ISSUE 1. APRIL 2010
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What’s this all about? On The Street is a new project that aims to work directly with young people, aged 11 to 17, on the regeneration issues facing the Anfield and Breckfield neighbourhood. On The Street will be a positive project that should have a visible presence within the Anfield and Breckfield neighbourhood. We want to engage with young people living in the area in a positive and practical way, and open our minds to the possibilities that the area offers. Through a series of artist and architect projects we will encourage young people to think about what makes a successful neighbourhood, and enable them to imagine temporary uses for unused spaces and buildings. In developing ideas the young people will be required to consult with the wider community, and get their approval, if they would like to see a physical project delivered. They will also be supported to undertake any practical work required, gaining new skills and experience in the process. This newspaper outlines work undertaken to date, including that of New York based artist Ed Purver, and includes details of the launch of the project on Friday 16 April and a Connecting Communities Day on Saturday 24 April. We would love for you to come to these events and find out first hand what we’re up to. On The Street is brought to you by Liverpool Biennial and the On The Street Steering Group, a sub group of the Housing and Physical Regeneration steering group for Anfield and Breckfield.
See how this... could become this
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SHAUN
JAY
JAY Hi, I’m Jenna and I’m the Youth Par ticipation manager for On the Street. I’ve been wor king with Shaun and Jay, the On the Street youth workers, to get young people from the Anfield and Breckfield area inv olved in all the activity we’ve been organising. Over the next few pages you’ll be able to see and read about where and what the group have been getting up to and find out what’s coming up next. We’ve been working closely with youth ser vices and community bases in the area to coordinate activity. ABCC and BNENC have been providing valuable suppor t and spaces for us to meet and work, most recently Ed Pur ver was filming at the Lighthouse Youth Connect Building (see page 5) to see what Ed has been filming for. We hope you enjoy this newspa per as much as we have enjoyed making it!
Jenna olved contact: If you’d like to get inv 51 288 8400 Kerry at BNENC on 01 51 260 0022 Becci at ABCC on 01 t Building ec Matt at Youth Conn 42 23 6 47 on 0151
Mollie
Rea
Jess
Kayleig h
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Activities and day trips Since summer 2009 we’ve been going out on day trips and doing activities to see how buildings and pieces of land have been given a new lease of life through art and creativity. We’ve been inspired to start thinking about interesting things that could happen in our own community.
New Islington At the heart of this project are the issues that come with the regeneration process. We went to Manchester to see the Urban Splash development, New Islington, once known as one of the poorest areas of Manchester. The designers developed their plans with the local people. We looked at how the place had changed but we think we could do better ourselves!
Crocky Trail We went to Chester where we spent the day at Crocky Trail, a large-scale open air adventure play area over a mile long. It showed us how a piece of land has been made into a massive playground. We’re keen to make play a big part of our own plans for Anfield / Breckfield.
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Turning The Place Over We visited Richard Wilson’s ‘Turning the Place Over’ in the city centre. We went inside the building and looked at the mechanisms that power the artwork. We also looked at other Liverpool Biennial commissions such as Villa Victoria and Pricilla Monge’s football pitch to give us ideas about the kind of scale our project could take.
Canal day We visited some art and environment projects at St Winnies School in Bootle. We picked some home grown organic veg then took a ride up and down the canal in swan pedalos. Some of us made lanterns on a floating artwork.
Music We went to the bombed out church in Liverpool (St Luke’s), to meet local musicians ‘Urban Strawberry Lunch’. The group use found objects to make their music — like the drum kit made from a kitchen sink! They ran a short drumming session with us and then we crossed over the road to ‘Rockscape’, an open air amphitheatre where we set up the Wii and had our very own Guitar Hero gig!
Go karting was dead ere exciting — the cars w ! really fast, it was boss
Ice Skating When we heard there was a temporary ice rink in Williamson Square, we couldn’t resist! We went skating and everyone fell over except Jess. We began thinking about different activities that we might want to do back in Anfield / Breckfield. Go Karting We went Go Karting at Kart World in Ormskirk and looked at all the things we would need to consider if we were to build and manage our own track in Anfield / Breckfield.
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Ed Purver’s ‘In Residence’ installation We spent 2 days working with New York based artist Ed Purver on a video installation that will be projected into some of the derelict houses on Granton Road in April. Ed filmed us jumping around on trampolines, posing and dancing in front of a blue screen. The footage was made into a video and shown at the Bluecoat. We saw ourselves on a big screen and were part of a presentation of Ed’s work. The aim of ‘In Residence’ is to re-animate some of the unused properties on Granton Road. The video of the group as giants jumping and resting in the houses, will be placed inside the properties and best viewed at night, 5pm til late, from the pavements outside. Come and see the launch on Friday 16 April (see page 7 for more info).
Me and Rea done an Eastenders act and e dressed up, it was th bit I enjoyed most.
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We learned some jum ps on the trampoline and took pictures of us posing in the air. I like d the way we modelled for the came ra and did poses, it felt like we were pro per models or something but it was AMAZING. I’m also looking for ward to the installation because all the girls will see it!
A word from Ed... Walking around these streets made me think about what a city is without its people, what a building becomes without its inhabitants. The purpose of a house is to provide people with a home, and these houses have had their people removed. Just like a person who’s lost their purpose, these houses seemed to me to be shadows of their former selves. It’s like they were only half there. I wanted to see what happens if you put the energy of the people into the shell of these houses. Not to create any kind of memorial, but rather some sort of celebration, perhaps even some sort of resuscitation, breathing light into these structures. My work often uses video projection, because I’m fascinated by how light can temporarily transform a space utterly, filling it with alternative life, and then, in an instant, disappear without trace. About Ed Ed Purver is an artist based in Brooklyn. He works primarily with video and light to place human voices and faces into architecture, both physical and virtual, bringing narrative and character both to the physical structures that shape our urban landscapes and also to the information architecture that carves out our digital lives. You can watch a video of Ed’s proposal at www.vimeo.com/7817288
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Friday 16 April, 6 — 8pm On The Street launch Granton Road, (near the Salisbury Pub). Come along to the launch of Ed Purver’s video installation ‘In Residence’ (on show for 1 week only!). Food and refreshments will be available and you’ll also be able to meet the people involved.
Saturday 24 April, 12noon — 4pm Connecting Commmunities Day Granton Road, (on the vacant land near the Salisbury Pub). A Free Family Fun Day including fair rides, artist projects, graffiti workshops, face painting, free running, food and much much more. Come along and join in the fun. For your free fair rides and food tokens for the family, please cut out the ticket on the opposite page and bring it to the New Beginnings stall on the day to exchange for the tokens.
Saturday 24 April, 6 — 8pm Anfield & Breckfield 2010 Talent Granton Road, (in the marquee on vacant land near the Salisbury Pub). We are hosting an exciting evening of performances by local people, all aiming to become part of the first Anfield & Breckfield 2010 Talent music CD. For more information pick up a leaflet at BNENC or ABCC. Free food and refreshments!
Rumours of a giant Ferris wheel on Granton Road are unconfirmed at this stage. Keep your eyes open.
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Anfield / Breckfield needs you... Hello. My name is Ros Groves and I have lived in the Anfield / Breckfield area for 31 years. I live in the Salisbury Residents area and I am chair of the Residents Association there. I am also chair of the Anfield / Breckfield Housing and Physical Regeneration Group and I am on the Newheartlands Housing Market Renewal Board. Our area is currently undergoing a major upheaval with residents being re-housed, properties boarded up and an ongoing demolition programme. The changes have been extensive and will continue for many years whilst our area is being transformed. These changes are causing some residents to feel under pressure, and this is something we really are aware of. We are working closely with the local Council and Arena Housing to make sure the communities’ views and needs are being heard and to alleviate these pressures. The Government also recognises the challenges local people are facing and Anfield and Breckfield has been identified as an area for Connecting Communities funding. We want to make sure that everyone is aware of all the ongoing activities and that they are involved in making a big difference in their area.
This looks totally meffy – get it sorted.
Some of this funding is being used for the Community Event on 24 April. We are trying something different and this event is aimed at local people in the Anfield / Breckfield area. I really hope that everyone can attend and meet their neighbours and most importantly enjoy themselves! I hope to see you there. Ros.
TICKET TO RIDE Please fill in this ticket, cut it out, and bring it to the New Beginnings stall for FREE FAIR RIDES AND FOOD on Saturday 24 April.
Name: Address: Postcode: Children’s names and ages:
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Architecture and urban design workshops with Marianne Heaslip
Oakfield Road Cinema, 1961
Photos Š Liverpool City Council archive website
Liverpool based architect, Marianne worked with us on a series of architecture and urban design workshops. Working from the large to the small scale, the aim was to increase our understanding of the design and construction process and how cities are made. It also gave us the chance to talk about our local environment, inspiring us to take part in shaping our own neighbourhood in the future.
We looked at the history and lots of old photographs of the area. Through photography and map making we began to think about how we move around the area, the places we visit, the routes we use most and local landmarks.
Breck Road, 1935... does anybody remember this?
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Jay’s vision for Anfield
About Marianne Marianne Heaslip is an architect based in Liverpool. She has a long-standing interest in participative design processes, having worked as a trainer for The GlassHouse (www.theglasshouse.org.uk) for several years. She has been involved in projects from large scale community masterplanning exercises to building small ‘outdoor classrooms’ with the collaboration of primary school children. She is currently studying for the MSc Architecture: Advanced Environment and Energy Studies at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales.
We looked at numerous buildings and architectural styles from across the world then researched the existing buildings in Anfield. We made our own collages, maps and drawings with some weird and wonderful results. We are looking forward to the next phase of the project were other artists and professionals will help us bring some of our ideas to life.
of We looked at pictures to ed us what our community a map look like. We also did to go of the places we like t. os m or visit the
Mollie’s super community
Rea’s ideal street scene
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Digital ideas factory with Steve Leech Steve Leech is a media practitioner and teacher specialising in web design and animation of sound and video. His workshops have encouraged and inspired us to experiment with new ways of expressing ourselves using digital media, whilst developing our computer skills on the way — further developing confidence in our own abilities and worth as content creators. As a group we will create a website that will document the project process as well as showcasing our creations and ideas. The work and ideas will inform what we are doing with the other artists on the project.
Left: Incorporating the young people on the project with local landmarks. Produced by Jay. Right: Playing with ideas to fill currently derelict space.
Apparently there used to be a swimming pool in Granton Road. Perhaps we could bring it back...
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Right: Mollie wants to build a maze with a water tower and water slide on the wasteland where the school used to be on Granton Road. Below: Mollie and Rea’s proposed nightclub ‘Fudge’ on Granton Road. Jay has offered to run the doors!
The sessions we do are good s because we always take picture lots et me to of each other and get of new people. I liked it when we on learned how to use Photoshop . NC BNE the in ers put com the
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Newspaper Workshop Liverpool based graphic designer and artist, Mike Carney has been helping us to produce this newspaper, getting us thinking about the everyday design that surrounds us, and showing us some funky new tricks on the computer. We looked at punk graphics from the 70s and 80s — a cut and paste, DIY, sketchbook style. Our interpretation of the punk look brings it up to date and makes it relevant to Anfield / Breckfield by employing jagged, decayed imagery and found typography from the derelict buildings and streets in the community. It’s all about transforming bad to good — dereliction and graffiti can become beautiful. The overall effect is gritty and edgy but the splashes of colour help to contrast this, providing a youthful and positive tone. We hope you like it.
Discussing ideas for the newspaper with Mike.
The letters we used in the headlines are all from photos we took of local signs and graffiti. Can you spot where they’re from?
Look out for more activity On The Street... The next phase of On The Street is gonna’ be boss. I can’t wait.
Nicki McCubbing will be working with the young people to create a 3D model-village style fantasy map of the area as it is today. The group will build a floor map of their own neighbourhood, using ideas relating to regeneration, history, memories and transformation of community. This distinctive map will grow with each participant’s ideas and will be made from small domestic items commonly found in the home. Nicki is an artist from Liverpool, based at the Bluecoat in the City Centre. She makes sculptures and installations out of cheap, brightly coloured items bought from Poundland, car boot sales, ebay and joke shops. Her work is funny and familiar but often weird and creepy too. Have a look at Nicki’s work at www.nickimccubbing.com
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We are working closely with Liverpool City Council and Arena Housing on this project and are supported by a steering group comprising members of the community and representatives from Anfield & Breckside Community Council (ABCC) and Breckfield & North Everton Neighbourhood Council (BNENC). Their support is greatly appreciated.
For more information about On The Street please email franny@biennial.com or visit www.biennial.com
Liverpool Biennial is supported by
On The Street is supported by
from h assistance io.co.uk wit Shaun and Jay. w.mikesstud nna, Design by ww a, Kayleigh, Jay, Je Re Mollie, Jess,
On The Street is funded by Find Your Talent, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Liverpool City Council and Arena Housing have funded the Connecting Communities Day. Sarah Jane Dooley, Grants Officer at Paul Hamlyn Foundation, said “We are delighted to be supporting On The Street, which offers a valuable opportunity for young people to participate in an exciting arts activity. The Foundation’s Arts Open Grants scheme aims to enable organisations to experiment with and develop new ways of engaging with audiences and participants.”
Show some love — stick this poster up in your window if you like On The Streets. We’ll be doing a street survey to see who’s been turned on.