
|
Create
a Beacon in the Heart of the Community
above:
photograph of the Rev. Alan Steele at the Bradeley Together
Event. © David Haden, 2004. |
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________ |
above: 27 of the 480
images used for the Bradeley Together Event. Each image was back-projected
on to 8 x 8 foot screens, as seen in the photograph opposite.
Bradeley Together — February
2004.
Working with people of Bradeley to create an
art event that gave the community an opportunity to discuss their
hopes for the future of their area.
I made three loops of images for projection:
a series of portraits of residents of Bradeley Village Sheltered
Housing, challenging the stereotypes of older people; a sequence
of drawings made with local school kids, which portrayed their
thoughts on the place they call home; a collection of family
snapshots and party pictures illustrating the social life and
fun in the local community.
All this work was part of a project called:
CREATIVE APPROACHES TO LOCAL ISSUES
In order to explore and demonstrate creative responses to local
issues, the Community Facilitation Team of Stoke-on-Trent City
Council developed ten projects with THEpUBLIC, West Bromwich,
an award-winning community arts organisation. In each of ten
community forum areas pilot arts projects were undertaken.

above: one of the drawings made by the children of Smallthorne
Primary School.
Project Feedback
The screens were brilliant – they really drew
attention and had an impact. The memory of the night was a very
important part of the project, with the centre as a beacon at the
heart of the community.
It was good to work with someone ‘outside’ of
the group and to think about how programming activities can appeal
to many e.g. rambling, swimming, tea dances.
Other than the young
children’s input via the creative workshops, teenage representation
was lacking. However, the project can be built on and some of the
ideas acted on. It was recognised that an event or activity that
specifically targets young people is important. |
Who are the THEpUBLIC?
The Public is everyone.
Everyone who's creative
Everyone who has ideas.
You are a member of the public already,
If you've got an idea you want to realise.
The Public is for dreamers, thinkers, doers, lookers.
The Public, formerly known as Jubilee Arts, has been carrying
out pioneering community arts work for nearly thirty years in
West Bromwich and the surrounding area.
The Public is now taking
this experience forward in an exciting project to create the
Public Building, the largest community arts development in
Europe. The Building will be a place to dream and realise your
creativity in an inspiring, hands-on arts space, as well as somewhere
you can learn, be entertained and relax.
THE 'CREATIVE
APPROACHES TO LOCAL ISSUES' BROCHURE CAN BE DOWNLOADED
AS A PDF (4mb)
legal
notice
|