Andy: It has been was really good to create a legacy by making a piece of
work for the NCCD and Usher. I really enjoyed working with young people to make
work and projections; they were different to one another but both meant I met
great young people with lots to offer. This process felt like a positive approach
to working with young people - in
that they made with particular outcome and public event in mind. Kieran in
Lincoln seemed to grow especially both in sessions and at the projection where
the press wanted to talk to him – a really positive experience. I hope that the
group initiated at Lincoln can continue it felt like we catalysed something for
them and organisations involved. Getting the group through the door of each
venue was good, as I don’t think they would normally go there.
Steve:
I think there
are lots of things to talk about. I really want to say that it goes to show
that no matter what recruitment attempts you make to get people to places they
don’t normally go you have to sometimes try and then let it grow by word of
mouth and trial and error. I worried at first that it seemed an expensive way
to get people to engage but by the end, in Lincoln particularly, that the group
was working well. It was offering a space for people to make the work they
wanted and it was allowing them to demonstrate and learn skills and
experiences. This was all helped by bringing us in who are used to working in a
flexible way, but also because the work was being supported by a really good
youth worker and LOV staff. I also think that it is important to say how good
it is to get some work in a municipal collection and the future
potentials and knock on of that for us as a collective. I really like the
neon piece and think it adds to the venues.
Lee: I think that it made me realise how we're experts in getting folk involved or perhaps engaged. It’s to do with how our presence alters the
environment in as far as being open and friendly - slowly slowly we bring them
in. Which I suppose is difficult for organsiations sometimes but actually its
how it needs to work – the group take ownership and other people come along
because their mates said its good. I really think
that we set up a situation where ownership of the work is with the
participants – it means they are proud enough to turn up with their mates on
viewing night. I can definitely see room for more of this work in Lincoln,
there is potential future for group.
The commission validates our art - our socially engaged practice. Its about the housing
and showing all of our work within the sites, and it receiving the same status
as other artists - this is important. Our way of working is relevant and
contemporary and needed. Personally I enjoyed exploring the formula of processing information with the group
and then equally enjoyed diverting from it once people were engaged. I guess parallel
projects were happening ours and there’s at this point - connected through
exploring text and the potential of us all trying to communicate something
important and meaningful. I like how similar and different each venue is and how the neon words fit those
sites well.
Kate: I have enjoyed this commission – I feel happy with the work and the
neons I think are good. The organising has been easy or at least straight
forward and the LOV 1 team have done a great job doing negotiation on our
behalf - I feel like we have been supported and looked after. I think we all recognise
that what we were commissioned to do – a piece of work that was about using
tech and the internet to look at the essence of larger cultural products –
changed a bit as we went along due in part to settings and internet issues etc.
However it changed for the best when in came to the groups of young people and
what to for the best for them. We all know that we support them and adapt the work,
not that the work is weakened just altered. I suspect without being big headed this demonstrates that The
Collaborators are receptive to the needs of people, responsive to situations
and adaptable to issues and ideas. I think we responded well to the need of a
site, people involved and the artwork.
I suppose I would like to
think in future that issues around use of space at the Usher and booking of
rooms is improved due to things that occurred when we worked there. I also hope
that somehow provision is continued and opportunities made for the cohort that
worked with us – they have a lot to offer. I suspect both organisations
involved – Usher and NCCD know that to get teenagers in is hard and that when
you’ve got them through the doors you have to be nice to them, do things that
they’re interested in and work hard and differently to engage them. Its not rocket science but it is
challenging and sometimes outsiders and artists offer a way that can bridge the
gap.
As a group I think we learnt a lot and
it has made us think and discuss things further about collaborative/participatory
filmmaking. It’s a subject that we think about a lot - where is the value, the
quality and I suppose where is the work? I think we all agree that the ‘work’ for
this project with the young people was about engagement and letting them make
and try and experiment with new stuff. It was less about the final film,
although of course people are always keen to see an end product. It was also
good to use our projector on work that it was originally funded for –
people/art that wouldn’t usually access it as the rental price is prohibitive.
The creation of the Neon has
been in part hard won – how to edit down from so many options both from our distillations
and the work of young people. We always wanted the work to talk to them too and
reflect their lives and in one sense there is poetry in the final choice, that
of life and possibilities, something all the young people have in front of
them. The selection was also made in consideration of the buildings and their
purposes – they are positive words and I suppose reflect our enthusiasum for
the potential of art - both historical and new.
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