Groundwork Buisness Planning Day

22/11/07

Up before the sun to catch an early train down to Plymouth.
Not long underway and the sun rose over the frozen fields and burnt away the final whisps of mist...it was really stunning. This transition always holds a kind of magic.

But hold your horses, before i get too lost in the poetics of the everyday the purpose of today's trip was to participate in Groundworks Business Planning Day. In the morning I would join Alex, Anne, Colin, Ed, Karin, Polly & Ray on the Art workshop. The afternoon session called 'Land', which I was excited about as it would be more unfamiliar territory for me, would be led by Bruce and the group comprised: Alex, David, Ed, James, Jo, Mike, Nicola and Wayne.
(check the photos)

The morning session was a really useful starting point for me. I was happy and curious to meet the staff who had signed up for this art focused planning session. We discussed how art might fit into the 3 year business plan for Groundwork - how art might be used to support existing project work, raise the profile of the organisation, be a useful tool to engage people, maintain working relationships and creatively explore local concerns.

Something that Ray and I have oft discussed is the need to challenge traditional notions of art in the public realm/public art. To update notions of intervention in public space. Of course, public art need not be a permanent figurative statue or sculpture on a street or square. Art in public spaces need not be object focused but might instead, as the group discussed, be creative interventions that have impact, local significance yet are temporary (although the memories that such an intervention inspires might be long lived). The group discussed the role of performance/live action in public art/education contexts. There are numerous great examples of socially engaged art projects out there and we shared a few. E.g. The Complaints Choir in Birmingham devised by Finnish artists Tellervo Kalleinen & Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen in collaboration with the Springhill Institute - where local complainees turned their own complaints into a song for public performance with the help of a composer Mike Hurley*.
We discussed building/sustaining audience relationships by taking a holistic, interdisciplinary approach for example taking a sci-art direction (art - health & wellbeing).
Another point that grabbed my attention was the art activism/stunt ideas to raise awareness of issues such as dumping/pollution etc. - Totally gets my vote count me in!

* check out the publication 'Springhill Institute Report on Activities' ISBN: 0-9556107-0-7

Crikey! So lots of ground covered, lunch and coffee required to get energy injection for the afternoon's session. During lunch Ray, Ed and I booked in a day trip for the 10th Dec with the Cornwall team (Bruce, Polly, Tony, Ed). Sadly my tummy bug was later to skupper that beautiful plan.

The 'Land' session provided me with lots of information on the kind of build/landscape projects Groundwork are currently involved in (and it is really broad) - ranging from maintaining nature and park areas to project managing &/or designing playground spaces, sports fields, skate parks and activating these spaces with a range of activities and training opps etc. with a signifcant focus towards youth work. Led by Bruce the group listed their fields of work, graded themselves on strengths/weaknesses and discussed which areas they'd wish to actively push/develop and those that they'd take a more responsive rather than pro-active position on. It was a useful session for me to sit in and observe on.

That day I also got to briefly meet Jackie Francis (who works for Groundwork in Torbay). She is developing a really interesting soap making enterprise with a womens group. I'd like to visit her and meet this group if poss.

Sadly I missed the Community Development & Social Enterprise session that Jocella led. I heard afterwards that everyone had to choose from a selection of miniature toys/figures to help describe how they felt about the organisation and their role in it (I think I've got that right). I use objects (sometimes everday found objects) in my own art work. So I was intrigued by this creative workshop technique.

By way of another related digresssion - I'm currently working with artist and performance maker Tom Marshman on a project called 'The Invitation'. Following each performance from Tom's trilogy 'Everyone's Companion to Life & Love', which he is presenting to groups of older people in Exeter, Bristol, Colchester & London, we are workshopping with the groups about the everyday props and objects Tom uses in his shows. We invite the participants to bring and tell us about their own keepsakes and the memories they provoke. Everybody has a story to share and objects can sometimes unlock such powerful ideas and associations.

Anyway after the Buisness Planning Day, and meeting so many new folk, my head was fit to explode off my shoulders scannners style. As it is now re-capping on the days proceedings. So that's me for now.