Arts in the community
Jun 23 2009 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette
DARLINGTON business park Lingfield Point is bringing its arts strategy to life with a number of outreach projects in the local community.
The site, in conjunction with Tees Valley Arts, is working closely with schools and community groups in the Lingfield, Red Hall and Lascelles areas on the business park’s boundaries to create awareness and an ongoing relationship through a variety of art activities.
The first phase of the project is designed to introduce the concept of Futurescope to the community.
A two-year-long sequential, outdoor exhibition of eight massive circular photographs and images, work begins today on installing the first image in the Futurescope series. It will be attached to the eastern elevation of the Powerhouse, which faces the transport corridor and the Darlington ring road.
Tees Valley Arts has co-ordinated a number of workshops, for all ages, using different art forms to visualise the circle imagery of Futurescope. Artists Vicky Holbrough, Adrian Moule and Jo Colley were given a brief to work with a range of groups.
Over the next month they will be creating a range of pieces using mandala, silk painting, mosaic, sculpture and poetry.
Eddie Humphries, estate manager at Lingfield Point, said: “The local environment is intrinsic to the people living and working there and for it to prosper there must be a sense of ownership, pride and belonging.
“Local people should have the opportunity to engage with art, and this is what our Futurescope outreach is doing.”
Jane Gray, education officer at Tees Valley Arts, said: “Marchday recognised the significant difference that public art can have and commissioned Futurescope as part of its arts and culture strategy.
“Tees Valley Arts was assigned to manage an exciting participative project working with schools and groups in the local area. The work will remain with the groups to exhibit as they wish and we hope that photographs of the completed work will be used for an exhibition in the future.”
