A FESTIVE WISH

A BACKWARDS GLANCE

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director



Photo: Porl Medlock

From wild wolves to terraced houses, seven crosses to smoking chimneys, the end of a street to new homes and new connections... Come on a journey through the stories of St Mary's, told in a performance, songs, a film and five carved stones.

 

Projects come and go, but some dates stick in the mind for the significant moment they are attached to.  26th October is one of those.  Two years ago today, right now in the hours leading up to 5.30pm, our Cornerstones project team - Lucy, Adam, Dan, Chris, me - and several helpers were on the final dash towards the project's finale. In the chilly October wind we wrapped, tied, cabled, tested, litter-picked, rehearsed and cross-checked, breaking off only to remind passers-by about the start time and urge the ever-present, ever-enthusiastic hordes of kids to make sure they brought their mums, dads, friends and neighbours back at the appointed time.  Over the past several months, as we'd explored the history of the Poppy Road site (location for a brand new housing development) and surrounding streets, gathered family stories, run design and photography workshops and sought contributors for a community performance, enlisting the willing participation of youngsters had been a pretty straightforward challenge.  Drawing in the grown-ups had been somewhat more taxing - a phrase containing the words 'teeth' and 'pulling' springs to mind, in fact.  This evening would be a test of how well we'd built the relationships, become accepted as a bunch of outsiders, and spread the messages about what the project was all for.  And it would prove whether, in the weeks running up to the event itself, we had captured people's imaginations and pricked their curiosity enough to compete with a cosy Sunday evening's TV viewing. The carved stone seats had been in position for several days and had already been seen and sat on by many, so their unveiling was to be purely a matter of ceremonial ritual, but the content of the film and performance was known only to those who had been involved in putting them together - they needed a receptive audience to turn them into a community celebration of St Mary's past, present and future.

 

It's a great feeling when an event plan comes together in a magical spectacle; even more so when people (of all ages!) turn out in significant numbers to watch, laugh, clap and mingle together in a way they normally don't.  It's great to be able to see, and feel, that connections have indeed been built through a process of painstaking creative engagement that felt at times as though it was floating right over people's heads but turns out to have been appropriately pitched for the time, place and circumstances; to know that some new seeds for the future have been sown; and to realise that people have somehow moved from a place of apprehension and disinterest to one of appreciation, enjoyment, participation and even ownership.  It's a great feeling - and the memory of the moment still makes me tingle.

POSTCARD FROM OTTERLO

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director



Window or Wall Sign - Bruce Nauman,1967.  Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

www.krollermuller.nl

Discuss...

CHANGE EXHIBITION NOW OPEN

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director


Photo: Shelley Burgoyne

Change 2016
Exploring Science and Technology through Art

Until 3rd September daily except Sundays
Batley Art Gallery, Market Place, Batley WF17 5DA

www.changeproject.co.uk

See our February and April blog posts for the background.


Great comments from Private View guests to add to the feedback from teachers already received:

"Clearly a lot of effort and talent has been harnessed.  Truly inspiring how this public space has been used to display community art and make it available to the wider community."

"Cross-curricular work like this can sometimes lead to superficial science and low quality art.  You have managed to do impressive science/technology and some lovely artwork which genuinely complement each other."

"Fantastic, fabulous to see all this inspiring work.  Made me very proud to have been involved."

"Lovely fusion of thoughts and colour!"

"Excellent, well displayed work."

"Fantastic displays from all schools.  Lovely to see!"

"Fabulous collection of quality art and science work.  Hundreds of very worthwhile hours spent by all involved."

CHANGE 2016 - THE EXHIBITION

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director

Petri dish studies on handmade paper    Shelley Burgoyne with Upper Batley High School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change 2016
Exploring Science and Technology through Art

Batley Art Gallery, Market Place, Batley WF17 5DA
23rd June - 3rd September daily except Sundays
www.changeproject.co.uk

The culmination of an eight-month project in 11 Batley schools (more info here and here). All welcome! Meanwhile, a sample of some of the fantastic feedback received from teachers about the workshops phase:

An excellent chance for pupils to see how subjects can influence and support each other

An amazing opportunity for our children to develop a new and creative way to think about science

There has been a huge progression in the children’s learning in Art which can also be transferred to other subject areas

I have been very encouraged to see the social and personal development in many pupils as a result of experiences this project has offered

Children have shown a deeper understanding about light and have been able to use key scientific vocabulary in relation to this topic

As a teacher I feel I can provide children with more innovative and exciting ways to teach electricity. I will feel more confident in making cross-curricular links when teaching science subjects

Children's confidence has definitely improved, and their ability to have a go without worrying what the outcome would be. Children experienced many different techniques that they had not had exposure to before

Children have shown they are eager to talk about what they have learnt in other areas of the curriculum and keen to share their experiences with other members of staff and children. In science lessons they relate what we are learning to the circuits they made in the sessions

Children have developed a more positive attitude to working in groups

Levels of understanding have increased and the children are more confident when using specific technical vocabulary about forces. They have been able to equate forces to real life situations

Children have improved levels of cooperation and are also more willing to explain what they have been working on to each other

The way our Year 7 group saw the workshops as a fun way to learn was particularly pleasing. Their feedback was a clear indication that they want to build upon that experience in the future

Children's participation and engagement increased over the four sessions, as did their inquisitiveness about science and scientists

I was very pleased with how valuable these session were to the science curriculum, children learnt things through this process, like words and meanings, that they would never get from teaching alone

It has certainly raised aspirations and widened future career choices

STEAMING AHEAD

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director

Excitement is mounting as we start designing and prepping the Change 2016 exhibition - watch this space, and do try to visit over the summer if you're in the Batley vicinity. Some truly gorgeous artwork has emerged from the February-March workshops phase, and each of the individual project stories testify to the really high-quality arts and STEM learning experiences enjoyed by children and young people in the 11 participating schools (ages ranging between 6 and 13). 

 

Most of the credit goes to our trio of artists - Shelley Burgoyne, Tim Curtis and Craig Dyson - who have given huge amounts of skill and enthusiasm to the challenge of bringing a wide array of science and technology topics to life through a variety of Printmaking & Drawing, 2D & 3D Markmaking and 3D Construction activities.  The depth of learning and the insights children (and school staff) have gained about the connections between art and science, and between creativity and cross-curricular learning, are in no small measure due to the artists' genuine passion for enabling learning through art.  It's been a very rich project as a result. 

 

The active involvement of staff from Cummins Turbo Technologies has been an added bonus and enriched the project further.  By volunteering to support the artists with the workshops and rolling their sleeves up, they have brought invaluable extra science, technology and engineering knowledge into the sessions and provided inspiration, fascination and great role models for the children.  They have also had endlessly positive things to say about how they themselves have benefited from this novel (for them) experience. 

All in all a brilliant example of Corporate Social Responsibility policy translating into actual hands-on practice and of partnership working at its best, not to mention a perfect example of why the case for STEM to STEAM really is a no-brainer*.

 

More about Change 2016 and the background in our February post and here.

www.changeproject.co.uk

* with thanks to the Cultural Learning Alliance
 

VISIT TARANAKI

What's the connection between New Plymouth, Nantes and Wakefield?  Our intrepid travelling Associate Lesley Fallais - taking a break in New Zealand but with her enthusiasm for tracking down great examples of culture-led regeneration unquelled - has been doing a bit of sleuthing and reveals all. See Lesley's guest posts from Norway, Denmark and Kerala for more on the same theme, and her own blog for more detail on her trip to Taranaki.



Len Lye Centre, New Plymouth    Photo: Lesley Fallais

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My six month journey roaming far and wide around New Zealand has been an outstanding experience. Part way through, while on North Island, I found myself with three days to fill before a planned rendezvous with friends. I started to scrutinise my map and think about where I might go. Perhaps the Taranaki Peninsula? But that would be a long drive and well off my route. If I drove all that way would it turn out to be worth it?

I consult my Rough Guide: “Taranaki’s vibrant provincial capital is New Plymouth. There is a strong arts bias to its attraction, home to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, which is one of the finest contemporary art galleries in the country”. Decision made!

I spend one night en route at Opunake campsite - investment $20. I filled up with petrol - investment $59. Total investment $79.

In my tent I read that the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery has recently been extended to accommodate a large collection of works by Len Lye. A New Zealand born sculptor, film-maker and conceptual artist, Lye (1901-1980) was born in Christchurch and worked alongside other world renowned contemporary artists in Europe and New York. Just before his death a friend, patron and New Plymouth resident, John Mathews, helped set up the Len Lye Foundation, which brought most of Lye’s scattered work to New Plymouth.

I arrive in New Plymouth to find a shiny new contemporary building at one end of Queens Street, which is obviously in the midst of ongoing regeneration. There are cafes, hotels, design shops and the like, and the whole area feels like as if it is vibrant and thriving. I have a quick look around and notice banners pronouncing that tonight is the first night of the annual Festival of Lights, so I spontaneously decide to stay the night.

I book into a hostel - investment $68. Festival of Light donation $5. Total investment so far $152.

Suffice it to say that I loved the new contemporary extension to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, and really enjoyed finding out about an artist who was totally new to me. I was excited, too, to see one of Lye's kinetic works sited along a new 10km long Coastal Walkway - a stunning example of contemporary landscape design incorporating site-specific artworks. ‘Wind Wand’ acts as a focal point near the entrance of the new Puke Ariki - a combined tourist office, city library, exhibition space and regional museum.

I look around the museum shop and buy postcards and stamps - investment $12.50, total to date $164.50. The hostel is a treat as I usually camp. I don’t eat out or visit a café. I look around a clothes shop and design shop but resist temptation, and wish I could stay longer, which might involve hiring a bike and cycling the coastal walkway. 

In other words, my total spend in Taranaki could have been a lot more.

I have spent many years working within urban regeneration project teams so I have some understanding of how creative/cultural regeneration works. What I saw in New Plymouth seemed to me to be a shining example of how the arts and culture can play a vital role as drivers for the economy and urban regeneration. I realised that I was a Taranaki statistic, a cultural tourist in search of ‘Destination Architecture’, which provided not only my reason to visit in the first place but also the reason for deciding to stay for a while and therefore spend money in the area.

Over the past months I have thought many times about my visit to New Plymouth. Whenever I exchange ‘New Zealand highlights’ with other travellers, I find myself saying “You must go to Taranaki, New Plymouth is amazing”. Since visiting Taranaki I've been considering the value to the economy of my own trip and the potential visits by people I've recommended the place to. Keen to know more,  I dropped an email to Terry Parkes, chair of the Council-led Art in Public Places Trust established in 2009, who suggested I talk to Antony Rhodes, Communications Manager at Venture Taranaki Trust, the region's development agency. Antony kindly replied with some interesting information which I've summarised at the end of this piece and a copy of the 2004 Economic Impact Assessment that was undertaken to support the business case for the Len Lye Centre. He explained that the Impact Assessment estimated that the gallery could attract 20,000 people and $2m in additional spending ($100 per head - I spent $164.50); and that the reality has exceeded the projections: between opening on 25 July 2015 and 4 January (2016), the Centre attracted 73,000 visitors.

From the 2004 Impact Assessment I learnt that Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage pledged $4m for capital construction, and that this enabled the Len Lye Centre project to attract impressive levels of corporate support - $2.5m from Todd Energy towards the construction of the building plus an additional $500,000 over five years for an innovative education programme. I learnt too that the whole project was driven by a strong Council-led vision about the economic and regeneration impact that creating a home for the "nationally important" Len Lye collection would have for "the wider community of New Plymouth District".

Inspired by what I'd discovered in New Plymouth, I started thinking about other cities which have successfully invested in arts and culture as part of their economic regeneration strategies.  Reflecting on other trips I've made for the same reasons that took me to Taranaki led me to set about digging up some more economic impact figures. I looked first to Nantes in France, which I visited a few years ago to see the incredible Les Machines de L'Ile, a unique theatrical project within the urban regeneration area L’Ile de Nantes. In 1987 the area's shipyards closed and the city created a vision to regenerate this industrial land and strengthen its links with the city, the river and the Loire Valley. One key element of the vision was to encourage the relocation of creative/cultural entrepreneurs who were enticed with funding and offers of workshop space within former warehouse buildings. Jean-Marc Ayrault, Mayor of Nantes 1989-2012, was a major influence: "Nantes could become one of the European capitals of cultural and creative industries. But to exist tomorrow, we need to recognise this and invest today... During this economic crisis culture is not a luxury. It is essential." In 1989 he made a persuasive offer to international theatre company Royal-de-Luxe in an attempt to bring the company to his city - generous funding, a cargo ship and the use of a disused warehouse on the banks of the River Loire.

The figures speak for themselves: last year some 200,000 visitors passed through Nantes during the high summer tourist season, with an estimated spend of 42 million Euro (internet source).

Next I investigated closer to home in West Yorkshire. The Hepworth Wakefield opened in 2011, completing a ‘Sculpture Triangle' which also includes Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds. A stunning example of ‘Destination Architecture’ designed by architect David Chipperfield to house the city's collection of works by Barbara Hepworth, it received 100,000 visitors in the five weeks after its opening. In 2012 it had around 500,000 visitors and claims 1.4 million visitors in total to date. Annual numbers have settled to around 250,000. 

 

A friendly source helpfully interpreted the economic value of the visitor numbers for both the Hepworth and Yorkshire Sculpture Park (also in Wakefield District): “I understand that Wakefield MBC calculates a secondary tourist spend of £16 per visitor, therefore they would estimate a visitor spend of £20 million in the area since the Hepworth opened (bearing in mind that there is a lot of estimation involved in impact claims). There is more verifiable data available for YSP (although the detailed work is out of date) because an economic impact study was undertaken in 2011. This showed that YSP's direct economic impact at that time was £5.5m, and that in addition to the jobs created at YSP the supply chain supported a further 45 jobs across Yorkshire. These figures were based on 277,000 visitors in 2010/11. In 2015/16 due to the installation of the hugely popular art installation, ‘Poppies’, the visitor numbers are likely to be closer to 600,000, so it would be reasonable to double the 2011 economic impact figures - so about an £11million impact. Estimating aside, when you look at the figures, it is arguable that each £1 of public investment in Yorkshire Sculpture Park generates a further £7 in economic benefit."

I rest my case!  My research may have been cursory but it's affirmed what I already knew - the case for placing cultural drivers at the heart of a vision for urban regeneration is a pretty compelling one.

 

Data provided by Antony Rhodes, Communications Manager, Venture Taranaki Trust 

• There has been a considerable increase in visitor numbers to the region over the summer, and more and more stories of people choosing to visit New Plymouth because of the Centre, or basing their visit around it.
• The gallery has attracted a new curator from the Serpentine London, and a new business development manager and her family direct from in Germany, so the gallery is having a positive impact in terms of population attraction and bolstering the creative sector
• There has been a huge impact on neighbourhood regeneration — over the last few years (since the Len Lye Centre was announced) there has been upwards of $15 million invested in the immediate neighbourhood. The gallery has been catalyst in attracting a second airline to New Plymouth, and there has been an explosion in boutique accommodation, public art, dining options and creative retail.
• There’s been huge global media interest in the Len Lye Centre which has also helped promote awareness of the region and its creativity. It has attracted targeted visits by the Financial Times, New York Times, and more, and even hosted HRH The Duchess of Cornwall on their recent visit. The stories often look beyond the centre itself, and have helped gain attention for our artists, cafes, producers, makers, architects and retailers, putting New Plymouth’s creative community on the map.
• There are business success stories — the fabricators of the stainless steel façade, for instance, have since leveraged it to gain other contracts internationally.

Further info:
Creative NZ - Arts Council of New Zealand http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/
Visit New Plymouth http://visitnewplymouth.nz/
Taranaki regional tourism website http://www.taranaki.info/
Arts Council England report 2015 -  http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication/contribution-arts-and-culture-industry-national-economy



EVERY CHILD AN ARTIST, EVERY CHILD A SCIENTIST

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director

Exploring food chains, microbes and decay through printmaking  Photo: Shelley Burgoyne

Delighted and proud to once again be co-ordinating the Change Project in Batley on behalf of the two lead organisations.  It's a partnership between Mosaic (a small but long-standing community arts organisation) and Batley Girls' High School (with a strong reputation as a Visual Arts College), with 10 other local schools also involved. 

 

There's a great story of long-term partnership working and of commitment to continuous improvement behind the project, which has been going for five years in its current guise and for several more before that.  Last year the focus shifted away from visual arts learning for its own sake, with the decision to put a new emphasis on science and make the project specifically about supporting children's scientific learning through the visual arts.  This year that particular bar has been raised several notches, with 'engineering', 'technology' and 'STEM' entering the project lexicon, and the involvement of prominent international engineering company, Cummins Turbo Technologies, as funder and practical supporter.

 

A series of 50 artist-led workshops got underway this month and already there are some priceless examples of children's learning, not to mention pure enjoyment.  It's already apparent that investigating science topics through creative mediums will stimulate children's interest in science as an area of study, and inspire some to believe that it holds possibilities as a potential career (a big interest for Cummins).  It's also evident that realising that science and art are connected disciplines, and that they can be explored together as complementary subjects, will be a powerful discovery for some children. The over-arching 'Change' theme has allowed for many interpretations over the years that the project has been running.  This year 'changing perceptions' and 'change in aspirations' are definitely strong angles.

 

You can follow what artists Shelley Burgoyne, Tim Curtis and Craig Dyson and their eleven schools are up to on the project website, as they creatively explore science topics as varied as Forces, Food Chains, Electricity Circuits and Plant Lifecycles.  As an appetiser, here's one of my fave quotes so far:

 

“Science is a very interesting subject, it can blow your mind and it can boggle your feet”

www.changeproject.co.uk

FORGOTTEN STORIES

by Tracy Shaw, Loca Creatives Director


Selection of Arbroath Templates from Art for All exhibition - arbroathtemplate.tumblr.com

Anyone who keeps an eye on what's going down at Yorkshire Sculpture Park will know that Poppies: Wave has been a massive draw over the winter months - around 300,000 visitors in a four-month period, to be roughly precise. How many, I wonder, took the chance to sneak away from the hordes and catch Art for All, tucked away in the snug Garden Gallery and also ending earlier this month? Probably only a small proportion, given the very different appeal of the two shows.  Those who did got a real treat, and those who didn't had a lamentable missed opportunity (IMHO).

Art for All was commissioned to mark the 30th anniversary of the National Arts Education Archive (NAEA), housed at YSP and documenting over 100 years of art education. Bob and Roberta Smith - artist, arts education campaigner, founding member of the Art Party and Surrey Heath election candidate - was invited to nosey through the Archive and create the installation in response to some of what he found. What treasures are buried there! And what an education in itself, having the chance to dig around in them. I'd have loved that job (although having neither the skill nor the imagination to translate seemingly dry historical facts into witty, trenchant and visually tantalising exhibits in the way that Bob and Roberta Smith does, I concede that the curatorial staff probably picked the right guy).

I didn't get the job, but I do want to take a moment to express appreciation. The fact that the Archive exists as a fantastic learning resource deserves a shout-out in itself; and the gems I gleaned from a couple of wanders around the small-but-perfectly-formed installation have been precious little nuggets of inspiration and reminder. We all know (at least I hope we do) that art education in Britain is currently being brutalised at the hands of the politicians. Those of us who feel strongly that this is A VERY BAD THING find opportunities where we can to condemn and protest - no-one more eloquently and visibly than Bob and Roberta Smith himself. But how many of us do so simply because we believe that access to art education is essential for a good all-round education and for the production of fully-rounded people? Or perhaps also because we understand - to paraphrase Bob and Roberta - the importance of the arts for democracy and humanity? Do we also protest because we're acutely conscious of the history that lies behind the art education we have come to take so much for granted (until lately, at least), and because we're adamant that all that enlightened pioneering must not go to waste? Are we remembering, when we raise our protesting voices, of such visionary artists and progressive educationalists as William Morris, Franz Cizek, Marion Richardson, Herbert Read, William Coldstream, Victor Pasmore, Tom Hudson, Alec Clegg...? Are we thinking of the rights that eminent figures such as these argued so passionately on behalf of; of the radical steps they took; the enlightened new measures they advocated for; the transformational influences they had...? I certainly haven't been (shameful really, for someone who's been putting artists into schools for 20+ years), but I will be from now on.

If you're interested in art education and - like me - are a committed supporter of the principles but haven't bothered much with immersing yourself in the history, why not make some time to do so? It's eye-opening stuff, and quite salutary to realise that the values driving Bob and Roberta Smith's recent Art Makes Children Powerful campaign (for example) trace way, way back: through Clegg's seminal tenure as Chief Education Officer for the West Riding; through Richardson's child-centred art teaching methods and Cizek's Child Art Movement in the early 1900's; back to Morris's Art Education for All and Herbert Spencer's philosophical writings in the late 1800's; back further still to Joshua Reynolds...

Art for All also invited visitors to contribute their thoughts about 'what needs to be included in an Art Education to give each child a voice in the 21st Century'.  It would be fascinating to see the results.  I reckon they should be parcelled up with a big red ribbon and sent to Gove, Morgan, Gibb and co.  I reckon, too, that there's the makings of a really useful book/resource in some of the oft-forgotten stories that have made art education commonplace (albeit endangered) today, starting with the ones so cleverly illuminated by the Art for All show - a book that ought to be obligatory reading for all trainee teachers and every teacher who teaches art (no, make that every teacher in general). A project for YSP/the NAEA maybe?  Now there's a job I'd fancy.

“....no matter how daubed and glaring the colours. The question is not whether the child is producing good drawings. The question is whether it is developing its faculties”

 

Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)