Statements in Semaphore

Since March I have based myself (a couple of times a week) out of the fantastic West End Centre in Aldershot. As a cultural hub that has been in Aldershot since the mid 70s (when it was closed down as a school and taken over by artists and musicians!!) it is the perfect place to base my research!

I want to know what exists in Aldershot already, community wise and arts wise. What do people want, audiences and artists? What is missing? What has happened before? What could happen in the future?

I have joined some of the many sessions that the Westy runs over the past two months, the sewing cafe, crafty culture, senior moments, u3A discussion group, the probation team. The staff at the westy have put me in touch with people from local organisations, from forums as well as artists and creatives who live or work locally. I’ve had so many fruitful conversations already, started to see potential partnerships and exciting opportunities. I’ve also seen that the Westy is just this amazing creative and community space as well as a fantastic venue. It currently has a focus on music, comedy, theatre and workshops – all of which are awesome. What I would love to see going forward is a link with more contemporary art – or more accurately NON TRADITIONAL ART FORMS, specifically with the context of Social Art. For me Social Art is a practice that works both in and with the community, that looks at local social issues, that can cause debate, discussion, and can challenge or potentially influence local social change…… potentially.

Lets see artist and community collaborations, lets see installations within the town centre, in public spaces and buildings, lets make films, performance and live actions!

I’m excited…….!!

In the last post I started to think about what I have learnt so far. In several of the conversations I have been having with local organisations I had to start being clear with myself about what the project aims are. A tricky task when you are researching and developing just that!

So where do I fit in, in Rushmoor? Where can Statements in Semaphore fit into all this?

1: DO NOT JUST REPLICATE WHAT IS ALREADY THERE.

I don’t want or need to create a project to do what is already happening. This project has not developed to become another support group or an add on arts activity that may replace something already in existence. It should support or work with what exists already or do something new.

2: WORK WHERE THERE IS A NEED/WANT

What we have done over the past two years has worked and is important to reiterate. We worked WITH organisations who wanted us! Who had a NEED. Who did not have access to an artist or to creative input.  We provided workshops or sessions for these organisations, not for THERAPY but to support individuals, groups or staff members to increase self esteem, to have time to talk about issues that come up whilst being creative/learning new skills or simply have time for themselves. The sessions were a SAFE FREE SPACE. Free financially but also with regard to what happens. A space that allowed no outcomes, no agenda, other than having space to be quiet, try something new or refresh previous creativity, have access to materials or ideas that may be new or that people may not have the time, money or resources for. Sometimes just a place for a cup of tea.

The events we then put on were in direct response to the conversations and time spent with the organisations, their staff and the people who benefit from the service. These again created conversation spaces, time to talk about campaigns, debate and discuss potential changes and encourage dialogue.

3: SUPPORT ARTISTIC PRACTICE LOCALLY

The project is also for ARTISTS. Local and National Artists to work in Rushmoor. It is vital for me that the project encourages Artistic practice. Where Artists are creating their own art work, artistic responses and research, not just delivering workshops. This is not simply about providing workshops for local people. It is also about providing and supporting artist’s practice by supporting them to instigate work that focuses on local social issues. By recruiting Artists who want to develop their practice in a social research base and through working with local organisations who want to utilise having a professional Artist working with them, we can create more fulfilling working relationships. We can support local organisational need, create opportunities for local participants, create and support local artistic practice and research and create a focus on local social issues – which can then potentially benefit the local community in general.

4: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The project for me must have a community engagement element. It needs to in some way interact with the wider local community either in the process or via events of some kind. These may be exhibitions, they may be talks, they may be by using public spaces or buildings within the community that are open to the public. A space or event to discuss or raise awareness of the issues that come up, that are dealt with by the people we work with, by the organisations we work with and then by the artists. A space where the wider community can join in the conversations, where others can have a say, make their mark, join in.

Across March and April I have started to meet with many of the organisations that exist in Aldershot and Rushmoor.

I have a notebook that is steadily filling with Names of people, Groups, Forums, organisations, charities, volunteer services, council run services, drop in groups, regular groups, paid workshops, free stuff, stuff that can be public, stuff that needs to be private, hard-to- reach groups and people, impossible to reach potential individuals and families, activities that exist, activities that no longer exist, activities that exist while there is money, activities that only exist when they remain voluntary…. Some of this info is online, and I want to start sharing where I can. I will do this initially here!

Farnbrough and District U3A Did you know that the U3A (University of the third Age) has over 110 groups in the Rushmoor area? An amazing learning co-operative of retired/semi retired people with groups covering everything from ceramics and jewelry and walking groups to politics, debate and coffee! It’s £25 for the year and then most groups are then free!

Rushmoor Voluntary Services – a charitable organisation that has been running for years has over 380 member groups. Which means that there are over 380 groups supporting local people in Rushmoor!!!!! RVS has a register of volunteers and matches volunteers in the area with groups who need them and vice versa.

This site lists all the amazing groups (who wish to be named publicly) on their site, and if you are looking for specific support and can’t find it, it is worth asking them as they will probably know who to connect you with! The list of their member groups is here.

There are forums, support groups and organisations to support and provide info/opportunites for example: Citizens advice, homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, disability, scouts/guides/young people groups, one off projects, larger projects, country parks, churches, support for elderly people, foodbanks, swimming clubs, sports and activity groups, schools, colleges, cultural community groups, parent support, mental health support groups… and more!

Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) (Rushmoor) Is another community interest organisation that partners local businesses with groups, projects, organisations and charities who are looking for volunteers, resources, skill sets or possibly funding. They are based at Farnborough 6th Form College and also utilise the link to provide amazing work experience opportunites for local young people. They are also always looking for other appropriate work experience for their students, specifically within the Arts, media, publishing and producing environments.

Culturally there are several communities where (with limited budgets) events are planned locally, in Farnborough, Aldershot, the new Wellesley community, with community and town centre programme planners/coordinators in post.

There are arts/creative activities happening on small scale, with groups running things themselves, and there are arts/theatre/creative activities that happen all the time at the West End Centre, Princes Hall and library for example. Some of these are free, but many of them have to charge a fee.

And honestly… I think I’ve only just scratched the surface!

However. Everyone I speak to also says how much need there is for more, and how needed Arts, creative and community activities are. Much of what happens goes on voluntarily, underfunded or in isolation from other activities. Much of the community is often unaware or unable to access the support available and activities available for various reasons.

Personally I also see Artists working hard in the area, but not having time to consider their own practice, to develop their work, to consider the wider social local issues and to make work, develop a practice that can challenge these. There are also very few spaces and opportunities in which to share or develop work which challenges or creates space for discussion and exchange. Rather than thinking about ‘finished work hanging on walls’, I want to encourage work in the area that values the process, the research, the stimuli of Rushmoor, its communities, it’s people, the social issues faced here, what we love, what we hate, what we can change.

so……. I need to start developing a plan……. see the next post for my initial thoughts on this!

On 25th April I attended the Socail Art Assembly at Tate Exchange in London.

This day allowed space for around 80 social Art practitioners to come together, share practice and raise their questions, concerns, fears, strategies etc for Social Art in the UK.

Below are some of the thoughts that came out of one of the sessions I instigated along with Artist Jennifer ……. We wanted to consider how to look at long term projects in our communities. How we think about our work, working with others, our roles, what we say yes/no to and how other people see us.

This was a really valuable opportunity for me as it allowed me some time to speak with more experienced Artists and practitioners about longer term and larger scale projects, which in turn will help me plan the project going forward more thoughtfully, making sure I get the right partners involved and with more logistical insight.

This month I’ve been pondering on:

Last year I worked with the insightful Artist, writer and film-maker Melissa Mostyn. We spoke long and hard about the workshops we ran last year and what it meant to work with survivors of abuse, to consider Deaf women and men in this position, access to support and art, and access to debate in these areas. We also talked about access to the art world as parents and carers, fitting in work, practice and exposure to other work within lives filled with other responsibilities.

I asked Melissa to be the first Artist that I worked with this year, so that we could continue these conversations and consider how we each develop our work, support each other and other artists who may have restrictions on time or resources or both. We met in Aylesbury, Melissa’s place of residence, in a pub near the town centre market. We shared our ideas around working with other projects and with each other. How it can work, what does work and what is difficult. We talked about remote working on projects and the pros and cons of this. We spoke of the isolation at times of not having a shared artist space, or living away from bustling art spaces/towns and cities. We talked about David Bowie (there is a statue of him in Aylesbury!) and antiques, about Grayson Perry and Art Galleries, about writing and being inspired. I bought some victorian zines for girls and covertly photographed people in the square.

This time is so valuable. Not having shared studio space with otehr artists, not living with other artists or even seeing them regularly…. we have to find other ways of practice sharing. And as my title suggests, this takes practice.

‘Practicing to Share’ is about my development as an artist now and going forward. Spending time with other artists, communicating with other artists face to face and perhaps remotely.

Listening, looking, watching, talking, describing, playing, walking, sitting, drinking, eating, exploring, questioning, debating, challenging and supporting.  This is Practicing to Share.

Whats Happening now?

This stage of the project is a 7 month research and development phase.

Why?