Swallonest, Public Art
In 2015 ROAR were commissioned to manage the delivery of a Public Art project in Swallownest, focused on the new housing development built on what was a garden nursery and an orchard before that.
Based on creative taster sessions and a variety of consultations with the new and neighbouring residents on the new development one issue came to the fore as significant. Youthful anti social behaviour, that made use of the newly exposed footpath, leading to skateboarding, footballs against walls, and noisy gatherings causing much upset to the residents.
This informed the artists brief and led to artist Martin Heron being engaged. Martin worked with groups from a wide cross section of the community, delivering workshops and gathering stories and ideas.
There were a series of options presented to stakeholder groups, including the Parish Council for selection and approval.
Using the Section 106 money as match we successfully secured Arts Council funding to install a bespoke metal fence that incorporated many peoples individuals designs and assisted in changing the behaviour patterns of some of the anti social activity, and most definitely winning round the hearts and minds of the sceptics.
