the annual Activist Camp which was held in Glencree, Co Wicklow on June 17/18, 2017. The Activist Camp had 35 activists and artists working in diversity of ways at community level. It drew from a cohort of about 200 people who are actively engaged in community culture work across the island. The activist camp involved a Theatre of Change (Galway) Workshop.
Annual Report Blue Print 2015-2019 work is determined by its current strategic plan that was published in 2015. Despite cuts in funding it continues to develop its community culture work and advocates for cultural rights.
Activities Activist Camp 2017 Photo: S. Colclough Prompted by questions about community arts, participants were invited to move outside their own ideas and concerns and to listen and be attentive to each other. From individual to group actions a set of body sculptures and forms were used to express community arts as connection, bridge and barrier. Activist Camp 2017 Photo: P. Clancy Community Culture Strategy. As part of the legacy of the Claiming Our Future, a civil society initiative that emerged during austerity, Blue Drum took on the organising of
Franรงois Matarasso gave a keynote address about the historical context, the background to his own personal quest for quality versus participation and vice versa. More importantly he communicated his own openness and curiosity about community art practice today. The full interview is available
here Watch Participants also shared their own practice. The presentations - 5 slides / 5 minutes – communicated what motivates practice as artist, activist and community member and also showed layers of common concern e.g. bottomup, sustainability, environment, etc.
-Developing the legacy website for community arts. The days ended with a presentation about the communities in transition movement.
Im Photo: P. Geraghty
Photo: F. Rantz Some participant impressions “Such a nurturing environment that makes me confident about what I can and will do” “A generous event, a spirit of generous activism”
Photo: P. Geraghty The Theatre of Change workshop and Matarasso‟s led the group to „harvest‟ some of the learning that people could offer and receive as a basis for moving forward. A common wish was to leave the Camp with a „shared ambition‟ for continuing cultural contact between us. The outcome of the Camp was a commitment to continue -Networking support without email overload -Creating more opportunities for practical learning exchanges – not simply virtual -Using the activist platform as a resource to ourselves as an emerging platform.
“I got exactly what I wanted from this: hope, optimism in a real way and hope for a collective future” “There was a connectedness among us that helped to reveal collective solutions to how to proceed” “It was a lovely, temporary reduction in the loneliness of working on my own”
Activities Goodbye Tom Kelly Flats During 2017 Blue Drum supported the work of artists and community in a Dublin inner city housing estate that were moving to new social housing.
Almost fifty years ago, the first families moved to Tom Kelly Road Flats. On November 3rd 2017, at the moment when the winter sun set, a unique cultural journey occurred with some of those first families – and others who came later – with children and grandchildren. The community came together to mark their transition to the new Ffrench Mullen House on Dublin's Charlemont Street. It revived memories of the good times, the hard days, and the values still important to remain connected and strong. Just as darkness set in, a group of 50 friends were led outside by a music group from the Community Resource Centre. The event was supported by artists Brian Fleming, Eoghan Scott, Kieran Gallagher, Ed Carroll, Vita Geluniene and Paula Geraghty.
It is hard to imagine the nervousness and fear that filled the air in the days before the move. It was, indeed, a very stressful time. The creative walk offered a break – a time to stop and remember what a significant achievement had occurred – long awaited, new social housing! You can view a short documentary of the event here:
Other activities Social Media The Blue Drum Evidence Room has reached 4,000 readers for its 170 publications. It also managed Facebook pages for the Activist Camp and vimeo Life:Art page. Website views on www.bluedrum.ie and www.legacypapers.wixsite.com are stable (c.40 per week).
Company business Company, Board and Regulation The Board held meetings in February, April and June and 2 conference calls in August and October. Board members include artists, Fiona Woods from Clare and Sheelagh Colclough from Belfast, architect Ciarán Cuffe, community trainer, as well as community activists Ken Keogh (Dublin),Jim Ahern (Galway) and Mark McCollum (Donegal) who continued their responsibilities as Company Directors. Ed Carroll and Eleanor Phillips continue to as convenors of the various activities. If you require any information email Eleanor or Ed at blue.drum@yahoo.com.
Goodbye Tom Kelly Road Flats Photo: P. Geraghty
Some residents and guests carried the 33 specially tailored community portrait banners with an individual wish for the future printed underneath.
Blue Drum is registered as The Arts Specialists Support Agency, Carmichael House,North Brunswick Street Dublin 7. CROC No. 364118 // CHY No. 14699 Accountants: Guardinan Accounting Management, Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 8. +353 (01) 4240519 or info@guardianma.ie