My first ever community art project was in 2002 and it was part of Big Arts Week, where an artist would go to a local school to teach the children their art. Mine was in a primary school where I taught them how to use leaves and photosensitive paper to create patterns. The children loved it and I was hooked, from that day on I was a community artist doing all I could to support organisations and to encourage young people and children to take part in community activities through creative projects.
Community Art is an exceptional tool when it comes to engaging community members and to get them involved in community spaces, community activities, but most importantly to start a dialogue with them and get them involved. As an artist we become facilitators in building trust, building creative skills and as a safe space to talk with, without fear of judgement or offending. People talk when they are busy making and this is an amazing way for organisations and communities to learn from each other.
I was once involved with delivering a mapping activity at an event with a park Rangers team to look at the development of one of their historical parks. There was a team of volunteers and staff that walked around the event trying to get local peoples views, people literally ran from them. However, when children were colouring in the map with me, their parents or grandparents talked to me about the park, their memories, what they loved, what they wanted for the park and how they saw its future. Young people would write their names on the map, talking about it being their park and how they felt safe in certain parts and unsafe in others. The map wasn’t the greatest piece of artwork and wouldn’t win any awards, but it gave the rangers an insight into the park that even they hadn’t thought of and would never have been told. An artist is a neutral person that people open up to without even realising that what they are doing is so important to an organisations development.
There are so many options to engage communities, from drawing to creating stories. It all depends on what you are trying to engage communities in. Is it purely for entertainment, is it to develop a new service or is it to get communities more involved in a project, new activities or to raise awareness. Anything can be developed through art, and getting the right artist helps.
This is just a snippet of some of the projects that I have been involved in facilitating and I would love to get involved in many more. Community art has always been a great adventure for me and the people I have had the pleasure to get to know.
If you would love to learn more about being a community artist or to develop a community art project then I’d love to help. You can contact me here
Louise A Clarke textile Artist 