Salford says it with fire
Salford says it with fire
Salford residents will burn a 40ft high Sculptural bonfire at Peel Park on Sat 15 March at 7pm as a community event called Strike the Light which also involves Walk thePlank. This celebration is a culmination of a 14-month out-reach programme in Little Hulton from The Lowry on Walkabout.
Graeme Urlwin, Walkabout’s Project Manager, explained, “The burning of objects created by local residents is symbolic of burning everything that is negative in their lives, looking to the future and what people would want Little Hulton to be like”.
Walkabout brings together a range of development projects in Little Hulton to produce Strike the Light. Lanterns made by local primary children, reflecting what they would like to change in the area, will welcome people to the event along with music from a brass band. Little Hulton’s eleven to eighteen-year-olds have created a musical score, which will accompany the show. Local residents will also help the internationally-acclaimed Salford based Arts organisation, Walk the Plank, create a magnificent large scale sculptural bonfire. CRIIS (Creative Industry in Salford) will screen a 20-minute film made by the residents of Little Hulton.
Cath Hamilton, Chair of Kenyon Way Residents’ Association, explained “It’s an incentive for the city to get together and participate. The final night is going to be wonderful.”
Walkabout aims to use creative activity to develop opportunities for participation and social engagement among Salford’s communities. Since January 2007 Walkabout has focused on community cohesion in Little Hulton and alongside residents has developed 79 events, workshops and opportunities.
Andy Farrell, The Lowry’s Head of Community & Education, commented “First and foremost we’re interested in helping to build communities through creativity. By going out to Salford communities and finding out what they are passionate about, we can respond to their interests and encourage social participation through creative activity.”
Working in partnership with agencies across the city, the projects are driven by the participants and their ideas reacting to problems they have identified within their own communities. Walkabout encourages participants to work together to devise, plan and deliver creative projects which, in turn, challenge problems embedded within their communities and contribute to improving life for Salford residents.
Andy Farrell, comments “With the long-term support of The Lowry’s Community and Education team, we hope that participants will take forward the creative opportunities initiated during Walkabout and continue to use these community-based activities to build relationships and tackle social problems. Furthermore, we anticipate that the project will bring participants closer to The Lowry itself with our Galleries, theatre performances and participatory courses offering varied opportunities to pursue the creative interests inspired during the residencies.”
Walkabout involves partnerships with several organisations across the city including Salford City Council, Salford PCT Health Improvement, One Stop shop as well as funding from Safer Stronger Communities.
Posted on Wednesday, 27 February 2008 under Press Community & Education Press