The Art of Regeneration

Yesterday I gave a presentation on 'The Art of Regeneration' to the Barking Episcopal Area's Regeneration Group which considered the Artscape programmes in Barking & Dagenham as an example of good practice and used the range of public art projects with which I have had involvement as examples of the way in which churches can engage with public art.

I concluded:

"Through the projects I have shown local people have been engaged by: performances in public spaces; being filmed and those images projected onto public buildings; personal stories and memorabilia featuring in a film; learning skills and creating a community mural; commenting on the development of an artwork; encountering art in a town centre; and coming in to a contemplative space.

Through these projects we have explored: the diversity of the community; continuity within change, concepts at the heart of community; ideas of sin and salvation; epiphany and pilgrimage; and reflections of light and peace.

Benefits from involvement in these public art projects have included:

• improving streetscapes and creating local landmarks;
• encouraging congregations and local people because they have been able to contribute to the projects and see their contribution in the finished artwork;
• raising the profile of churches locally because the projects have each made very visual stories that the local press wanted to feature. The projects have each generated considerable interest and comment locally and have featured in the local, church, arts and regeneration media;
• either bringing people into church to see the project/exhibition or taking the church out into the community; and
• on occasion, leaving something of permanent benefit to the community created through the church and community working together."

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Henningham Family Press & Jon Bilborough at London Word Festival.

outcasting

outcasting is a new online screening venue for moving image work which is worth checking out. I particularly liked Curiouser & Curiouser in which a creature wanders through a bleak environment finding objects that excite its curiosity.

outcasting has been developed by Michael Cousin, with whom I worked through St Margaret's Barking on the RE:Generation film and photographic project that was part of the Barking Town Centre Artscape.

outcasting aims to freely offer a worldwide audience for filmmakers and a platform for their work. Selected work will be shown in bimonthly Seasons and will then be archived on the site. The first season of films is live and the next season will launch in a few days. So, have a look at outcasting here.

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Lou Reed & John Cale - Style It Takes.