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PressWhat Worked For MeMonday 06th of November 2006 03:37:24 PM
KAREN WHITEREAD a film and video artist who used Big Brother-style diary rooms to help an estate in Hertfordshire to decide what sort of community centre it wanted "The challenge was to find a creative approach to consult with the community at Sele Farm, a large and deprived estate in East Hertfordshire, about their new community centre. (The old one, which was completely run down, was to be knocked down.) I worked out of the council office for three months. One of the first things I did was go out knocking on doors with a community police officer and asking people about their community — how long they’d been there, what activities they were involved in, what they wanted to see in the new centre. I spoke to about 300 people, filming their responses. I also set up two Big Brother-style diary rooms — one for children and teenagers, in a rent office, and the second, for older people, in the Scout hut. I sat in each for two days, filming people’s responses to my questions — there were about 30 visitors to each room. What was interesting was the misconception that some groups of people didn’t care about what others wanted. When asked what they wanted at the centre, the children, for instance, said a skateboard ramp, but they also said there should be opportunities for older people to play bingo. I also sat in a hairdresser’s for two days, interviewing people while they had their hair done. What emerged was that there was a half-acre field near the site of the proposed centre which would make a good spot for the skateboard ramp — not too noisy. Other customers talked about their desire to have an outdoor garden — many flats did not have access to one; and proper football pitches that could be lit at night. I also worked with A-level photography students at the local comprehensive, and got them to do portraits of people on the estate with a quote underneath about what they would like to see at the centre. Men were generally shy, but one Friday afternoon I went and sat in the pub and did about 15 interviews — they were much more relaxed while sitting having their pint. I edited the footage into a 20-minute film which was shown to the council. They were pleased and I gather that it has had an impact on how the money will be spent. The film will be projected on to the side of a tower block on the day the centre opens." If you have an example of good practice to share, contact us at: agenda@thetimes.co.uk PARTNERS IN ARTThe Green Heart Partnership (GHP) is an initiative between Arts Council England and 11 local authorities in Hertfordshire which aims to bring arts and the environment to the fore in local decision-making. Its premise is that the arts improve quality of life and should be deployed in both the built environment — as a way of creating a sense of place — and in commissioned works, which help a community to build a sense of responsibility for public space. The GHP also focuses on sustainability and in one project with Three Rivers District Council, the artist Simon Lee Dicker planned a park which emphasises “visual and sensorial experiences” alongside physical activity, and includes audio features, a giant earth mound with climbing walls, a spiral path and sculptured seating. The Times, Public Agenda, 17 October 2006 |
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