We got one!

After a thorough interview and selection process, one person was chosen as our artist-in-residence this year. She is: Kay Aplin!

Kay comes with loads of experience in public art (about 15 years). Kay has a degree from the prestigious Chelsea Art School. She's done international residencies as far away from the UK as Guatemala. Kay's worked with all sorts of people, including those who are visually impaired and deaf. Her work is in various locations around the UK. Her last residence before this one was in Bolton in the North of England.

We're really happy to have Kay working with us and are looking forward to seeing what she comes up with for the Hemmingwell. First of all, she'll meet the diverse people who live and work in the community, as well as talk to the council and other arts people in the area. Through all these conversations, the art will take shape.

It's a bit of a juggling act being a public artist, but it's what Kay is trained to do. Maybe you fancy art as a career for yourself? Here are some first steps to consider.

Finding an artist

When a plan had been agreed, Paula Armstrong, the council's arts officer, set about writing an artist's plan and brief. This included background to the project, the aims, how the artist would be expected to work with the community, a time-scale, fees and how to apply.

The creative brief was pretty wide, but it did have two important elements:

1. The artist would be expected to provide workshops for the community.
2. Work would be based loosely around the theme of birds - that's how streets are named on the Hemmingwell.

Paula then advertised in the usual places for artists, like the bench-mark a-n 'jobs and opps'. Any artist who wanted to apply would have to send in an 'idea sheet' (outlining their ideas), a CV, 6-12 images of work they'd done successfully already and whatever else they wanted that could support their application.

Here's the original advert.

When the deadline came, there were several applications. Who would be successful?

More on the importance of listening...

Listening to other people in a community is really important if you're hoping to make effective changes. That's all that consultation really is. It's a kind of conversation, where people come together to help each other out.

Earlier this year the Hemmingwell Action Group and the official Neighbourhood Renewal Officer at the local council decided an artist-in-residence could help the area. At the same time, children in local schools were working with police in the 'Young Detectives Scheme' (part of a county-wide initiative in schools). The children told the police they felt unsafe in the shopping area of the Hemmingwell.

About this time, the council's arts officer was also thinking about recruiting for an artist, under her bienniale artist-in-resident scheme.

All these groups of people came together and decided:

• an artist-in-residence
• in the Hemmingwell
• working to improve the area
• around the shops
• with the particular help of children

would be a good idea. (I love it when a plan comes together!)

So, that's how consultation works in practice and why we have an artist-in-residence this year.

Why art here?

You may be wondering why we're having an artist-in-residence scheme here in the Hemmingwell. The answer is simple: because the community wants it.

For a while, work has been going on to make the Hemmingwell a safer, more pleasant place to live and work. The very active Hemmingwell Action Group has already helped with:

• a new play area


• a skate ramp


• new road signs


• cash for making the roads safer


• a sports area


• the brand new (and very fab) community centre


• a new cafe where an old pub used to be

It's really important that the area, which is on a national UK Index of Deprivation, reflects the needs and wants of people who live there. That's why there is a continual process of consultation going on, to listen and act on people's views.

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog for the Hemmingwell artist-in-residence 2009!

This blog follows the adventures of an artistic project live as it unfolds from June to August 2009.

We take a look at what an artist-in-residence is, why a community might want to work with an artist and what they can achieve together. Along the way we'll meet new and key people from the community.

We'll also ask some big questions, like 'what is public art' and 'how can art really help an area?'

Blog posts will turn up regularly and you're free to comment, ask questions and chat about art. You are welcome here. It's good to have you along!