tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11299597706174988992024-03-13T19:48:47.408-07:00Longhouse Action ResearchAnna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-6185307951965973752009-03-18T10:57:00.002-07:002009-03-18T11:18:57.627-07:00The final round up of my action research<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UqfhA-ORSUuDbT0CQ44gWYJJQZW5O9IYH1fuEmSHEd3Yp5nJ7i5kawN8I-fXxrV2_L2K0vHl1e4gwo8DG3_Eap8XIkqWwVV8vOPL-IZrBI1Kn9oT_WbTpBcu1dLVbve5djM2rrdSf2mC/s1600-h/text-what-this-city-needs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 91px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UqfhA-ORSUuDbT0CQ44gWYJJQZW5O9IYH1fuEmSHEd3Yp5nJ7i5kawN8I-fXxrV2_L2K0vHl1e4gwo8DG3_Eap8XIkqWwVV8vOPL-IZrBI1Kn9oT_WbTpBcu1dLVbve5djM2rrdSf2mC/s400/text-what-this-city-needs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314593835081988786" border="0" /></a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Canna%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City" downloadurl="http://www.5iamas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1291471905; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:1215622578 72022534 134807555 134807557 134807553 134807555 134807557 134807553 134807555 134807557;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-start-at:0; mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:-; mso-level-tab-stop:36.0pt; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-18.0pt; font-family:Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} ol {margin-bottom:0cm;} ul {margin-bottom:0cm;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Identifying the question:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" > is a city in flux. Billions of pounds are due to be spent in the city over the next 20 years, this feels (at least for now) like an emptying out, as whole streets are demolished; communities dispersed. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >As an artist and resident of this place, at this time, it is impossible to ignore the process of change. It seeps into your consciousness, and eventually into your practice. I set out at the beginning of my action research to attempt to answer one question which seemed relevant and necessary. I wanted to know, from the people of the city: <b>What does this city really need?</b></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Examining precedence: <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >Over the last few years I have investigated and researched examples of artistic or cultural activity [operating within cities] in order to uncover the impact that art and culture might have on the regeneration of a city. At the beginning of my action research I broke these activities down into four types:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Object impact (through a building or piece of work – the Guggenheim, </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Crosby</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Beach</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Event impact (arts festivals or Biennials – </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><st1:city><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Harlech</span></st1:city><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">, </span><st1:state><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Berlin</span></st1:state></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Award Impact (Capital of Culture Status – </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Liverpool</span></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >, Bilbao etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Project impact (Community collaboration projects – The Hidden Garden Project, </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Glasgow</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" > or In Certain Places, </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Preston</span></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >I noticed that the more successful and sustainable projects were those that worked with the communities and people surrounding them - perhaps through consultation processes which happen from the outset ensuring the activity is bespoke in nature; or otherwise through projects which the communities nearby take to heart later.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >My aim was to open a dialogue with the people of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >, on what sort of initiatives, projects and activities they would like to see happening in the city, and perhaps even to identify an idea for a project which would demonstrate culturally lead regeneration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">How to answer a question:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >In the early stages of the questioning process I created a postcard to give to the people of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" > asking them to set out their ideas of what the city might need. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >This lead to the development of various statements about what this city needs; my favourite being: This City Needs A Hero – I had 300 badges made to spread the word.</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4bStTXQHtWxe7l42-tVLMO-TijIjwzJoPQs67-YaKr55pIbr4HevnjetBAp-DmHPlrT9JOk4vLHYwqTvQKawJzm7S45rl7-WTeLFLsxTIULQynJJnriYvwvqQycCrJKGp_feluNY5KaG/s1600-h/badge-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4bStTXQHtWxe7l42-tVLMO-TijIjwzJoPQs67-YaKr55pIbr4HevnjetBAp-DmHPlrT9JOk4vLHYwqTvQKawJzm7S45rl7-WTeLFLsxTIULQynJJnriYvwvqQycCrJKGp_feluNY5KaG/s400/badge-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314591932319786242" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Falling down rabbit holes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >Towards the beginning of the programme I arranged to be interviewed by a fellow practitioner. The idea was that the interview could help to set out and explore my motives for engaging with the people of the city. Questions asked included: <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >- What is your mission?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >- What are you keen to achieve?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >- What would you like to convince the people of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" > of?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >The interesting thing about this long conversation was that it was meant to focus my intentions at the beginning of the project. What it actually did was petrify me into inaction. The process of examining my own motives and processes actually made me feel unsure, and sent me into a period of quiet reflection (aka artists block). In the long run this process of exploration, petrification and later action to unpick bad stitches has lead to an enlightenment about my own artistic process. I now see that my questions as an artist happen publicly. My motives, intentions and mission are not fixed, they shape my actions as much as my actions shape them. I have realised that this flexibility and ability to affect as well as be affected is important to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Getting back on track:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >The good thing about rabbit holes is that some of them lead to Wonderland. Once I realised this, I was able to climb out in a new place. To understand what is needed it is often useful to understand what is already there, so I decided to become <b>The Undercover Tourist</b>, and go to the Tourist Information Centre to see what they would tell me to do in the city. I learnt a number of things from my espionage;<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">This city has no tour guide. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Tourists visiting the city generally miss out the city centre completely, preferring to visit the potteries factories which are scattered across the six towns. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">-<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Each person in the city has a different idea of what should be celebrated and what ignored.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Why don’t we have a tour guide in </span></b><st1:place><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">?</span></b></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >Cities employ tour guides to talk about the wealth of heritage, culture and beauty of a place. I decided to become <b>The Official Tour Guide for Stoke-on-Trent</b>, but this tour guide would take the tourist to the sites of regeneration around the city, pointing out faults as well as beauty; offering up the city as a site for propositions - questioning, ‘Who is this for?’, ‘What do we do with this?’, ‘Why is this here?’ My tours show one artist’s response to a place in the hope that the participant may start to question in a similar way.</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbiYm9H2mRWQaN3eVT-QNpzRW3I10-jaKPjyKMjRUhy_XFFn8uWVyEP1lj-h0JFcVquUWAVFjN5ibt4Xo2aBqRNJN8Ix6H-7-JN2szf4lGyySJpic6o_ukQwi_4M2szkPvyzkptM6ZBxv/s1600-h/tourist-information-stoke1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbiYm9H2mRWQaN3eVT-QNpzRW3I10-jaKPjyKMjRUhy_XFFn8uWVyEP1lj-h0JFcVquUWAVFjN5ibt4Xo2aBqRNJN8Ix6H-7-JN2szf4lGyySJpic6o_ukQwi_4M2szkPvyzkptM6ZBxv/s400/tourist-information-stoke1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314591926542356146" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >The emphasis of the tours was that we would talk about the city as a space for art and culture to exist, examining the gaps of a place, and instead of seeing gaping wounds, seeing creative spaces which can be filled.
<br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-1Kw1MkTimR8_LdsWQ6-76zT387iDTdMreqLwpeGwV8qlMkSAtmR9aDV_4qjLoUpMy9V-6-l5fF-ubGYiI30vmfOk1X9yDlbfd-fEbNef1C2pMZkhg5LPuyM3_CI5LcNvD9HcAEWKhpo/s1600-h/tourist-information-stoke.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-1Kw1MkTimR8_LdsWQ6-76zT387iDTdMreqLwpeGwV8qlMkSAtmR9aDV_4qjLoUpMy9V-6-l5fF-ubGYiI30vmfOk1X9yDlbfd-fEbNef1C2pMZkhg5LPuyM3_CI5LcNvD9HcAEWKhpo/s400/tourist-information-stoke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314591924743882338" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">The Tour<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >The tourists meet their guide in </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Cauldon</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Park</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >, the neglected sister of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Hanley</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Park</span></st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >, soon to be revived through the neighbouring college development. The tour guide leads the tourist towards the centre, from the South, crossing the brick desert which is the Tesco development site and up past the demolition zone, that was once a cinema, in the heart of the cultural quarter. We zigzag through the streets and then up to the multi story car park for the best 360</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >°</span><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" > view of the city, back down past Stanley Matthews to the bus station, and site of the planned East/West precinct. We end up at the last community pub in the centre, unfortunately placed in the middle of the clearance zone. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Where could this lead?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >The Regeneration Tours are a starting point and are something that I intend to develop further. In the early stages of development are ‘The 1986 Garden Festival Tour’ which examines the remnants of one of the last big cultural projects in the city, and ‘The City Car Park Tour’ which leads the tourists around the city’s single most popular use of its land.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >The realisation that has come from this period of action research is<span style=""> </span>the importance of the questioning process that I am engaged with in the city, and how this process necessarily involves other artists and citizens. To conclude, I set up an opportunity to discuss the questions raised and examined by the action research project with other practitioners. This necessitated the need to redefine what the question might be and lead me to understand that the original question ‘What does this city really need?’ is too broad and big. A forum meeting was held where this and other questions were raised, and the ensuing conversation demonstrated the need to investigate further. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:100%;" >And so I exit the action research in the same way that I entered, with a new question.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">What is the artist’s role in the changing city?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-56580668073264372992009-03-18T10:57:00.001-07:002009-03-18T10:57:46.902-07:00HEADTALK 5<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAicu8lamv1o-NamzCgmfcefkeq55dkh0sTAWiwgEMa-atlgCsV2YwVU8vtNXA_1NphVfru3cLUqteqwv2UmW8YrpO1UQ4MlCSGQJmw-qqO2bYBdzUDanNbpMiozE69inCwZvCWfVDpZyX/s1600-h/longhouse20-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAicu8lamv1o-NamzCgmfcefkeq55dkh0sTAWiwgEMa-atlgCsV2YwVU8vtNXA_1NphVfru3cLUqteqwv2UmW8YrpO1UQ4MlCSGQJmw-qqO2bYBdzUDanNbpMiozE69inCwZvCWfVDpZyX/s400/longhouse20-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313787475829974562" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong style=""><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To mark the end of my Longhouse Action Research project I wanted to explore some of the questions and concerns that had been raised over the 9 months of the project. I approached Bernard and Brian - fellow AirSpace artists and organisers of the Headtalk forum - a creative space for artists to meet and discuss issues and concerns which arise from contemporary practice. They agreed to allow me to present my findings, and open the dabate within the already established forum. The evening forum coincided with a visit from 5 Polish (cultural animation) practitioners, who ahd been participants in my regeneration tour (another output fo my action research project.) This was really great, as they were able to bring objectivity to the discussion. Bernard and Brian have documented the evening thoroughly on the <a href="http://headtalk.org.uk/">Headtalk blog </a>and have given me permission to duplicate it here. A very interesting and useful discussion was had, and the attendance was unprecidented; standing room only - which was really encouraging. Here is the Headtalk documentation of the event by Bernard Charnley and Brian Holdcroft, along with images by Glen Stoker.</span></span></span></strong></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPxgj7fWbwOCU8pph0x8UBBtv_gQzju8SNoxnZiU8ql-ietrvNfCoKBdZCleRl-XEJLUOjyvyevfTm9GUtR8GAdHNiJlnIM5cdU5l2YhkWBqumwzQWRxlAVIT2fSrVm38YBXK6gvL5MLg/s1600-h/longhouse19-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPxgj7fWbwOCU8pph0x8UBBtv_gQzju8SNoxnZiU8ql-ietrvNfCoKBdZCleRl-XEJLUOjyvyevfTm9GUtR8GAdHNiJlnIM5cdU5l2YhkWBqumwzQWRxlAVIT2fSrVm38YBXK6gvL5MLg/s400/longhouse19-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313787467781395810" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong style=""><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">"What is the Artist’s Role in the Changing City? Does the City Need a Hero?</span></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The event took place in our new venue, Fat Cats, with a friendly and helpful staff who managed to squeeze all twenty plus into a lovely, warm upmarket snug; we will have a choice of a larger room next time so may take this up. This was the first occasion of a participating artist in the forums offering a presentation, and we hope it will be the start of many to come.<br /></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5edCU-40-tp_Ym51jnuNrv-8PpkLTU-QyNAXfldUkUXJ4higTdpactv6ecP_xb-3G8BOcKDnNJhjqrvePZXyACMkITIaDo20tLViyXupEjMNzimpU-w2WRwDoqMcXxc5fkAu5Lf34LS0I/s1600-h/longhouse18-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5edCU-40-tp_Ym51jnuNrv-8PpkLTU-QyNAXfldUkUXJ4higTdpactv6ecP_xb-3G8BOcKDnNJhjqrvePZXyACMkITIaDo20tLViyXupEjMNzimpU-w2WRwDoqMcXxc5fkAu5Lf34LS0I/s400/longhouse18-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313787466298043874" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong style=""><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">1. Extract from Blog entry</span></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" >The presentation by Anna and the Polish artists gave a richly varied account of the problems and issues met by artists of any shade working in the public arena and this was built upon in the discussion with really informative contributions. The value was in getting a clearer picture of approaches we as artists or arts engaged can develop that address the issues of inclusive participation, coherent funding support, conflicting interests between marketing and community. On the back of this shared ground clearing, we think the momentum needs carrying forward with focus on our city of Stoke-on-Trent. In this respect, another HeadTalk forum might be around shaping some kind of manifesto (not the dogmatic kind) for arts and regeneration in the city, a bottom-up set of proposals around which artists and arts active people can begin to push in some unity for changes in policy and funding. This could go hand in hand with a strand of public art ‘events’, agit prop type that can be funny, participatory or media attractive to promote attention. Here our public space art/arts practitioners can maybe lead the way…our heroes!</span></span></p> <p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:small;">All easier said… but recent history seems to show that gentle negotiations behind closed doors on its own doesn’t stir our leaders into any joined up thinking. Perhaps that level of exchange, important though it is, needs geeing up by taking the issues into the public space to get more focus on how artists and the arts can work inventively with regeneration and deserve proper support, in a way that brings the people of the city on board as well, not just the developers and their interests<br /></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIiNRu2xZrgFxXgQ9PzMf9Nbb2h9vulBEf1YowNXV-vHVz8AU4bNoOSvpIpt0Z3X29WrxbTRolVEpRdbG0fPFVbRB9qcVYYHGtFtQ522ZMVtdGDs-kp54whMmklI4kiphwd6oyPkigK3E/s1600-h/longhouse17-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIiNRu2xZrgFxXgQ9PzMf9Nbb2h9vulBEf1YowNXV-vHVz8AU4bNoOSvpIpt0Z3X29WrxbTRolVEpRdbG0fPFVbRB9qcVYYHGtFtQ522ZMVtdGDs-kp54whMmklI4kiphwd6oyPkigK3E/s400/longhouse17-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313787462089138562" border="0" /></a><p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><strong style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:small;">2. Summary of meeting</span></span></strong></p> <p style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:small;">We have drawn on the recording for this and it is hopefully a fairly accurate shortened transcript – took hours to do so we might look at some other way of reporting next time. Or maybe give ourselves more time to publish….. Anyways, we think there is a real value in being able to look back on what was discussed – tell us what you think!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">A special feature of the occasion was the presence of a group of Polish artists, who work in the public arena in their country. <span style=""> </span>Details of the group are appended to this report. Martin Webster, who runs an intercultural project at Staffs Uni, informed the forum at the end that the connection with Poland and these artists was ongoing and invited further engagement by local artists/arts people locally. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">After an introduction by Brian Holdcroft, outlining the progress of HeadTalk and mentioning the HeadTalk blog for everyone’s reference, he introduced Anna as a first presenting artist and welcomed the Polish artist group. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Anna Francis then began her presentation by outlining the frame of her intro, which was to promote discussion of our responsibilities as artists in a time of great changes to the city. The experience drawn upon to elaborate some of the questions and issues was her research bursary from the Longhouse (West Bromwich) public arts funding firm, which Anna has used to look at arts funding and policy in Stoke-on-Trent. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">A range of questions were then introduced and with reference to a pre-circulated document ‘Interruptions’ by Malcolm Miles.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">What does this city really need? With the background context of a regeneration policy by the council some ten years behind many other cities; a weak take up of existing levers like the ‘percent for art’ and a poor evaluation process resulting in fragmented approaches; all of this against an accepted understanding that arts are crucial for the regeneration of places and communities. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Referring to Miles, Anna then raised the issue of avoiding a ‘quick fix’, cheap social therapy role.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span style=""> </span>But then how does the city develop a cultural project that avoids these negatives?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Examples of different approaches were outlined with the Gardens Project in Glasgow and In Certain Places, Preston as good examples of coherent planning and involvement of the communities affected. The latter city is especially relevant as it is a post-industrial city like Stoke-on-Trent.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">These examples lead to another question, whether the model that works in one city can be mapped onto another?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The introduction of these questions by Anna was followed by a more detailed presenting of her own work including a ‘tour’ of regeneration sites within the city with the Polish artist group leading to more specific questions about how artists in the city can begin to make things happen; “do we need to be more pushy” or “louder”. Another related consideration is how this all works for an artist when they go to a different city or community? This is the problem of being “parachuted in”, giving the example of the “Beyond Bricks” project being developed at present in Birmingham, raising the question of divided responsibilities between commissioners (and their agenda) and those towards the people living in the place where these art projects take place. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">With this last point in mind, Anna handed over to David Sypntewski of the Polish artist group (pag) and then each member of the group described their role and work in the group, which is based in Warsaw. Details of the different activities can be seen on the web site addresses below. Their focus is on the non-tourist neglected communities of Warsaw, such as Praga, but also in smaller villages and towns and also in Crakow. Varied forms of engagement are used, employing the specialist skills of the group (theatre, photography and animation). These range from a physical alternative tourist map and tour, to a software game using the knowledge of the area from residents. This game caught on and became a popular activity (the game has an English translation and can be accessed from their site).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The aim is to give the more excluded populations of places a sense of ownership and positive identification, an issue that is relevant for public art in any location.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">As Aga Pajaczkowska explained, the group describe themselves as ‘cultural animators’, an alternative description for artists and maybe a better term for artists/arts people working in the public arena. This very informative report was rounded off with a description of how the group encourage forums with other arts people, and towards educating local authorities in the support for culturally inclusive activity.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:small;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;">The forum then took a drinks break (we must have bought enough as we have been invited back and with a larger room if we need it </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="">J</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;">) and the YouTube video about the Preston project was shown with the techy help of Andy Branscombe from AirSpace.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">On gathering again, David of pag related an experience in Hanley of being told he could not use his camera by security staff for prevention of terrorism reasons, a comment on the changing freedoms of the public space. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The discussion phase was then introduced with a question arising out of the different presentations and examples: who is the public of public art? “..Where does the dweller of the city come into this..”. this raised the subject of how the artist sees or defines the public they engage with?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The point was then made, with a graphic example from local practice, that we might think we know who the art is for and then discover that the people it is intended for (our conceived public) have a different response to what we might expect</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">“..we might think it is for them but they might not think it is for them..”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The suggestion was then made that it might be a question of educating people in the city to recognise that public art is for them, “..maybe it is about empowering people in Stoke-on-Trent…”. <span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This part of the discussion touched on the question of acceptance or rejection of public art and why. It was pointed out that there will always be a bit of both simply because people have choices, but the relevant question for artists is</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">“…have we explored what people want?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This question shifted attention to what kinds of art are more acceptable than others and the distinction was made between “works of art and public decoration” . It is an easy choice that funders tend towards, of “making the place look nicer” but without “depth” in the work, and simply acting as a facade to cover up deeper problems.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This point was picked up with the example of Toxteth in Liverpool, where historically grand houses now in neglect or abandonment were given this art treatment on boards filling the windows, “…superficially very lovely in the same way as eating something sweet makes you immediately go ooo! that was nice, but afterwards you come down and then what’s left behind that, when those boards come down what’s left in place of them?…”.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Another example was given from the same area of an exchange with two ex-residents, who talked about how they were bitter about<span style=""> </span>the way they had been moved out of a very meaningful place for them and now didn’t like to pass the houses with what they saw as “purple stuff” all over where they had lived, “..all they could think about was the loss..”.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">These exchanges brought out the importance of the relationship with the people of an intended art location or wider city project. The next point raised was that the public is a shared experience of a place despite differences, in that sense we are all the relevant public, perhaps to the extent that we invest our lives in a location.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The discussion returned at this point to how awareness or ownership of the idea of art by the people of the city is often lacking, despite a rich tradition of art activity in pottery production. How to bridge the gap between local experience and tradition in art engagement and acceptance of other kinds of art?; to get over to the people of the city that “they’ve got the ability and they’ve got a say.”. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Another example, taking up the baton of this issue of barriers and engagement, illustrated how it can work, especially if it occurs over time. The location was Barcelona and a slum clearance area where a lot of poverty aid money was used to clear sites for developers to move in, but perversely, to bring in affluent residents. Public art was commissioned to assist this approach. Around the edges of the development however, many neglected empty slum properties were squatted by other artists who became part of the remaining community. Over time, these artists developed gardens for the estate and in which art works were placed. The success of this exchange led to official support and eventually changed the whole approach to regeneration in the city, <span style=""> </span>“ …the artist intervention there changed the way the nature of the way regeneration, local people and art, work, so instead of art being…..imposed as decoration, it was actually what changed everything..”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Also, the relevant public are firstly then those who work with the artist, not just as receivers.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This led to the observation that public art isn’t just about developers and their agendas and that artists are better positioned and equipped to connect with the people and their needs where an art placement or activity is proposed. This led to an appreciation that artists need to promote a space of exchange where artist and public meet on an equal level, while recognising the particular role of the artist.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">It was then suggested that for this to work some kind of representative structure should be part of any public arts initiative, enabling a relevant and informing input from the people affected.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This raised the question of how funding creates excluding structures that make it difficult for commissioned artists to develop the liaisons with communities that they want. The discussion then moved on to a further appreciation of how spontaneous independent actions are important alongside the properly funded projects but that while different models of action are relevant, we need to keep an eye on the problem of being used as a cheap fix. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The Polish group were then asked about their experience and interestingly they drew a parallel with Warsaw in the level of demolished sites in our city; that in Stoke there is more waste land per person than anywhere else in the country. They also commented on the distinct industrial architecture and suggested these should be used where possible; that this kind of use is very popular in Poland, to establish “new aims and purposes”. There was also a recognition of similar problems, in particular that of knowing what you want to do, but not being able to get proper funding because of conflicting interests of developers and other interested parties or officials. A further point made was that it is important to establish communication with local officials or agencies, which can help in recognition of insitutional constraints and inform action better.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This reflection brought forward the recognition that artists/cultural animators of any kind joining together provides more of a united front in effectively addressing these more political dimensions.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">Returning to the question of relevant dialogue with residents or communities, an observation was made based on experience with youth groups locally, that there is a firmly embedded cynicism at the history of art projects in the area, and illustrated the need to change existing policies to become more inclusive. “..there is a whole raft of knowledge and really switched on people who genuinely don’t feel they have a voice and are very aware there are massive changes about to happen to this city..”.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This contribution prompted further recounting of the richness of stories and history of communities locally and the need to bring a connection with these into any policy approach towards public art.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The ability of existing decision makers with hands on the “purse strings” to recognise these needs came under scrutiny. It was commented that there is a “bottleneck” at the moment because of lack of awareness and “integration” by the council authorities and politicians and yet most funding, including Arts Council, can only happen with local council approval. It was then put that this means we do need to be more vocal, to return to an earlier question, in order to get seen and heard. Also, demands on sterile detailed justifying of art work needs to be relaxed to allow a level of “openheartedness” and natural inconsistency of discovery and development of art projects.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">This returned the discussion finally to the secondary forum title question: Does the City need a hero? and the observation that rather than a hero we need a champion, “and we need several champions” and not just in the arts but across the city to promote an atmosphere of acceptance and ownership of the art that is done. Also that a vision of this engagement would be when funding for public art comes from and reflects all the agencies and public services in the city, who in one way or another want to fund art in their workplace. Art then “..becomes integral to the thinking of all purse string holders..” It is about capturing the imagination of decision makers to the idea of art as relevant and necessary.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The discussion moved on to a comparison with Warsaw again and in particular architecture, and how this can be the most obvious expression of disconnection with the population, when there is a divide between them and the authorities. In turn this brought out a distinction to be made between ‘re-development’ and ‘regeneration’, when the latter is understood to include “dwellers” in plans on an equal footing, while the former is more about the interest of investors alone. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The discussion ran out of time and finished with an example from West Bromwich of an accelerated arts building that was done without connection with the community and is now an underused negative presence; the fear being that local planners are going down the same route and could damage the “soul” of the city.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:small;">The forum was brought to a close with recognition of the quality of the presentations and the many contributions to discussion made."</span></span></p>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-30693402082613228892009-03-09T09:52:00.001-07:002009-03-18T10:56:30.183-07:00the tour...On Friday, 20th February 5 Polish artists, visiting Stoke-on-Trent were given the following card:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C_GlMeeY_FhG3fovYJksW0pO9u2EyDSQ_0T8GWRHV-pVAFvO0s5hefaGmEAQVKK_QVDBWRkqEFQdqCNL_1RZEMzN0MxJ7z6Kh9R7fuE1q1Ff9NmSU-yd2POGbsuGSeZlctghCGwbrj5J/s1600-h/polish-artist-letter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C_GlMeeY_FhG3fovYJksW0pO9u2EyDSQ_0T8GWRHV-pVAFvO0s5hefaGmEAQVKK_QVDBWRkqEFQdqCNL_1RZEMzN0MxJ7z6Kh9R7fuE1q1Ff9NmSU-yd2POGbsuGSeZlctghCGwbrj5J/s400/polish-artist-letter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306485613920654594" border="0" /></a>The numbers were co-ordinates for Cauldon Park, where I was waiting - dressed in my 'Official Tour Guide - Stoke-on-Trent' uniform. They were precisely on time, and this is what they saw as they approached:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxdouBoj_ZUi0izOVWd0pEhmWuEaODCjSwrEejk-7ZwP7XBrD0r9PvTur2b8twQgZqeXthQgVDBwPzkl7DJ_Z1d3dwbqTLeRuSohuBWPQM-LhUYAhwQmzDmUbaZ3L9Z6ETPkv9ceKtNXZ/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxdouBoj_ZUi0izOVWd0pEhmWuEaODCjSwrEejk-7ZwP7XBrD0r9PvTur2b8twQgZqeXthQgVDBwPzkl7DJ_Z1d3dwbqTLeRuSohuBWPQM-LhUYAhwQmzDmUbaZ3L9Z6ETPkv9ceKtNXZ/s400/regeneration-tour-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306466359307441202" border="0" /></a>When they arrived I introduced myself as the city's offical tour guide and explained that we would be taking a tour of the City centre's regeneration zones. I gave a bit of potted history on the City before leading them nito Hanley Park.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A_yZv3QKWmGVsswd9zjYycEWdcrH2ADn_mdJf3L1rYCI3qsxpw0OmT7UOu2EX44irWIXJhz5BomUGGWWjlKJtpGLnHqS13-h2Aya5TM4biG025QdiuFXGpQfdH-d0iB4YJoUXc1G7l0m/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A_yZv3QKWmGVsswd9zjYycEWdcrH2ADn_mdJf3L1rYCI3qsxpw0OmT7UOu2EX44irWIXJhz5BomUGGWWjlKJtpGLnHqS13-h2Aya5TM4biG025QdiuFXGpQfdH-d0iB4YJoUXc1G7l0m/s400/regeneration-tour-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306468196906602690" border="0" /></a>I took them over to look at Emily Campbell's public art piece. We discussed the way that the texts were generated, and the fact that artist's often have to negotiate and compromise when working within the public realm - as was the case with this piece. (I assisted Emily with workshops and consultations during the making of the works.)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVu9jehXgcUGNaVQBkQpNa_mBq2_I7ijmVdPCrenWmcGpfohkuRvueC205v9zyK6YEgw6gBCfnLPcFvezMAbVt9YiS7JChz1glvnZk4yFB0NHzgoy8kTKkaMNx8rz0vSj5TiRn3DemJ7Y/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVu9jehXgcUGNaVQBkQpNa_mBq2_I7ijmVdPCrenWmcGpfohkuRvueC205v9zyK6YEgw6gBCfnLPcFvezMAbVt9YiS7JChz1glvnZk4yFB0NHzgoy8kTKkaMNx8rz0vSj5TiRn3DemJ7Y/s400/regeneration-tour-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306469565334260482" border="0" /></a>We talked about the 'plonking' approach to public art favoured by commissioners and how Emily had wanted the texts to be surprises for the walker in the park - not obvious monoliths. The commissioning council wanted something big and shiney - and so this piece 'Do you feel it too' represents the artist's compromise. We discussed these works in the context of the Park's crumbling Victorian features. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyCRHZvONedmVfWPQ8iZVsUMEt0rOwHW9f_-enKAIWsAtIE4jn-p4fuv1ONRFM1RbE4BFUl4FJVrCxVyRwuDdpr1lIf3HOIKaMAuLXHgCs3BCAgPBaD-5P6aPwXtFxpbUMdRHB9G9JE7U/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 361px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyCRHZvONedmVfWPQ8iZVsUMEt0rOwHW9f_-enKAIWsAtIE4jn-p4fuv1ONRFM1RbE4BFUl4FJVrCxVyRwuDdpr1lIf3HOIKaMAuLXHgCs3BCAgPBaD-5P6aPwXtFxpbUMdRHB9G9JE7U/s400/regeneration-tour-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306469565506907426" border="0" /></a>And the fact that shortly after installation of the works the pavilion, where some of the art workshops took place was boarded up.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7g_FjkLEtRq1WDyGfXY9rbtGZnGE3h0VoHyTz__u4aMYGHVlocoX8OMwzfKVb-1xBCgpst7JKnMteyD5CAHqCsC7puf-X5OEVTFnxNe5L0ie76P5733GMgkDeTwJkO-0q7duPJvkGXtQ/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7g_FjkLEtRq1WDyGfXY9rbtGZnGE3h0VoHyTz__u4aMYGHVlocoX8OMwzfKVb-1xBCgpst7JKnMteyD5CAHqCsC7puf-X5OEVTFnxNe5L0ie76P5733GMgkDeTwJkO-0q7duPJvkGXtQ/s400/regeneration-tour-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306469569593542146" border="0" /></a>We stood on the bandstand, donated by George Howson (a local Potteries owner) in 1896. Back in the 20s and 30s this bandstand was the place to be for courting couples to come and dance. It now stands empty; no music plays here any more.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcRFZxekJEM2MhHjaVum7c9foRkUwb4jsxjXPPQ23DDz_0AF6s35cgmgH2p2gUY4WnRPuq2mlBVWkBRB7YzfDymVli0Q896zf6bxb3eZYMOEkJN5oJsmHqYM2NS8_K6eMLNCI_nur4H70/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcRFZxekJEM2MhHjaVum7c9foRkUwb4jsxjXPPQ23DDz_0AF6s35cgmgH2p2gUY4WnRPuq2mlBVWkBRB7YzfDymVli0Q896zf6bxb3eZYMOEkJN5oJsmHqYM2NS8_K6eMLNCI_nur4H70/s400/regeneration-tour-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306472598385911282" border="0" /></a>We looked at the bowling greens and I briefly summarised the rules. We then wandered up College Road, past the Atlas works where Renew are creating new space for small businesses from the old pot factories.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2Disgi7IxAItGq_aAuV5O_KW893eIaZxEWsQaWRhbr4uavCJoffrp6Px6VlerYwuPOXydxijqd93CN9ehc066oOGjj0Nugdh44Xl1B76-DyUCC04lb183Wu59uxiB11nvZeREFfK2qqf/s1600-h/regeneration-tour-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2Disgi7IxAItGq_aAuV5O_KW893eIaZxEWsQaWRhbr4uavCJoffrp6Px6VlerYwuPOXydxijqd93CN9ehc066oOGjj0Nugdh44Xl1B76-DyUCC04lb183Wu59uxiB11nvZeREFfK2qqf/s400/regeneration-tour-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306485611429186658" border="0" /></a>We made our way into town, I pointed out a few things on the way including Doug's barber Shop and the best piece of grafitti. We stopped at the immense expanse of open space, which is the Tesco development site. Once filled with factories, pubs and other buildings, this enormous clearance area is due to make way for perhaps 'the biggest Tesco in Europe.' David said as we approached 'I feel like I'm at the Beach.' From this point it is possible to see the first bottle oven on the route - which seemed interesting; to discuss Tesco in the context of the City's past.<br />We made our way into town, past the gap where the cinema used to be, and then to various sites of interest around the centre. We ended the tour with a visit to the bus station, a dated piece of architecture, due for demolition as part of the new east/west development. The development will see a massive new shopping mall land on the area, and will also mean the demolition of the Coachmakers Arms, the last community pub in Hanley - which was our last stop on the tour - for a pint. It was at this point that i revealed that I was not really a tour guide, but an artist, and that they had just been participants in a living art work. They said they really enjoyed the tour, and it turned out that Ola is a tour guide in Warsaw!Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-3210690620933857452009-02-18T10:24:00.000-08:002009-02-18T10:42:10.057-08:00Brochure's arrive!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_baJyQRWVs9o1I5JPSLOkuRS5_qIFyYiyi4QHZ5LtrDX-i7_S3a6f7StZvgJOhpJ24oFOmF1fIANa9dJSkS1j4P7yh9XjfB2xVrXaFB5rPUVBJQhKXCKdfS8rPE4SqrmSIXm7S7kH_UA_/s1600-h/vista-outside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_baJyQRWVs9o1I5JPSLOkuRS5_qIFyYiyi4QHZ5LtrDX-i7_S3a6f7StZvgJOhpJ24oFOmF1fIANa9dJSkS1j4P7yh9XjfB2xVrXaFB5rPUVBJQhKXCKdfS8rPE4SqrmSIXm7S7kH_UA_/s400/vista-outside.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304206749962882338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvA6kDWuw3z7b-IZVAxdfce58ooxhwNeWZcgFOKH3cTJLhn8d57ny7nM_f3axZboLWJlUnkKg_ZqFMvALpgR3zHRD30pt88TC-rR5Bv1bLYmIvAD6xxetnyK1tqnaTVBWBwhUNuT3bgSo/s1600-h/vista-inside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvA6kDWuw3z7b-IZVAxdfce58ooxhwNeWZcgFOKH3cTJLhn8d57ny7nM_f3axZboLWJlUnkKg_ZqFMvALpgR3zHRD30pt88TC-rR5Bv1bLYmIvAD6xxetnyK1tqnaTVBWBwhUNuT3bgSo/s400/vista-inside.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304206755476865634" border="0" /></a>Last few things to organise ready for Friday's tour...Thank goodness the leaflets have arrived, and they look pretty good.<br />Still need to put the finishing touches to the Tour guide outfit. I do hope the tours go down well.<br />Have also organised to present and initiate a discussion on the themes relevant to my action research on Tuesday 3rd March. The discussion will take place as part of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Headtalk</span>' Forums.<br /><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14;" >Title of discussion is: What is the role of the artist in the regenerating city?</span><br />I will be presenting some of the findings from my Action Research and we will be examining some of the theoretical materials that I have examined including: Sophie Hope's <span style="font-style: italic;">Manifesto of Possibilities</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Malcolm</span> Miles' <span style="font-style: italic;">Interruptions </span>essay, and we will also look at Preston's <span style="font-style: italic;">In Certain Places</span> project in order to ascertain what can be learnt and what is relevant to Stoke-on-Trent.<br /> <br /><a href="http://headtalk.org.uk/">Click Here for more information.</a>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-42286334249447993122009-02-18T10:22:00.000-08:002009-02-18T10:23:44.781-08:00the brochure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uyK3pGygj4pdR6BoIpkucTi5Yck31Kax6MY51JcXLSzXI_oe0PbNgcXQvYMmRUcpcgk6hbEaTuBWhkut7jn3myhtCAa9cNEB02iPCuph-UgZSqQVNF1Im-dT6Vs_wmto0uwfTDjS5sR1/s1600-h/leaflet2-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uyK3pGygj4pdR6BoIpkucTi5Yck31Kax6MY51JcXLSzXI_oe0PbNgcXQvYMmRUcpcgk6hbEaTuBWhkut7jn3myhtCAa9cNEB02iPCuph-UgZSqQVNF1Im-dT6Vs_wmto0uwfTDjS5sR1/s400/leaflet2-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303111986468246738" border="0" /></a>So, I have been working on my 'Official Tour Guide - Stoke-on-Trent' brochure to go with my tour. This is one side of the brochure for the regeneration tour, which is due to take place on Friday (20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> Feb) I am still working on the other side because I can't decide exactly what I want to say.<br />Depending on how this one goes I hope to create a second tour, which takes in the 1986 Garden Festival Site, as it is today.<br />There is still a lot to do in time for Friday - sewing red ribbons onto my tour guide costume, making a flag thing to hold up (like in the picture) and getting the brochures finished and printed.<br />I will also get the 5 Polish artists to fill in a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">monitoring</span> form at the end of the tour to find out what they thought about it.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-38210753967601073632009-02-09T12:53:00.000-08:002009-02-09T12:56:17.481-08:00Cartography<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0JfpEvq9Elp4YAzRy8b96-O_ucRTCI58PPIXpt7IsVfKHA3CHh7dZGbHdTgFRxG3xtKOiznTLir896i4ezNiPp2VU51iVIoozrklqWtxCOrsv5edNAqYZ0UmKx9S4SLRQsCf6HcXRTs5/s1600-h/web-route.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0JfpEvq9Elp4YAzRy8b96-O_ucRTCI58PPIXpt7IsVfKHA3CHh7dZGbHdTgFRxG3xtKOiznTLir896i4ezNiPp2VU51iVIoozrklqWtxCOrsv5edNAqYZ0UmKx9S4SLRQsCf6HcXRTs5/s320/web-route.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300903870408951010" border="0" /></a>Couldn't find the exact map that I wanted for my tours - so having to create my own - tracing from an old map. So far I have worked out the route (red dots) but not exactly everything that i will say on the way - or how exactly I want to make the brochure (tourist information map).<br />There is a lot to do before next weeks tour.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-18456691010434776312009-02-05T11:44:00.000-08:002009-02-05T11:46:30.817-08:00Tour Guide Costume Design<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBq5UFeXEeW-xADKV-iPd1wny5n7nnqL-kt732ZKrJsBqw0-Q03gkbmGz9KmtUc_1AMKHt66BuIHzXx80ktsUyB-rlu8T1O8Rz3L7lfOM-y5jrK92p6rJKv3Vq1iaj1g1-khkfXgG4DlQ/s1600-h/costume-tour-guide1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBq5UFeXEeW-xADKV-iPd1wny5n7nnqL-kt732ZKrJsBqw0-Q03gkbmGz9KmtUc_1AMKHt66BuIHzXx80ktsUyB-rlu8T1O8Rz3L7lfOM-y5jrK92p6rJKv3Vq1iaj1g1-khkfXgG4DlQ/s320/costume-tour-guide1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299401871675642210" border="0" /></a>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-25062941703567759802009-02-01T11:23:00.000-08:002009-02-01T11:56:43.074-08:00Route Planning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J_FyPbXZH-u5TA60lbkQJ38fACNDID9rO4rA8DSLe8zrvvQFsQAXcY9-tNq6olqEhiuhDGROVSWYN6eiTH2uXZeHNIjIpC5-GGBcUp8YTfz0e61-0SYHdbtOQ5vY2nPzdTpHKvojiqJ6/s1600-h/gps1-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; 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display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICv1-p8UwnWZuSdKmPXP2lMhPMjx2FUT6EWo5jQsDJbeCUyncH0FdebVOAmFWeuTX47WsRsJjJ0mmWaut8-5OboeKPWuxmWx7l7RhPAYENsQzGRVnMbOCYPh-OpGeEy5hf1k7nGDov98O/s320/gps25-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297913288784633186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsUGVyF1KgaEDzJXJWl9PzkjPmQKAyUN6-V-QpDSJgcKry_kvfJTOI63qBNEhJmjn1fTtkzxeW4VaZ40w2DJTR1JHgPZ_e6T_vKA2dA8Jc3tLGhFNpbAhqi2ld5gDNh4rbl_c8xwNnehs/s1600-h/gps26-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsUGVyF1KgaEDzJXJWl9PzkjPmQKAyUN6-V-QpDSJgcKry_kvfJTOI63qBNEhJmjn1fTtkzxeW4VaZ40w2DJTR1JHgPZ_e6T_vKA2dA8Jc3tLGhFNpbAhqi2ld5gDNh4rbl_c8xwNnehs/s320/gps26-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297913287064059218" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0rDAZGm5h3RQZOFNbST-RoxA7ShpJx3PcoIpAhCAijz82IBIK_ADunOMHv8UPPZ-A6WxJ5JrQwJq1N7amWH9UCaACPGyM4Yko3I4KDz4c69l_kaS5XuqLNBNjxKCDC4IU_oiYjvkvIaZ/s1600-h/gps27-web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0rDAZGm5h3RQZOFNbST-RoxA7ShpJx3PcoIpAhCAijz82IBIK_ADunOMHv8UPPZ-A6WxJ5JrQwJq1N7amWH9UCaACPGyM4Yko3I4KDz4c69l_kaS5XuqLNBNjxKCDC4IU_oiYjvkvIaZ/s320/gps27-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297913285256597522" border="0" /></a>Luckily for me I decided to plan my route for the tour on the 20th yesterday. (lucky because now there is a blizzard outside.) So I set off with the GPS device and my camera to plan where I will be taking the Polish artists on their tour.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-6908183323190037562009-01-24T06:49:00.000-08:002009-01-24T07:13:02.784-08:00What this city really needs...In response to the lecture I went to 'lectures in regeneration' from the architects that had put in a bid for Stoke-on-Trent's public realm but had lost out to Glen Howells I have been thinking about their approach and I really liked it.<br />They also spoke of the need for a city to have a champion, to drive things forward; someone who really cares about the place, and is willing to go out on a limb for the place.<br />Thinking about it, this is a very true observation.<br />Liverpool has Phil Redmond; Manchester had Tony Wilson: who does Stoke have?<br />In response to this I have created a badge which will be given out on my tours.<br />Haven't decided on the exact wording of the badge just yet, but it will be one of a few choices.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-ZOYFOemoJuXCL5wagHwVhxRhpOCKtp173-rae9cMjqxVr6b3Pt7TuWr8IOB3opJ1vw1Y5bSvkRT_VcOWlBKp5r1EmXBDBpbhHTjgJYdXzWAJ1vLiDtYa70A89H991VxTaiRh6D3uS-j/s1600-h/badge3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-ZOYFOemoJuXCL5wagHwVhxRhpOCKtp173-rae9cMjqxVr6b3Pt7TuWr8IOB3opJ1vw1Y5bSvkRT_VcOWlBKp5r1EmXBDBpbhHTjgJYdXzWAJ1vLiDtYa70A89H991VxTaiRh6D3uS-j/s320/badge3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294873791390310162" border="0" /></a>or alternatively<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJh18MPsZSMdTMZQkHFqfNq0tHz3hIEi8VAVtk7ETGAFX9XEabcC_2v3shp7WRebl-j5HMBu0cmtvGPOuFjMhHU3tmsF5mChxqR6wNUkJZKCD8psD67kWjmh_-uNxQ7No3HS_0n0ZPjOY/s1600-h/badge1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJh18MPsZSMdTMZQkHFqfNq0tHz3hIEi8VAVtk7ETGAFX9XEabcC_2v3shp7WRebl-j5HMBu0cmtvGPOuFjMhHU3tmsF5mChxqR6wNUkJZKCD8psD67kWjmh_-uNxQ7No3HS_0n0ZPjOY/s320/badge1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294873783460954578" border="0" /></a>or perhaps<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvynLzEveB8o7ey4FFtnqF4tuWTOUUsuHwQJFj0ZJqE4IhQpbnlSU28YY7-pr9nQ3RiIALeld8sXTvt4FGWeUyKQ7vXqnlx_aKF2FXqVCmxu8fCYGUPgTNptOFNnGCQMZHj0gAHm0da-rB/s1600-h/badge6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvynLzEveB8o7ey4FFtnqF4tuWTOUUsuHwQJFj0ZJqE4IhQpbnlSU28YY7-pr9nQ3RiIALeld8sXTvt4FGWeUyKQ7vXqnlx_aKF2FXqVCmxu8fCYGUPgTNptOFNnGCQMZHj0gAHm0da-rB/s320/badge6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294878128106752722" border="0" /></a><br />and finally<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyOMSU8BXQsNsIZXI4-0a8JETjDQ3aGFudpHW3qfARtitqqq_vcscTG-6TR1rFw3UiPA30j1U8Z9vhHwSl9MFkuHjvvw180zht-IQIetKjrsVehvecwoKI6LkApy_xfCI-sPBB4QYiB4o/s1600-h/badge7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyOMSU8BXQsNsIZXI4-0a8JETjDQ3aGFudpHW3qfARtitqqq_vcscTG-6TR1rFw3UiPA30j1U8Z9vhHwSl9MFkuHjvvw180zht-IQIetKjrsVehvecwoKI6LkApy_xfCI-sPBB4QYiB4o/s320/badge7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294878136280116706" border="0" /></a>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-16313749395004573872009-01-14T07:42:00.001-08:002009-01-14T07:46:04.121-08:00Stoke-on_trent's official tour guide<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSQihdPHkWDImKo4D1n1eA8MJ3ymead6WSNSpFpXTXH1fFKE4G-aBXm0i0W9ZEos9wpsY60HaH7syDe9bY6fpUuF-vSvHNxNPl_Ywih59asOVme8KCd2R-2ya1v8SmVt6xQokdcjQY-gX/s1600-h/tour-guide.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSQihdPHkWDImKo4D1n1eA8MJ3ymead6WSNSpFpXTXH1fFKE4G-aBXm0i0W9ZEos9wpsY60HaH7syDe9bY6fpUuF-vSvHNxNPl_Ywih59asOVme8KCd2R-2ya1v8SmVt6xQokdcjQY-gX/s320/tour-guide.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291175926453241298" border="0" /></a>If I am going to be Stoke-on-Trent's official tour guide I will need a Tour Guide's uniform, and a flag, like the lady above.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-62570411488429395652009-01-14T07:19:00.001-08:002009-01-14T07:30:41.062-08:00MediascapesAfter talking to Katie I have become more convinced of the need to research the use of digital mapping. I want to create a map which tells you about what has happened somewhere in the past, and also talks about what might happen in the future: I was thinking that this would be either a physical map that you fold out (on paper) and take with you, or signage which you happen across in the place. Mediascaping seems to offer the ability to almost do the two things at once, and seems very exciting. Using a GPS (Global positioning system) and a PDA (Personal digital assistant) I could create an experiential walk that people can download and then take (without me having to be there.) As the walker enters particular zones on the route certain pieces of information, sounds and images pop up on the screen of their PDA. I don't know whether the technology will be beyond me, but I will try to learn how to use it in time for the end of the action research in March: in order to leave a downloadable walk on this site, as a legacy for this research period. Creatascape appears to be the best place to look first - offering software and help on creating a mediascape.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-44515100090620760772008-12-17T09:45:00.000-08:002008-12-17T09:53:57.813-08:00Stoke Garden Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WDIHor0TNmmmh2j6MN4v8jwHaNZhZDvvDjNuLVDkCrGlkfkghQSWjxZiBzd2QOn_2doLpHywAtAR2ByE_ca0yUwe7vhyphenhyphene-F3du3Ut58M7aekzmF8yScQEUbrnWEBaaT_4LGp80uj7AxN/s1600-h/garden-festival-bus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WDIHor0TNmmmh2j6MN4v8jwHaNZhZDvvDjNuLVDkCrGlkfkghQSWjxZiBzd2QOn_2doLpHywAtAR2ByE_ca0yUwe7vhyphenhyphene-F3du3Ut58M7aekzmF8yScQEUbrnWEBaaT_4LGp80uj7AxN/s320/garden-festival-bus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280818675406141938" border="0" /></a>Since the Undercover tourist initiative, and from the Tourist Information lady's suggestion I have become very interested in the Stoke-on-Trent garden festival. I have begun to purchase memorabilia from the year long event, and have also begun some excavations into the minds of people that went, or were around at the time.<br />I will be visiting the Festival Park with my camera soon (as soon as there is a dry and bright day) in order to take some pictures of the remanats from the Festival. I visitied the area on Saturday and found a large plaque. I hope to also develop a series of walks and become Stoke-on-Trent's official tour guide; one will be the Festival Garden's tour, one will be the City Centre Regeneration tour and I am still not sure what to make the last tour (maybe a pot bank tour or something??) I will be devleoping maps and tour packs for participants, and already have a group of 5 from Poland sugned up for a tour in February.<br />As well as this I have been talking to Katie Shipley about mediascapes: and the possibility of a multi-media tour, that would not require me to be there when people take the tour (but this sounds a bit sci-fi at the moment - I will look into it further...)Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-18054392154024294382008-11-05T06:33:00.000-08:002008-11-12T10:52:06.510-08:00Undercover TouristAs part of 'What this City Really needs...' I feel it would be useful to get an idea of what the city is proud of. What is here already to celebrate? Thinking back to that very interesting point which came up during the Longhouse PAd back in November '07, if Stoke were to win the FA cup, where would the city gather to celebrate? If I were a tourist visiting the city for the first time, where should I go to get an idea about what this city is about, and what it has to offer.
<br />I decided then to go undercover today, and go to the Tourist Information centre in Hanley, posing as a visitor, and see where they might suggest I go.
<br />The results were really interesting:
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CANNAFR%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Hello.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Hi, erm, I’m just visiting for a few days staying with a friend and erm, they’re working and I wondered erm if you could recommend anywhere in the city centre to go and visit y’know things which are quite interesting?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Yeah, look you’ve got the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Potteries</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Museum</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> and art gallery, have you been there?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: I haven’t been there no.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: It’s just go out the door to the bottom, go to the building at the bottom which is the yellow building and that’s the library, to the left of, well obviously you can go in there if you want to, to the side of there you’ve got the Potteries Museum and art gallery, it’s got the best ceramic collection in the world, it’s got a social history department, it’s sort of got a spitfire in there, if you’re interested in planes but it has, and it’s sort of got, y’know sort of the area how it was as well erm sort of and clothes, it’s got all sorts of things in there and most of it is free. I mean, you’re in Hanley, so you’re in the city centre so you’ve got the Potteries Shopping Centre and y’know all the main shops that are here. You’ve got </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Central Forest park</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> if you want to go somewhere for a walk. It’s reclaimed land, but it’s very pretty there, it’s got a lake in it, it has still got the slag heap, but covered in err grass but you can walk up to the top and get a really good view of the city over there. There’s a skateboard park in there, they’ve got swans and ducks, so I mean that’s just somewhere for a walk. You’ve also got </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Hanley</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Park</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, which is the </span><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Town</span></st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Park</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, again it’s quite pretty round there to walk around but you’ve not got the same views as this one, but you can go on the swings there if you wanted to<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: oh right.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: so that’s the other thing. Otherwise you’ve got the six towns, which will require you to travel around, you’ve got the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Gladstone</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Pottery</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Museum</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, which is here. You’ve got Spode, you’ve got Wedgewood, but you will have to go on a bus - it’s a bit further away, but you’ve got the factory shops that you can go around<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: uh-huh<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: You’ve got the town of </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Burslem</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, You’ve got Ceramica, erm Burslem’s what they call the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Mother</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">town</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, it’s one of the oldest towns, Ceramica’s just mainly a museum for that area.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Right.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: So, everything with a pot is something you can do, and it gives the information, on the other side.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Oh, Ok. And the other thing was that erm I’m a photographer and I want to sort of get some good images of Stoke<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Is it past images or the modern images?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Well, just to go around and take some photos, so I wondered…<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Well, the Gladstone Pottery Museum’s very good because it’s still got the bottle oven, you’ve got Festival park, it’s called Festival park because in 1986 the Garden Festival was there, so they reclaimed the land back, it’s now a retail and leisure area, there are certain little walks, you can walk up still get a good view of the City, with twenty years past of the actual, there are certain things that are still there if you look for them, it’s quite interesting actually. You’ve got the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Trent</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> and </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Mersey</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Canal</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, obviously be careful walking on it on your own, but if you do walk down you’re gonna get lots of old photographs, you’ve got the locks you’ve got the </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Industrial</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Museum</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, which was what you put in. and by walking down it, it gets quite industrial then it gets quite pretty, you can get quite a lot of good photos if you, if you’re walking sort of around this area as well, you’ve got the area of Longport, there’s two big bottle ovens, it’s actually towards Stoke, it’s err if you get on it at Etruria, which is here, and walk down there, just go past here and it’s this area here, you’ve got the cemetery on one side, you’ve got the canal, and then on the other side you’ve got the two bottle ovens but then they’ve built brand new houses, it’s quite odd, it’s quite a good,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: oh right, can I mark that on there<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: because I’m into photography as well <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Are you?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: I know that’s quite good to take a good photograph of. And the area of Festival park, if you do go on it, as you’re walking on to it, or driving on to it, you can see little walkways up, especially if you go by Morrisons, to your left you can actually walk, and you’ve got the old remnants of when it was the garden festival<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Oh right, Ok.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Before that it was very industrial, it was Shelton Bar.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: So what was there when it was the garden festival? Did they turn it into a garden?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Well the garden festival site happened in Glasgow, London, - err Glasgow, Liverpool, Stoke and Newcastle-upon-Tyne and it was very badly scarred area – they turned it into reusable land, so they did it in, when they did it there they turned it into a garden, but obviously it evolved into a leisure, leisure and retail area now, from what it was before, it was just a scarred landscape. They did it in </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Liverpool</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, they did it in </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Glasgow</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> and </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Newcastle</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> as well. I think we were the last one. If you want, if you don’t mind walking along canals you can walk up, right past Westport lake, you can wind up right by the Air Castle Tunnel so that’s another place that’s good for photography, Westport lake’s good photography because of the birds, Canals always are aren’t they.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: OK. Great.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: But I mean the area of Longton you’ve got the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Gladstone</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, obviously to get the best views you need to go in it, and you do have to pay, but if you go on the car park you can actually see the bottle ovens there.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Oh right, yeah.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: I mean, another area that’s sort of old an old area, is the area around here, especially around sort of Port Street, again because the canal, that’s a very old pottery and they don’t use it a lot, and sort of around the junction here, you’ve got all the boats, a lot of the canal boats. Go Festival park to the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Marina</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"> you’ve got all the boats as well, all the canal boats<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: oh Ok. Good.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: It depends what you want to take pictures of really.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Me: Yeah, I’ve just been noticing that there’s quite a lot of sort of empty land around here, erm<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lady: Yeah, That’s - if you walk down, if you walk down </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">Lichfield street</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB">, this is what the whole areas gonna be erm completely erm, all the houses are empty, and again that’s good for photography isn’t it? So if you sort of go down that area where the canal is here there used to be a big factory, named Jim Ekins (?) <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:16;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> more later...
<br /></o:p></span></p>
<br />Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-34164775604227731112008-09-25T03:20:00.000-07:002008-09-27T14:53:05.503-07:00Conversation with Wayne Thexton<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFRGywDZbfXfTaJ9vQiG-R9Fx4p5-20R2ppw6fckqJQ4lvSZCUnrSlYmYjJqnL7xtG6iTvV86Zb8k4hoq5469ciJ82d8bqIOuMcWF-c3l1gsgsKaBaJHL8s-SPMAkCpjupUGp4gzY4XQB/s1600-h/conversation-with-wayne-thexton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFRGywDZbfXfTaJ9vQiG-R9Fx4p5-20R2ppw6fckqJQ4lvSZCUnrSlYmYjJqnL7xtG6iTvV86Zb8k4hoq5469ciJ82d8bqIOuMcWF-c3l1gsgsKaBaJHL8s-SPMAkCpjupUGp4gzY4XQB/s320/conversation-with-wayne-thexton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249905566613511010" border="0" /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; 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charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CANNAFR%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">This conversation took place in the North Staffs Hotel, </span></b><st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></b></st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;"> on Tuesday, September 9<sup>th</sup>, 2008. The conversation took the form of a ‘q and a’ session, with </span></b><st1:city><st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Wayne</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;"> asking questions which might help to uncover my motives for carrying out the project, ‘What this city really needs…’<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Wayne Thexton: Right, was does err…(laughs) What does regeneration mean?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Anna Francis: What does regeneration mean?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: To you? What does it mean to you?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Your next question is, what does it look like?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: OK, I think probably in terms of what I do, my work, regeneration is looking at, erm…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: No. That’s not the question<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: No? OK.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: What does regeneration mean in a general sense, when you read the word regeneration, we’re interested…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: It’s about NEW stuff, but it’s also about what was/what is there and how that is refreshed, I think, and it’s about…growing, and about life going on, that’s what I think it’s about.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: OK, alright, what does it look like then, either in a general sense, or in relation to </span></b><st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></b></st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm. I think at the moment, in Stoke-on-Trent, regeneration looks like things being knocked down, but actually, broader terms, longer term, regeneration is about, looks like things being rebuilt and new stuff happening, erm and hopefully positive good new things erm, yeah I mean I think regeneration somewhere like Liverpool looks like a building site, and Stoke looks the same, but at the moment Stoke doesn’t even look yet like a building site it looks like an emptying out car park, erm but hopefully in the future it will look like things being rebuilt and new things happening.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: mmmm, err does that provoke any particular feelings for you? As either a thing that is really happening, or could happen, or just a concept, do you, does regeneration broadly feel like a good thing? Does it warm your heart – do you think, being in </span></b><st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></b></st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;"> for X number of years; I’m glad about regeneration?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm, I dunno. I think it’s because it’s so much everywhere, then it’s like inevitable and there’s nothing, I feel very powerless I suppose, about it, it’s happening and that’s that; it actually feels quite negative at the moment, it feels just like an emptying out of a city, and y’know, it’s very erm sort of unsure, and very feels very erm, not dodgey, but kind of precarious, and that we could go too far, and what if we just empty everything, and then nothing gets put back in those spaces y’know. I mean, going somewhere like Berlin where, there’s still spaces left by bombs from the war, y’know and those spaces have been there forever, it’s really frightening because at the moment, this place looks a bit like a war zone I think erm, so at the moment it does feel quite, quite empty and ugly and erm frightening, but hopefully, hopefully we might soon start to see the other side of it and it might start to be less, less sort of, less about emptying out and more about filling in. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: mmm<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: I mean that’s the hope isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: yeeeh. Yeah, good. Alright, if everyone’s work could be thought of as a mission, what would your mission be?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: When you say work, do you mean practice or?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: That’s a good way<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: or job or?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: That’s a good qualifier, erm. Alright, lets lose the word work, practice is a word we could use. Yeah, let’s use the word practice.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: Mmm-hmm<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: If everyone’s practice, although it’s not just actually about that, cause I’m not desperate to isolate artists, and creative - capital C - practice, but yes for now let us say what, in terms of what you do…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: If I had a mission statement do you mean?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: I’m not after anything that formal, err but actually that might work, strangely, yeah so alright, what err…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: What are you keen to achieve, if that’s…appropriate<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: I think I want to make some sort of sense of where I am, and as I’m in this city, then where this city is. erm and also, I think really, I’m very keen to sort of not encourage, but almost sort of say, anything goes - in a way, to people, almost say look you know, OK don’t wait around for things to happen to you, y’know, don’t feel like you are powerless or that you have to wait for people to choose you for things or accept you for things or erm, sort of err allocate things to you, go and sort of, do it yourself and make your own, sort of existence, or make your own, not luck but make your own decisions and make your own erm exi.. n<span style="font-size:85%;">o </span></span></b><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14;" lang="EN-GB"></span></b></span></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; 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mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">I dunno what the word is…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: like, design your own life, sort of thing<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: yeah <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: be active, be proactive<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: because actually I think as artists a lot of the time we are waiting for galleries to give us shows, or we’re waiting for people to accept our proposals and give us projects and y’know waiting for recognition in all of those cases, actually you don’t have to because, if you wanna do something, then you wanna do it regardless of those things and you should just get out there and do it. And weirdly, somehow, by doing that, and setting these things up it will maybe come to you anyway, so I guess I’m keen to say erm take control of your own space and the things that happen around you and take control of your own city, and how, especially somewhere like Stoke where it does feel like decisions are being made all the time, and who is consulting us, the people who live here, we should just go out there and start making ourselves known and making ourselves heard and setting up our own things if we believe in it. So, I suppose that’s what my mission statement is, which was quite long in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: mmmm, errr. Alright , as a, do you like the word artist or practitioner?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: yeah, artist is fine.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Alright, as an artist. What are your strengths?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm. (Breathes) I think I’m quite good at making connections, erm in terms of linking things in my mind, so I’m good at saying that is like that. And that is relevant to that. That’s one of my strengths, kind of understanding how things link and what is relevant to other things. I think I’m really good at making the most out of nothing, if you know what I mean, erm I think I’m quite good at capitalizing on a very small opportunity or erm and turning it into something which is big. Erm so I suppose that’s being resourceful, erm. I think I’m quite good at talking to people as well, I think I’m quite good at getting people to do stuff, in a way.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Good.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: yeah. I think people may find me accessible or something like that.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: How about…either as an artist or as a person, what might you like to be better at.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm I’m always told that actually, I’m not that good at visualising things, so erm<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Is that appropriate?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm..Yeah. So yeah I’d probably like to be better at that, and it is something that I try to do more, try to erm y’know show what I’m thinking, I think I have really, I think I’m a very good ideas person but maybe at times the final product<span style=""> </span>erm could have more work or could be better, so I’d like to be better at finishing, and erm and visualising. And I think that’s probably one of the problems I have with, y’know proposals, when I send proposals, like, maybe I’m not being visual enough and I’m not showing what I mean, and maybe that needs work, maybe that’s one of the things that I need to be better at…I dunno. I’ve been told that before so,<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: yeah yeah, good. Ok. Alright, you’ve already answered the next question, kind of. Is there anything that you want to convince the people of </span></b><st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">Stoke-on-Trent</span></b></st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;"> of or the people of or people of </span></b><st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">North Staffordshire</span></b></st1:place><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;"> of and sort of take on that DIY, get out there answer.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: yes, I also think one of the really key things that I really believe in is that this city is a creative city, and has a history of being a creative city, erm in terms of the potteries, but sees itself rather than being creative, being industrial and it really doesn’t recognise its strengths and that there are really fantastically creative people here. It doesn’t seem to realise that of itself, and it almost despises that, and I think<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: What does it despise?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: It despises being creative, somehow it sees that as something which is for fairies or something (laughs), y’know, not fairies, but you know what I mean like for wishy-washy types, that that isn’t, that isn’t a viable direction for a serious city to take, there’s this kind of erm, I feel like there’s this kind of erm y’know, worthiness that y’know, hands on jobs have, but creative industries doesn’t, it’s like that isn’t respectable to be<span style=""> </span>erm to be creative and to be artistic or I think y’know Stoke really has a problem with that, it has a problem with recognising creativity as something which is valuable.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: That’s a really interesting distinction, because I’ve never had that put to me so concisely or even I’ve never even thought of that, but you’re absolutely, I concur with you on that, I will remember that quite pithy way of putting that, and I’m sure I will use it, I’m absolutely convinced. In what context, I have no idea, but that is that, ok. Now, done that. Erm. Which discrete groups, if any, have you already reached as part of your, whatever this work is that you’ve been doing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: erm, well, I think, the artistic community, but they’re not the people that I probably want to reach with it, so, erm.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: When I say reach, I suppose I should verify that a bit, we’ve got the people who will take an interest in the work as it’s happening, and when it’s finished, and we’ve got the people who are, in inverted commas, participating in the production of it, or process and unfolding of it, but who are the groups who have been reached in all of that?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: Nobody yet.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Oh. OK<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: because it’s the beginning of the project, this project. I guess, in terms of, it was almost sort of launched in I think it was May, from AirSpace Gallery.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Oh right.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: This sort of project which was ‘What this city really needs…’ That, I didn’t know it was going to become this, at the time it was just a sort of, I felt like I wanted to find out what people thought, so I <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Is this the Longhouse thing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: yeah<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Is there, are you funded? Is your time paid for?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: Yes, well it will be yeah.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Is this money you have already had?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: Not yet. You don’t have to do anything actually, it’s all about the process, and it’s called action research<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: I know about action research<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: Oh right, well that’s what this is, but basically, what happened was, because I already did the Longhouse Professional artist development thing, which do you know about that?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: Yeah, I knew about the launch, but I wasn’t there.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: Yeah so, that was when…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">WT: See actually, Just I mean not clearly read much about that, I assumed that was the end, I didn’t read the word launch, I thought that was the end when people came to tell us about what people had been doing. Which it wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Tahoma;">AF: It was actually, it was the end of the project, basically, what happened was, the Longhouse PAD thing goes to different places each year, and it works in places where radical change is happening, and it talks about artists and creative people can be involved in that process and it tries to set up this best practice model for people in the city to understand what we as artists do, erm and work with us in some way, so it also means that the artists get some kind of training in how you might access these people and what is possible, then the artists come up with proposals for change in the city, that they’ve worked together in, so that was that, and we all did that, we all wrote proposals and we sent them in, and nothing has happened, very much like Stoke-on-Trent, other places that these PAD things have happened and stuff has then happened afterwards, y’know people have taken on the artists’ ideas and maybe done them, but none of it has happened yet here, it might do I mean, still could do, but erm anyway, I wanted to do this thing where I, I just felt like OK as artists we were invited to look at the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and respond to it, and say what we think needs to change and that was there was 3 people, me, Rachel Grant and David Bethell, </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;" lang="EN-GB">who were from here, and the other people weren’t from here, so they were responding to a place that they didn’t know and I felt that actually we need to ask the people of Stoke-on-Trent as well, y’know what do you think about the same question that we were asked, so that’s why<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;" lang="EN-GB">WT: What was the question?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size:85%;">AF: Well, there wasn’t really a specific question, but I felt that the question was erm, what can artists and creative people do, or what kind of ideas would help the city to be better and to regenerate, ok so that was where ‘What this city really needs’ comes from...</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Tahoma;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <span style="font-size:130%;">
<br />MORE LATER>>></span>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFRGywDZbfXfTaJ9vQiG-R9Fx4p5-20R2ppw6fckqJQ4lvSZCUnrSlYmYjJqnL7xtG6iTvV86Zb8k4hoq5469ciJ82d8bqIOuMcWF-c3l1gsgsKaBaJHL8s-SPMAkCpjupUGp4gzY4XQB/s1600-h/conversation-with-wayne-thexton.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFRGywDZbfXfTaJ9vQiG-R9Fx4p5-20R2ppw6fckqJQ4lvSZCUnrSlYmYjJqnL7xtG6iTvV86Zb8k4hoq5469ciJ82d8bqIOuMcWF-c3l1gsgsKaBaJHL8s-SPMAkCpjupUGp4gzY4XQB/s1600-h/conversation-with-wayne-thexton.jpg"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style=";font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFRGywDZbfXfTaJ9vQiG-R9Fx4p5-20R2ppw6fckqJQ4lvSZCUnrSlYmYjJqnL7xtG6iTvV86Zb8k4hoq5469ciJ82d8bqIOuMcWF-c3l1gsgsKaBaJHL8s-SPMAkCpjupUGp4gzY4XQB/s1600-h/conversation-with-wayne-thexton.jpg"> </a>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-84578762972362494582008-09-07T05:03:00.000-07:002008-09-07T05:17:59.800-07:00STAGE ONEDuring the research and development stage I have been identifying possible methodologies to follow. I have already identified that the approach which <a href="http://www.livearts.co.uk/home.htm">Friction Arts</a> (Birmingham) take could be very important in these early stages. Coincidentally, I have been engaged in an email conversation with artist, writer and researcher <a href="http://apostbox.blogspot.com/">Wayne Thexton</a>. Wayne has a lot of experience of setting up and working on participatory projects in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and is offering some much needed help in these early stages of the project. So far we have had an email exchange which has identified the need to concentrate on and answer some important questions; the crux of which may be: Who am I? and What am I trying to achieve? (as set out by Friction.) Wayne has suggested a more immersive Q and A session might help to understand the 'whys and wherefores' of the project, and perhaps help find the direction which the project will take.<br />This Q and A conversation will take place on Tuesday, I will report back on the outcome of this later...Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-16861477181209343682008-09-06T07:30:00.001-07:002008-09-06T07:36:59.014-07:00Postcard QuestionAs well as going into the city's 5 towns and directly asking members of the public what they think the city really needs I will also aim to place postcards at strategic places around the city, so that people can write down their thoughts and feelings and post them into a box that I will leave with the postcards.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAut2ASNbBtnuy_nw6s4lXcH3sggekQY8YQHsJZRF_x5BHxCmAE_Zm2ilC9Jg-tnYU2EeVm8Gb-Ia9fgFhQPBm5NALisFZC4Kmt3CGHxdhNDbY4PaOx3PdTDxgl9YYvqby_7BRce79KBd5/s1600-h/what-this-city-needs-front-2small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAut2ASNbBtnuy_nw6s4lXcH3sggekQY8YQHsJZRF_x5BHxCmAE_Zm2ilC9Jg-tnYU2EeVm8Gb-Ia9fgFhQPBm5NALisFZC4Kmt3CGHxdhNDbY4PaOx3PdTDxgl9YYvqby_7BRce79KBd5/s320/what-this-city-needs-front-2small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242916888881820322" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw8gc_OwejWN5Q3m5NccufJXGhLDjftTxX3qyw1iiPIX70WaqitbhBB5aT46lKFBho9Pfu13vaa8bIS_AMi9I3yn4SWXONSjD_6w9yDz6On5FxzOet67_ocQNFLitd1de1DRouzdzEExX/s1600-h/what-this-city-needs-postcard-back.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw8gc_OwejWN5Q3m5NccufJXGhLDjftTxX3qyw1iiPIX70WaqitbhBB5aT46lKFBho9Pfu13vaa8bIS_AMi9I3yn4SWXONSjD_6w9yDz6On5FxzOet67_ocQNFLitd1de1DRouzdzEExX/s320/what-this-city-needs-postcard-back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242916883362324354" border="0" /></a><br />I have been designing the postcards today, and will order them later. I hope to place them in various libraries and community centres around the city.Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1129959770617498899.post-20325264028585767522008-09-05T04:52:00.000-07:002008-09-06T07:06:17.500-07:00Beginning at the BeginningAlthough this project is very much in line with the research that I have been engaged with over the last few years, it is also a relatively new area for me, in that I want this project to have a truly collaborative approach. I hope to work with the people of Stoke-on-Trent, and in some way set up spaces for conversation to happen; space where we (me and the people I work with) can talk about what is going on in the city, how we feel about it; and what our own individual visions for the city might be.<br />The project has so far involved a lot of reading, a lot of thinking and a bit of inaction on my part. I think I might be just a little bit apprehensive about this process and this new approach, this has meant that I am putting off actually getting going, for fear of doing a bad job. Practice which involves a collaboration with the public is, in many ways, much more difficult than independent practice, based in a studio. Suddenly there are a whole host of stakeholders in what you are doing, and to some extent you have a responsibility to the people that you work with; I am afraid of being exploitative.<br />So, now that I have aired my fears, I can get on with the project...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Last night I couldn't sleep for thinking about the questions: who do I collaborate with? How do I access them? Where are they? Who are they? These questions have been going round my head for the last few months, but suddenly last night I realised this was the wrong approach. I have my questions, and now I need to just get out there and start getting them answered.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOR9dJEBt15jer6bwp9B7oChoaqB8f3Tp5K8aLno48TP1GHCWn8Acoh29Y4ca3VX25YpaKaR-rq5h6Ls3_7o2LnPCU82VBE6jmIqTdcICgV8NmqnolkoJdfiI5j06cSNQ7JjeacufZ6fG/s1600-h/consultation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOR9dJEBt15jer6bwp9B7oChoaqB8f3Tp5K8aLno48TP1GHCWn8Acoh29Y4ca3VX25YpaKaR-rq5h6Ls3_7o2LnPCU82VBE6jmIqTdcICgV8NmqnolkoJdfiI5j06cSNQ7JjeacufZ6fG/s320/consultation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242672764937932738" border="0" /></a></div><span style="font-size:78%;">Consultation Process, outside Window 204, Bristol.</span><br /></div>In the past when I have had questions that need answers I have just gone out and asked people what they think, so that is what I will do with this too. So at around 4am I committed to go into town next week with my trusty clipboard and just ask people the question: What do you think this city really needs?<br />One of the problems or issues which I aim to look at with the project is the geographical layout of Stoke-on-Trent, which means that defining exactly where and what the city is can be difficult, due to Stoke-on-Trent's status as a conurbation, a city made up of 5 towns. I will then go to each of the five towns next week and repeat the questioning process. I will aim to ask perhaps 50 people in each town the question. This will give me a good idea of what each areas initial response to the question might be, but also may give me a chance to feel what each of the towns are like; is there a difference in how each town responds to being asked the question? How does it feel to be in each place? This then, will be my starting point.<br /><br />Through much of the reading that I have been doing, I have been most interested in artists projects which involve a dialogical approach to practice. I have found that practitioners working in this way often begin with a central question, and it is this question which acts as a starting point in the early connections with the people that the artist is working with. A project develops from the collaborative process; and the conversations that happen. In the best projects that I have looked at, the artist or art group allows the project to be defined by the process rather than going in with a one-size-fits-all project.<br /><br />As research for this project I have been reading an amazing book called 'Conversation Pieces,' by Grant H. Kester. It looks at a broad range of collaborative and participatory arts, and goes some way to unpicking some of the problems and issues relevant to this type of art practice. It is also the sort of book that I think every art student should read, in that it deals with the artist's relationship with the viewer, the surprising impact that art can have and the possible limitations involved. It is here that I first picked up on the need for a central question as starting point; something which although obvious, and probably something which I was doing anyway - it was useful to have the idea made overt to me. Kester looks at a broad range of practices and projects, looking at what he sees as good and bad practice. One particular practitioner, who has been working in this area for more than 30 years is <a href="http://www.victoria-miro.com/artists/4,biog/">Stephen Willats</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size:85%;"> "Willats has produced a number of extended projects with the residents of<br />public housing estates or tower blocks in England, Germany, Finland and<br />elsewhere in Europe. Willats is particularly concerned with the social and<br />somatic experience of living in public housing (especially in isolated<br />high-rise buildings) and with identifying and facilitating modes of resistance<br />and critical consciousness among the residents of the estates."</span><br /> <span style="font-size:85%;">Kester, Grant. H. 2004, p. 91. <span style="font-style: italic;">Conversation Pieces. </span>California: University of California Press.</span><br /> <div style="text-align: left;">Willatts also takes an approach which ensures that although the artist might be at an advantage, due to education or experience, this does not mean that the approach taken by the artist is to involve the viewer in a top-down sort of experience. Where the artist knows and the viewer consumes, Willatts believes that the artists own value systems and knowledge should shift and change through the project, as much as the public/collaborators (who would more usually be the viewers). He has produced a diagram which sets out this type of approach.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFCwLcWRav1O8gNUvunIuHgid_BkNMyE2XLEEO2sy5eF0ITtAVqCZkRjfQKhdiQ5p1I3APO8xM9FJ6r3m7NIIdFmLovn3zy-WUp_csaV15RcIV8B6haPajbDQfU2WfPc2YephIfk-TLbs/s1600-h/willatts-diagram.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFCwLcWRav1O8gNUvunIuHgid_BkNMyE2XLEEO2sy5eF0ITtAVqCZkRjfQKhdiQ5p1I3APO8xM9FJ6r3m7NIIdFmLovn3zy-WUp_csaV15RcIV8B6haPajbDQfU2WfPc2YephIfk-TLbs/s320/willatts-diagram.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242680319175319794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Based on Stephen Willats "A Socially Interactive Model of Art Practice" (1970)</span><br /></div>It shows that the audience, the artist and the context of the project have just as much impact as each other on the artwork. I think this is a really great Model for practice, and I will keep it in mind during the action research project.<br />In November last year I took part in the <a href="http://www.longhouse.uk.com/annual-programme/professional-artists-development/">Longhouse Professional Artist Development </a>programme, which took place in Stoke-on-Trent. This involved artists (at various stages of the careers) meeting in a city undergoing a process of major change, and looking at possible interventions and creative visions for the City. For an artist, like myself, at an early stage in their career I had the benefit of working with more established, experienced artists thta have been working with the public for many years. One of the other artists on the PAD was Sandra Hall. Sandra is a founding member of Birmingham based <a href="http://www.livearts.co.uk/home.htm">'Friction Arts'</a> a group with an international reputation for making socially engaged participatory art projects since 1992. Sandra and the other members of Friction offer an example of how to approach and work with harder to reach members of the public in a truely mutually beneficial way; creating experiences that have a lasting impact on the communities that they are for. Friction arts sets out their approach on their website:<br /> <p class="style12"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Our core approach can be summed up by our first principles whenever we embark on a new adventure:<br /></span></p> <p class="style12"><span style="font-size:85%;">Who am I? - what am I trying to achieve?<br /></span></p><p class="style12"><span style="font-size:85%;">Who are we together? - what is the relationship, what is our mutual agenda?</span></p> <p class="style12"><span style="font-size:85%;">What are we going to do?</span></p> <p class="style12"><span style="font-size:85%;">How are we going to do it?</span></p> <p class="style12"><span style="font-size:85%;">Often, participatory projects start at stage three or four, we believe you can't make a true collaboration without sorting out the first two stages. This is why we rarely repeat projects, different situations require different solutions."</span></p><p class="style12"><span style="font-size:78%;">Friction Arts, 2008. <span style="font-style: italic;">Philosophy, Ethic and Methodology. </span>[Website] Available at: http://www.livearts.co.uk/philosophy.htm [accessed 05/09/08]</span><br /></p><span class="p1"></span><p class="style12">I hope to be able to go to Birmingham and meet with Sandra and the other Friction members and perhaps see them working in practice as part of my research.<br /></p><p class="style12">The Friction philosophy and Stephen Willats 'Socially Interactive Model of Art Practice,' will form my research methodologies for the initial stages of this project.<br /></p></div></div>Anna Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04855210802882963563noreply@blogger.com0