFI_OYhsEsff9Qy-mU6c/s1600/community-maker+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyttEGE8EYomOAO5xyAwSp1Mg08_kFnY_rD-PuTTBpa0OGfv-lasntcgI6t5MqaPdDhZ8cbg_vwH3fMgpCx6KN0Ljw5W6m5CBJhN80FuIZt5dU9JPvfxMsUjSLFI_OYhsEsff9Qy-mU6c/s320/community-maker+069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
During the Community Maker activities the council were in touch, knowing that we would be meeting the residents of the area, on the Community Green Space, and seeing Community Maker as a good opportunity to gather the residents thoughts on a few things.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqn35PR4Y7OTYloLik9RTdPTQf9KXYT4-B7mn_y1R_fi67QRdX2HII98cQtlokKfCfjMP2YAYCJ6-2x0cvRQu1pqovZnCKmUNq90yVDsj5PnWkaEKQTozPT6QXb-GedzRZ3rxm8wjfoiJ/s1600/IMG_1974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqn35PR4Y7OTYloLik9RTdPTQf9KXYT4-B7mn_y1R_fi67QRdX2HII98cQtlokKfCfjMP2YAYCJ6-2x0cvRQu1pqovZnCKmUNq90yVDsj5PnWkaEKQTozPT6QXb-GedzRZ3rxm8wjfoiJ/s320/IMG_1974.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
They asked us to ask the community about the idea of the council handing over one of the still derelict buildings on Portland Street - the old community shop - to be used as a community asset and to explore the potential interest in the idea of a community run shop and meeting space.<br />
One of the main points about the area is that the lack of a community meeting space really stops a lot of community driven activity from being able to take place. Community Maker has been enabled by AirSpace Gallery's purchase of a large bell tent, but still - this is limited, as only really 10 people at most can fit inside the tent, and it is fine in summer, but not really viable for winter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCOqOilQN8Lw1qLDe4lthudN3aDDLdgaQUS5a4a9X7N9lPLsCucvVK3dj7XfrH9KvlwYMSpGVpDZw3pyC6qHci63_8GcUVsxQK2IbMvGO8d_8p22OUZSpELtEcRQmC2nC1MMeAlyHw5k_/s1600/IMG_1920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCOqOilQN8Lw1qLDe4lthudN3aDDLdgaQUS5a4a9X7N9lPLsCucvVK3dj7XfrH9KvlwYMSpGVpDZw3pyC6qHci63_8GcUVsxQK2IbMvGO8d_8p22OUZSpELtEcRQmC2nC1MMeAlyHw5k_/s320/IMG_1920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Therefore the idea of exploring the community shop and meeting space makes a lot of sense.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QALKiBrRg0YGarwEfjFCiGXAcLMtdKWPQS49eYEvHn-_tLxlK-AYiK8Xtxx1ipI0wWhlcujfu6tYkstXaq7ntoG17HGxsoGP7ohXOtxVSxAzPxIyeuVja3-yxSElFgAJoXybt1aYviLm/s1600/IMG_1922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QALKiBrRg0YGarwEfjFCiGXAcLMtdKWPQS49eYEvHn-_tLxlK-AYiK8Xtxx1ipI0wWhlcujfu6tYkstXaq7ntoG17HGxsoGP7ohXOtxVSxAzPxIyeuVja3-yxSElFgAJoXybt1aYviLm/s320/IMG_1922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Ahead of the event we were given a look around the shop - and although it is a bit of a state, it is certainly possible to see the potential.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ13_3_DmLXE9Jg3H_kLUSd0vZjl3sQRoxf7qUyeVmng7SEuDHNELdrFCnhP6hL5df9a7WpV2xw0A0edk5mikcgRa6j0erdRsaS41pk1dk32QDImt-9l-Pi1tMQfp5pNkoBScHdkAWy_k/s1600/IMG_2002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ13_3_DmLXE9Jg3H_kLUSd0vZjl3sQRoxf7qUyeVmng7SEuDHNELdrFCnhP6hL5df9a7WpV2xw0A0edk5mikcgRa6j0erdRsaS41pk1dk32QDImt-9l-Pi1tMQfp5pNkoBScHdkAWy_k/s320/IMG_2002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We used the special community meal to really focus on this idea, and create space for discussion about a community shop - how it may be run, what could be sold and offered there and who would get involved. I used the tried and tested artist soup kitchen format for the event - spending 30 minutes giving a presentation which presented a variety of community run shops from around the UK, and then we had our discussion over a bowl of tomato and red pepper soup.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4XpuiK_JStLAMcCIUwj2pZnuMvJNVggRJVHZl4J1MzLjwY3HQ-zNvv02NDeI9Y5clmSd6iN1pWEFnBDWSxvBG1hIj1p-M710BL9qHwnJq8k8-F9TJJ0NJcrCrxGF8m5Qksle7b2o3IgU/s1600/IMG_2003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4XpuiK_JStLAMcCIUwj2pZnuMvJNVggRJVHZl4J1MzLjwY3HQ-zNvv02NDeI9Y5clmSd6iN1pWEFnBDWSxvBG1hIj1p-M710BL9qHwnJq8k8-F9TJJ0NJcrCrxGF8m5Qksle7b2o3IgU/s320/IMG_2003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The residents gave their thoughts about the idea of a community shop and meeting space, and used 'The Homemaker' magazine as source material for individual collages showing what makes a strong community, here is one by Claire<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9F2RjDjosDmQ8MNl-R7P5bl-6aDdpIBUzpj2fys-28YIjVYnRI8iKW71kHz83A3hP6euapN8xeZj52Du8riZOS0RBV688IkIogp4Ykv8ZnToijjuqNZnErDXcqMXXyiAELylJAtFIcAy/s1600/IMG_2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9F2RjDjosDmQ8MNl-R7P5bl-6aDdpIBUzpj2fys-28YIjVYnRI8iKW71kHz83A3hP6euapN8xeZj52Du8riZOS0RBV688IkIogp4Ykv8ZnToijjuqNZnErDXcqMXXyiAELylJAtFIcAy/s320/IMG_2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
and at the end of the discussion everyone summed up their thinking with a one line response to give to the council:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
- the shop could be a good place for IT classes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- What about the space above the shop being like a spare
room, with bedroom for neighbours to use if they have guests staying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- people from local area selling stuff they make,
also a place to buy oatcakes and coffee plus hosting events for local children</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- whatever it is, it needs to be well run and inviting
- good coffee and something to eat. somewhere that people know they can go and
feel comfortable, meet neighbours. Place to book for parties, and access to
space upstairs for the community.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- Somewhere to chill and also somewhere to pick up
parcels - if you are out when they get delivered. Perhaps a homework/tutoring
club for local children</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- day care centre for children</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- downstairs a shop somewhere to get fresh bread and
cakes etc. and an upstairs space - somewhere to rent out for activities</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- English classes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- a convenience store - food always works and also a
police presence there too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- CAB drop in for other stakeholders and service
providers locally.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since this event, the idea of a community space has been discussed further - and we were able to point out that though an excellent community asset, what the community really needs is a space where groups can meet. This has been taken on board and the council have now offered the larger empty space - the Pub on Portland Street, as a potential community space for a mixture of uses.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9brpOrDV1JvUFc3ND62bDnGF_gVb7VOT3-D9k6pxFVuEfzc-iC9O7grpKYnz_bdkB1VUQG-WUPqz7V-hrSBcPxzHuib2X1I3cGJ8rP1_Mvpg_SihhHqcjh37fImuxXe_RqPrVfK5eu4n/s1600/IMG_2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9brpOrDV1JvUFc3ND62bDnGF_gVb7VOT3-D9k6pxFVuEfzc-iC9O7grpKYnz_bdkB1VUQG-WUPqz7V-hrSBcPxzHuib2X1I3cGJ8rP1_Mvpg_SihhHqcjh37fImuxXe_RqPrVfK5eu4n/s320/IMG_2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We had great feedback from residents about the event, people really enjoyed the special space created by the Artist Soup Kitchen, with one resident commenting on social media afterwards: '<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%;">An unusual and
enjoyable meeting. I usually feel out of place at these types of things but not
so much this evening. Thanks' </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next stage is to gather some support for the idea, resources and stakeholders. As a result of this I am going to Leeds, to a special training and networking day organised by The Plunkett foundation, an organisation who support communities to set up and run community shops, in order to learn a bit about the process and then return to the community to share the learning and explore the viability of the Pub as a Community Space. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBPqBdCtxaN5y5-1ljbA3ugKRAakixBX8LVl8ryqMeOWhWXc_baOEeq4-3wzv_tdD20yjtdTlVc_wALOjHM0H96O30n3gMGtpsYbj2pohYYDEsu5seFyFwOVtXMOOdCM9Wt1EKk_PW51v/s1600/IMG_1979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBPqBdCtxaN5y5-1ljbA3ugKRAakixBX8LVl8ryqMeOWhWXc_baOEeq4-3wzv_tdD20yjtdTlVc_wALOjHM0H96O30n3gMGtpsYbj2pohYYDEsu5seFyFwOVtXMOOdCM9Wt1EKk_PW51v/s320/IMG_1979.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The final two Community workshops saw us making some lovely bowl and platter moulds from the Spode Factory mould store, which we hope (if they survive the kiln) can be used for future events, and in particular for the Community Feast Day, which will finish our series, at the Spode Factory in October. During these two events participants got stuck in to the most complicated ceramic making we did during the series, using moulds, which my brilliant assistant Alice Thatcher oversaw the use of.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuy5HYD0IH7omuuXEgxHjjrnixtsqbltTXUrnbLVciydhJRKYONiJ9uxCsipCUEr6ZwyBhnM3RZNFPItYFHv9Fa9kEoBkZLMP1c329KjJrkskK-gUWuY6igItkjR67R6l9kQTbbh86kOZV/s1600/IMG_2100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuy5HYD0IH7omuuXEgxHjjrnixtsqbltTXUrnbLVciydhJRKYONiJ9uxCsipCUEr6ZwyBhnM3RZNFPItYFHv9Fa9kEoBkZLMP1c329KjJrkskK-gUWuY6igItkjR67R6l9kQTbbh86kOZV/s320/IMG_2100.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Such a lot was made in these sessions, a number of floral bowls, a six towns platter, and even an allotment! all designed and made by the community, and while making we also gathered ideas and support for the Community Celebration Event, our final event on the green space.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4JZcj_D842D_1HLV8aN6Y87kAgHc3EojDBsd4PsuROiD4IA6bFXOU3m6WGQEOXlPyfoOsiB02qnX24jGz0S-c7tvR01YAn0jR8yPeA7ExLXZTcRo8q8HIwQqFfPLxi7HmG7nUM8psRQl/s1600/IMG_2122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4JZcj_D842D_1HLV8aN6Y87kAgHc3EojDBsd4PsuROiD4IA6bFXOU3m6WGQEOXlPyfoOsiB02qnX24jGz0S-c7tvR01YAn0jR8yPeA7ExLXZTcRo8q8HIwQqFfPLxi7HmG7nUM8psRQl/s320/IMG_2122.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
My favourite was the flower bowl, which I am really looking forward to seeing fired.<br />
The final event within the Community was our celebration event, which throughout the events we have been talking to people about, gathering ideas and commitments of help from people, so when the 8th August came along, I was sure the event would be a group effort - which was really one of the aims of the Community Maker, to establish community celebrations and food sharing events for our area, where everyone can contribute.<br />
I could not have wished for more from our event:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07nhd0VB-Ga1k5akyg-FZbfhbH7svdQL5dabCQwdy52oQbbHCNK9auFmCfN7c7VaZgdEd27ez2PJ2I810NNOdmeYMiDloM9uMUm5-eCxumKSGlT9V4KkAGZ-a45idfwEndOOwnUF_JKEu/s1600/11850968_10206920979004009_294636905_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07nhd0VB-Ga1k5akyg-FZbfhbH7svdQL5dabCQwdy52oQbbHCNK9auFmCfN7c7VaZgdEd27ez2PJ2I810NNOdmeYMiDloM9uMUm5-eCxumKSGlT9V4KkAGZ-a45idfwEndOOwnUF_JKEu/s320/11850968_10206920979004009_294636905_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
For the day we laid out some of the wares made during the project, for people to see, and we also set up an activity for people to create plant labels, with their wishes for the area marked onto them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPIld7PFCQmdIUOONtTNNgvS_h72WKqD_85bqgIzYDWpeSsM03maVNvwPZDb_QSKye_PrMgbcUpzUefUrBM-tVASwnip1FM-A_KenXeCD4SQxId36zA_TnFKMda0mEvKGkp7up3vQwSww/s1600/11846087_10206920983804129_1499979746_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPIld7PFCQmdIUOONtTNNgvS_h72WKqD_85bqgIzYDWpeSsM03maVNvwPZDb_QSKye_PrMgbcUpzUefUrBM-tVASwnip1FM-A_KenXeCD4SQxId36zA_TnFKMda0mEvKGkp7up3vQwSww/s320/11846087_10206920983804129_1499979746_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
We had also had an idea to talk to more people about the shop idea, but it was so busy that there really wasn't time for this.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw33QKZflNKBZS98eQ1OHuGXiMEMN5BDg9NZUuVA6ttMUHrG1uMSH59ACxYVdSGpMImj8Jm2BS2t70jBvKVuJw2bQph7eo4wc3eaj7Xof5QzrjNCMwkIFdfanEkA33YhjZ5G3A7F-KeiW/s1600/11880984_10206920984204139_1411085263_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw33QKZflNKBZS98eQ1OHuGXiMEMN5BDg9NZUuVA6ttMUHrG1uMSH59ACxYVdSGpMImj8Jm2BS2t70jBvKVuJw2bQph7eo4wc3eaj7Xof5QzrjNCMwkIFdfanEkA33YhjZ5G3A7F-KeiW/s320/11880984_10206920984204139_1411085263_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
As well as making their plant tags, residents were also invited to help to sow a flower meadow - each resident was given a strip of the meadow-to-be to sow a wildflower seed mix onto,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEbNjqYVXITdvRCuTK4u05teVuYrHb46KAkbrCqYXOTRsrB1MsfOd9Jxv8nSlkFkBjmrp6DkRLX7pvU9ZPnDfqH8hacCnvaoQ7ouMf4prlPY52Kc2bYp-0MHMltbDiNjv_uHwD8Mdb_Bp/s1600/11880815_10206920984044135_2086053356_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEbNjqYVXITdvRCuTK4u05teVuYrHb46KAkbrCqYXOTRsrB1MsfOd9Jxv8nSlkFkBjmrp6DkRLX7pvU9ZPnDfqH8hacCnvaoQ7ouMf4prlPY52Kc2bYp-0MHMltbDiNjv_uHwD8Mdb_Bp/s320/11880815_10206920984044135_2086053356_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
In exchange for their labour each resident was also given a sempervivum to take home.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbU_mTc5hyphenhyphenY4FhsM7lgaj4JhVrOhGrkgYkVJ-cP_Yae5HUKfl3eM6Do0MCkBezWTzXi9ccUT-65iKRKwYq8YemBKlWqE6QHMjQWD-4uWJR6dojXuxB6ltxrNPBkn-cqMwS5LOpXJ0Acp4/s1600/11868581_10206920982284091_1512703351_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbU_mTc5hyphenhyphenY4FhsM7lgaj4JhVrOhGrkgYkVJ-cP_Yae5HUKfl3eM6Do0MCkBezWTzXi9ccUT-65iKRKwYq8YemBKlWqE6QHMjQWD-4uWJR6dojXuxB6ltxrNPBkn-cqMwS5LOpXJ0Acp4/s320/11868581_10206920982284091_1512703351_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
These were provided by Dawn from the landscaping team at the council, who kindly dropped them off during the week - for us to give out.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWuF0kUfbWxIJQNV_Z8G-qB7TSoBb-Fi9ifojd0Dz5_QSrARbauaVfw8iYdkr2GWahBl2ZGU-Z_Q8_JxXkGHs0eBYZdLmAEGOUFCh5A7u6wklwOTo9OsAo6FRC46RpVSlZPeSyLMg3Htm/s1600/11850862_10206920986524197_956508782_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWuF0kUfbWxIJQNV_Z8G-qB7TSoBb-Fi9ifojd0Dz5_QSrARbauaVfw8iYdkr2GWahBl2ZGU-Z_Q8_JxXkGHs0eBYZdLmAEGOUFCh5A7u6wklwOTo9OsAo6FRC46RpVSlZPeSyLMg3Htm/s320/11850862_10206920986524197_956508782_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There were over 100 visitors to the event, and there was plenty of food to go around. One set of residents put on a barbecue, Ken brought his sound system and played some tunes, and Linda and her daughter transformed our Community Maker Tent into a pop up tea room, and provided cream teas for everyone (with cakes baked by lots of members of the community.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI3mMxpKG6iIv9VgPlkUi5pHh5G9HzhGsjkre4Te6kGZPaiGZTAOL483H3a56S8-MTluIulAvsKE-QBIWvSh7NegnUWJh-DYSZrXAJW_Vla7U7239CktpDz_vRkxVFNT0MgNAe747arLi/s1600/IMG_2175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI3mMxpKG6iIv9VgPlkUi5pHh5G9HzhGsjkre4Te6kGZPaiGZTAOL483H3a56S8-MTluIulAvsKE-QBIWvSh7NegnUWJh-DYSZrXAJW_Vla7U7239CktpDz_vRkxVFNT0MgNAe747arLi/s320/IMG_2175.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We were also joined by Zoe from the Mitchell Arts Centre, she kindly brought along her fantastic paint bike, and helped us to organise for a face painter to come along on the day too, which was brilliant and really meant there was something for everyone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI20zM2pY5U0O47BYgyVvw4nOp0Q7ScsUcfqAupDKqNvcp0w1CwxaIS3utvq4EMv_d2d1lP6dytX2TI9fXbImty5DajpHWPsoxXB49VEZs_mMaNUDodL1JryJ9m0c8ry6NA28agsRQTfb/s1600/IMG_2172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI20zM2pY5U0O47BYgyVvw4nOp0Q7ScsUcfqAupDKqNvcp0w1CwxaIS3utvq4EMv_d2d1lP6dytX2TI9fXbImty5DajpHWPsoxXB49VEZs_mMaNUDodL1JryJ9m0c8ry6NA28agsRQTfb/s320/IMG_2172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The event truly was a Community Celebration.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our final event will be a Feast Day during the BCB festival - where we will invite residents to the Spode Factory to see what we made, and to talk about the successes of the project in the context of other Community Led projects from around the city - we will use the Artist Soup Kitchen format again, and I really hope some of the residents we have met during the project will be able to make it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-maker-feast-tickets-18668586244">Tickets for the Feast Day can be found here.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Overall, what we have experienced during the project is a community that has had a hard time in the past, but who will get together and bring what they can to make things better. There are, as with all places, those that dissent from the sidelines, and those that do not want to get involved - but I feel strongly that the area is on the up, and that the project we have begun will, in some ways, be there to record the area as it changes for the better.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have generated a lot of imagery over the weeks, and it will all go to inform the Community Maker design for the Community Ceramic Ware we will eventually make. What has been strange for me, as a practitioner who often works in communities, but never my own, the approach is very different, the investment and the fear too, are all greater. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Many thanks to all the residents for getting involved, and a special thanks to Alice Thatcher and Kornelia Herms for the amazing support throughout.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-77342421712572205912015-07-28T17:30:00.004+01:002015-07-29T08:43:06.585+01:00Bee Friendly Garden for Hanley Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRVd8Rw0hP8_mf9gSRqJjaaRpwASaMVOG3uURakaxDvHuCc_1ONBE2j2-b82Kl2_PAVqsTqcYle3IE8tkj_RUQQMj4tuBAfuzAIJDQeN_zohLOoalsW6Q1r7CfQeiRU70DB4F7N2fv1Z2/s1600/A4+poster+100dpi+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRVd8Rw0hP8_mf9gSRqJjaaRpwASaMVOG3uURakaxDvHuCc_1ONBE2j2-b82Kl2_PAVqsTqcYle3IE8tkj_RUQQMj4tuBAfuzAIJDQeN_zohLOoalsW6Q1r7CfQeiRU70DB4F7N2fv1Z2/s320/A4+poster+100dpi+%25282%2529.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
AirSpace Gallery have been making interventions and doing projects in our local Hanley Park since 2010, in activity which has included artists' residencies, exhibitions and temporary artworks, as well as myself and Andrew Branscombe spending quite a bit of time in Hanley Park last year when it was one of our sites for the Birder's Paradise Project.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6unqwqEpRCVClt18QNNGqyZBj5mSQ8OlU9BZtBt7P2r7fP9khLlwHsy-_F4rjeo3Oo4mZLisB4x9UN5AiwQwWrkDD0zAl0UG-DPViMfjVu5Mz37IN4BE6GhPZu_nrbOOhjcj9o8Y3a07/s1600/bee-garden+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6unqwqEpRCVClt18QNNGqyZBj5mSQ8OlU9BZtBt7P2r7fP9khLlwHsy-_F4rjeo3Oo4mZLisB4x9UN5AiwQwWrkDD0zAl0UG-DPViMfjVu5Mz37IN4BE6GhPZu_nrbOOhjcj9o8Y3a07/s320/bee-garden+053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This year we are working with the Women's Institute group 'Let's Make Jam' and the Friends of Hanley Park, to develop a Bee Friendly Garden, within the Nature reserve area of the park.<br />
Over a number of days this summer, we will be meeting in the park, armed with spades, loppers and gloves and changing this small area of the park - with a lovely new planting scheme and design to maximise habitats and food for bees (and other creatures).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVam6twSJ1RAnmZ2iwlu-FEH8UFzinc5vNY8x2u1Ypv9RmueM5SW4gwUyRVkZ06_75ijQxewYTxMkfquk13zERfgoqy3TFiYizgzuleG10E6T8rajGEg7MhVTDN3WMonAssRXYDOY1k2h/s1600/bee-garden+102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVam6twSJ1RAnmZ2iwlu-FEH8UFzinc5vNY8x2u1Ypv9RmueM5SW4gwUyRVkZ06_75ijQxewYTxMkfquk13zERfgoqy3TFiYizgzuleG10E6T8rajGEg7MhVTDN3WMonAssRXYDOY1k2h/s320/bee-garden+102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We had our first day in the park last Friday, and had a great turnout. The jobs for week one were to join the woodchip path up to the main path, clear the weeds, and identify and plants to save, and make an attempt to move the rocks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcC9af69Dpwp-BTZBTyGEIVk64FRmEtvqySudsDIwOyp8gStSamL8QZI0pbtBUuDTmIQSQd_j_6R6o0zocnvJMCYlK23HcIVZZKKbeyrzJNabbsf1M4ykKcuOrHUhB8-DdMhzgk5S5frUE/s1600/bee-garden+128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcC9af69Dpwp-BTZBTyGEIVk64FRmEtvqySudsDIwOyp8gStSamL8QZI0pbtBUuDTmIQSQd_j_6R6o0zocnvJMCYlK23HcIVZZKKbeyrzJNabbsf1M4ykKcuOrHUhB8-DdMhzgk5S5frUE/s320/bee-garden+128.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
People really got stuck in and we got so much done! It was great to have such a good team of people working together.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JHV2cyoOX7ZlgRYZWZc9vEr7o8Xx-up-2TF8sNGA1Jk4a05B7jh8nU9HzGS_ivFZxfsf7vDDC5yGOOARBB7yfTPPwGua4pERE5RaX_RFexAeF7re6Vvob5sG828E9m3o4jAiZhx3bTde/s1600/bee-garden+131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JHV2cyoOX7ZlgRYZWZc9vEr7o8Xx-up-2TF8sNGA1Jk4a05B7jh8nU9HzGS_ivFZxfsf7vDDC5yGOOARBB7yfTPPwGua4pERE5RaX_RFexAeF7re6Vvob5sG828E9m3o4jAiZhx3bTde/s320/bee-garden+131.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By the end of the day we could already see the shape of our new garden emerging, and while we were working we found plenty of encouragement that wildlife are already making a great home here, so we will just be accentuating what is already present. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvuQoYN1K29mGEDlTsMSHMmp7bevrghOC1MBnn5DQjnnzoECEGTRv5BbeH3cnm3PO-5kZrhUHIg3hn3LX9JeQU5I7CFndO_JQvjVchICPCx5U7VDYJf2CWGgMOopVi-1bmG39-UuL-5uE/s1600/bee-garden+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvuQoYN1K29mGEDlTsMSHMmp7bevrghOC1MBnn5DQjnnzoECEGTRv5BbeH3cnm3PO-5kZrhUHIg3hn3LX9JeQU5I7CFndO_JQvjVchICPCx5U7VDYJf2CWGgMOopVi-1bmG39-UuL-5uE/s320/bee-garden+099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We launch the garden on August 15th with some fantastic, family friendly workshops - tell your bee loving friends (and the bees.)</div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7904978758947007453.post-47577344906770929742015-07-28T16:31:00.001+01:002018-11-21T19:41:37.134+00:00Community Maker LaunchesThe community maker project (one of the British Ceramics Biennial 'World in One City' projects) has now launched and we have had 3 events so far.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMVSgPyTkmmXL7LPPDbmKlQnuh0j3hTl0r4oiBiUa_ax2NX48aKi1JrbfizDbcyxMt9j1UDABb22e-db68Zzyw8lY7zV1F3PrVJd3dE59eKKCeXTvS2-NQ0LwQ8kXyGedwSEnf2PE2ey8/s1600/tent-community.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMVSgPyTkmmXL7LPPDbmKlQnuh0j3hTl0r4oiBiUa_ax2NX48aKi1JrbfizDbcyxMt9j1UDABb22e-db68Zzyw8lY7zV1F3PrVJd3dE59eKKCeXTvS2-NQ0LwQ8kXyGedwSEnf2PE2ey8/s320/tent-community.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The first and last session planned to take place in the Portland Street Area, were designed as informal drop in picnic sessions - but the other 5 sessions were meant to take place in a local venue.<br />
One of the major issues for the Portland Area community is the lack of an adequate meeting place. The shop, pub and community centre are all closed and boarded up - and so we had hoped to hold our events a little bit outside the area - at the Cobridge Coronation Club. In the end the club was not available, and as a result - we have had to create a temporary pop up workshop space, in the form of a large bell tent.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJ6It8dI0PCJQvIrxKygPnBM4eyvH5paBSDcAcf_T7jRwuGs2Uej3pDuygtyRmtbNlScT6sjQeFkqjOjceuweVdw0lop1icHHnnUB1SVlw0gwCxIPF9nSVFbXVOtjejjT609757bm7rEc/s1600/community-maker-tent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJ6It8dI0PCJQvIrxKygPnBM4eyvH5paBSDcAcf_T7jRwuGs2Uej3pDuygtyRmtbNlScT6sjQeFkqjOjceuweVdw0lop1icHHnnUB1SVlw0gwCxIPF9nSVFbXVOtjejjT609757bm7rEc/s320/community-maker-tent.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This has not been ideal - but certainly does bring into focus the real need for the lack of venue problem to be a top priority for development in the area. Part of our remit for the community maker project is to explore what the community needs to become successful and thrive - and we are finding out first hand just how much of a hamper on community development the lack of a venue has been for the area.<br />
That said, our pop up tent has proved to be a great space for a workshop - and has activated a newly developed green space in the area.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpd6WIBDadQI7okcXQf9kEw97NO79amxmCZwUGOue5QuLH7N0ouvD1h6EUC7VS4LC_U3lpxq-rlHGthC8qt2yleQvrOwkfFPZLeYTLKBvzHprn3eeVBJ-ecAyv_E6-ttI8BQy3_YQwWjXV/s1600/making-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpd6WIBDadQI7okcXQf9kEw97NO79amxmCZwUGOue5QuLH7N0ouvD1h6EUC7VS4LC_U3lpxq-rlHGthC8qt2yleQvrOwkfFPZLeYTLKBvzHprn3eeVBJ-ecAyv_E6-ttI8BQy3_YQwWjXV/s320/making-map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
For our first session, which was due to take place on a Saturday from 12 - 3pm I worked with brilliant ceramic artist <a href="https://alicethatcher.wordpress.com/">Alice Thatcher</a>, who is assisting me with the project, to create a porcelain map of the area. We met at Spode Factory the day before and created our map, and tested the lino templates we would be using.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJvdd9AS-oUNieWDaFLOezRfVFFnz5D6qxmRNviEl2WFS_OqmGSemDRio1RiA74eEVitDHlR5n_nHzg_X2UAIDbJNNlx6d36uRNKd5ttu9DibHIf2XdzqqK-b79CHEybW2-EWHwFxmCjU/s1600/porcelain-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJvdd9AS-oUNieWDaFLOezRfVFFnz5D6qxmRNviEl2WFS_OqmGSemDRio1RiA74eEVitDHlR5n_nHzg_X2UAIDbJNNlx6d36uRNKd5ttu9DibHIf2XdzqqK-b79CHEybW2-EWHwFxmCjU/s320/porcelain-map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The lino plaques are based on the Victorian Language of flowers (which I have been using within my work for some time now). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeJATTKHhCioNQe9hdv9gGBYsw_5U1NPCRolXA-NcZnMzx3DQJSZaBOD7gmVm-CyNUVLQpdzNAj3HPIXPO4wc-jMrSbOUOHn5DLUfrKGa-L6S9kAOaZx_fhsGqu9Wz5wXIFRyRM2l_Wnz/s1600/lino-works-needs-work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeJATTKHhCioNQe9hdv9gGBYsw_5U1NPCRolXA-NcZnMzx3DQJSZaBOD7gmVm-CyNUVLQpdzNAj3HPIXPO4wc-jMrSbOUOHn5DLUfrKGa-L6S9kAOaZx_fhsGqu9Wz5wXIFRyRM2l_Wnz/s320/lino-works-needs-work.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There are two plaques - one which has a design of a yellow carnation on it says 'needs work' - because in the Victorian language of Flowers you would give yellow carnations to express disappointment - and then a white camelia on the other - which says 'works' as the white camelia expresses perfection.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89_VKr0sEkUAxFVQ3Y4tXgvIlmVAy_vxtKoTdhozwpVCuOyl_jw_pYsnVxKnJDSf5OAgvTMcRFrEkrGzPnv6ZucPg-gJPmimoYvmYew4bCG0flB2nmxnMlGSXhnl9O4VThdzXPvJ-jruj/s1600/community-maker-table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89_VKr0sEkUAxFVQ3Y4tXgvIlmVAy_vxtKoTdhozwpVCuOyl_jw_pYsnVxKnJDSf5OAgvTMcRFrEkrGzPnv6ZucPg-gJPmimoYvmYew4bCG0flB2nmxnMlGSXhnl9O4VThdzXPvJ-jruj/s320/community-maker-table.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
These were used at the drop in session to talk to people about the area - and ask them to say what works and what needs work here - which would eventually be added to our ceramic map, expressing a community's feelings about itself.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXC-ADYbhdJuFH8PKMKcwuG44IDVeyQL7w7Lgk7iyUfmPZTQSKobgZSGMCWhWZczjvBVDz4o-J_aoCo-mYBGsZPlk6doWnqX5Z57XI2kGaQb2EKkmw4RaV_cYX7_Y1KQvMjoTHPdT3xEeN/s1600/community-maker-tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXC-ADYbhdJuFH8PKMKcwuG44IDVeyQL7w7Lgk7iyUfmPZTQSKobgZSGMCWhWZczjvBVDz4o-J_aoCo-mYBGsZPlk6doWnqX5Z57XI2kGaQb2EKkmw4RaV_cYX7_Y1KQvMjoTHPdT3xEeN/s320/community-maker-tiles.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The session was also used to let people know about the other sessions - and invite them along. There was a lot of really positive thought about the area - with many people mentioning how friendly people are here, the location and proximity to city centre were mentioned, and the new developments with the green space and park were all described as positives. Things which needed work centred around fly tipping, litter, dog poo and some anti social behaviour and drug problems in the area - and again, mentioned a number of times was the need for a community meeting place.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_8Goc1FLGx8FQjvbCMtl-hBTXruDGTFYH9z1jBcABirXKw2OSKPDXnH-LNsbEAhokFFjwWR6MBMMhLyzPYk04LtWnLD9XtGn1WXNTFbB-nLVZORdLN4LdO07t7I2Bu-qY1JV4gdcxa6N/s1600/fired-tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_8Goc1FLGx8FQjvbCMtl-hBTXruDGTFYH9z1jBcABirXKw2OSKPDXnH-LNsbEAhokFFjwWR6MBMMhLyzPYk04LtWnLD9XtGn1WXNTFbB-nLVZORdLN4LdO07t7I2Bu-qY1JV4gdcxa6N/s320/fired-tiles.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The fired plaques look great - and are now waiting to be glazed, before being added to the map, and potentially shown at BCB 2015. The first session was really good, and thanks to Alice Thatcher and Kornelia Herms who were brilliant help.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE49RpR8wUt6cNJ4y64B8Z7nc8_AHjxJoMrlRHVZ_gj4Q52UYCxJOpIfUH2ykoExVec-bTqXrPB0xs5YuoQYrv9y8FF_rgutNuBwxF4WswmTnTHZI4eCRebcJfBAntMhEcpyxv3DqPtMw/s1600/walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE49RpR8wUt6cNJ4y64B8Z7nc8_AHjxJoMrlRHVZ_gj4Q52UYCxJOpIfUH2ykoExVec-bTqXrPB0xs5YuoQYrv9y8FF_rgutNuBwxF4WswmTnTHZI4eCRebcJfBAntMhEcpyxv3DqPtMw/s320/walk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The next two sessions we have had were both on week days, which I wasn't sure how many people would be able to come.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbCPGd7Hs_5mKLFrrRwWkeGKeh8UkmuheWAgHjhUSeS7BQWbMEUraCjX2wS5z3vFJly5fEHzJ3m7h0kvxg5rms0u_l06dhbZdjgHgNDaVhCpzkljWxxL2FS_qT-hDWyYp-fwZTpzpLg_i/s1600/walk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbCPGd7Hs_5mKLFrrRwWkeGKeh8UkmuheWAgHjhUSeS7BQWbMEUraCjX2wS5z3vFJly5fEHzJ3m7h0kvxg5rms0u_l06dhbZdjgHgNDaVhCpzkljWxxL2FS_qT-hDWyYp-fwZTpzpLg_i/s320/walk2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first was a walk around the area - where we each had a map - and an idea to locate one good and one bad thing (physically) in the area, and then to select a plant from nearby to act as a marker for that thought - creating our own language of flowers of the area.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mDZWD_lIBsKd4qs0vco1zIz44vMCivD-wdJM6EGrh8Ucnkagh9z3i5iPAygdP3A0pyNiPREKdvcTsoW-t1QaZ_r9905nZW8gXVt_yjr3pZnlLpuyS1Dv_Gmsg8JpVnyW6MFHSC_SAmeC/s1600/plant-plaques.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mDZWD_lIBsKd4qs0vco1zIz44vMCivD-wdJM6EGrh8Ucnkagh9z3i5iPAygdP3A0pyNiPREKdvcTsoW-t1QaZ_r9905nZW8gXVt_yjr3pZnlLpuyS1Dv_Gmsg8JpVnyW6MFHSC_SAmeC/s320/plant-plaques.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We then used the plants to press into clay, and while pressing them discussed some of the things in the area that are good and some bad - and also made an eco report on some of the many plants growing locally.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Then the next day we created Faces of the Community. Myself and Kornelia spent the afternoon on Wednesday after the plant workshop making lino stamps of eyes, noses and mouths to be used the next day.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50_phUIZLxGonnd5bJtFiH0on6Lkm6xGwUyMFs3M4JILhVClU3XjwqXoKn3gpH5D1a3hZe-m2lZd-4g-KSZj5EOHp_ZSPqdTbWCIIzFfFUu2wP9K-Pyg1KDfWU0fGlUqx9z1ji3e751MR/s1600/eyes-noses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50_phUIZLxGonnd5bJtFiH0on6Lkm6xGwUyMFs3M4JILhVClU3XjwqXoKn3gpH5D1a3hZe-m2lZd-4g-KSZj5EOHp_ZSPqdTbWCIIzFfFUu2wP9K-Pyg1KDfWU0fGlUqx9z1ji3e751MR/s320/eyes-noses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
They were used to create an impression in the clay, and then coloured oxides and tools were used to add extra details.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This session was really fruitful, as we were able to begin discussion about how to move forward with community plans and aspirations for a community space of some kind. The night before I attended a steering group meeting, where the council asked if the community would be interested in taking on the old shop (currently standing derelict in the middle of Denbigh Street) as a community enterprise and meeting space, and we were able to offer to gather thoughts on this, and other community initiatives during the community maker project.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUTk5mWMawz5C8ae-uwq7fZx1vQLyWDZGe51OQEkPGMY5qy_g6Psf5JyzCRAX7nr7FLk5g15jmO8wi11IeFy0L3F1ygGUYF6WUf0rq4WJyrEFMSTfFgBHrAdfgArJAB5HIz70vJEHTg2h/s1600/community-maker-face5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUTk5mWMawz5C8ae-uwq7fZx1vQLyWDZGe51OQEkPGMY5qy_g6Psf5JyzCRAX7nr7FLk5g15jmO8wi11IeFy0L3F1ygGUYF6WUf0rq4WJyrEFMSTfFgBHrAdfgArJAB5HIz70vJEHTg2h/s320/community-maker-face5.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With this in mind, the next two community maker sessions will focus on ideas for a community shop space, and considerations of what a community needs to thrive, then the next two sessions after that, we will look at considerations for an environmental budget which the council has to spend in the area - and which they want to consult the community over what it should be spent on. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbUlCQdZ8ViTRQx_8iLu71aDj5ueBQp98E-Kyo-QeDx3_k9GrOWb5lULPk1ffpHwIfZFFlWsbG3fxtpAyxOIFCXHiOzkROYk2U2JKchsap-l2Se-f8U3pc_MlbRtbkimtLw3HhkfV02fI/s1600/community-maker-faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbUlCQdZ8ViTRQx_8iLu71aDj5ueBQp98E-Kyo-QeDx3_k9GrOWb5lULPk1ffpHwIfZFFlWsbG3fxtpAyxOIFCXHiOzkROYk2U2JKchsap-l2Se-f8U3pc_MlbRtbkimtLw3HhkfV02fI/s320/community-maker-faces.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Then our final event locally for 8th August is planned as another community picnic event - and will involve the planting of a community flower bed (plus we will make some plant markers in clay) as well as the first community tea party - which the Portland Street Community Group will be helping with. So far the project is going extraordinarily well - and though it is a lot of work - I am really enjoying it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBNEaeMx_kl2nQE7gU8RI2odmxSt_V3nJZD32b5__3qNrmlUC2_P2sKUU5BYibuZpXyh0jxLMfAl1cu8XExDSDj6_RGKRKEMgo8hUnu8repsZcHAJpb7XCO4rk89RKjGx5oeVdkInCnRE/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBNEaeMx_kl2nQE7gU8RI2odmxSt_V3nJZD32b5__3qNrmlUC2_P2sKUU5BYibuZpXyh0jxLMfAl1cu8XExDSDj6_RGKRKEMgo8hUnu8repsZcHAJpb7XCO4rk89RKjGx5oeVdkInCnRE/s320/banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have generated lots of imagery, which could potentially be used on our community maker table ware - and then, if the coincidence about Enid Seeney (Homemaker Designer) being trained at Spode wasn't enough - it also turns out that she was once courting Andrew (my partner)'s Dad! June (Andy's Mum) was shocked to discover the links we were making to Enid's pattern, and told us this amazing piece of family history and connection - she said she has a super 8 video of Enid and her husband paddling in the sea in Devon, from a visit Andy's Father made years ago. I hope we can dig that footage out - she also mentioned that it had been a shame that Enid had not gone back to ceramics after being married. I am sure that this part of the project will become important, but at the moment - it is just so strange!</div>
Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0