Green art cornered
Scarecrows will be coming to life in North Liverpool as part of a unique arts project.
Young people in Alt Valley are creating a flock of life-size scarecrows out of recycled materials including old clothes, furniture, paper and even a superlambanana.
During half term, the group of 7-14 year olds will work on their creations which are symbols of what the youngsters want to ward off, and attract, to their community.
The Bluecoat is working with the youngsters to create their scarecrow masterpieces. Annie MacLean, Arts Outreach Manager (Alt Valley): “Four Corners is a fantastic project which has the potential to leave a real legacy for arts organisations working with local management areas.
“I manage ART Valley which is a direct result of the Four Corners project uniting two arts organisations, the Bluecoat and Liverpool Everyman Playhouse Theatres, and working together with the Alt Valley management team.
“The Scarecrow project has created a buzz within the area. Groups of young people have thought carefully about what they want to say through the Scarecrows, whether that is a message of healthy eating or bringing pride to their area.
“I can’t wait for the Scarecrow trail that we will host across Alt Valley on the 22 August, inviting people to come and find all the Scarecrows.”
All of Liverpool’s neighbourhoods are getting creative once again as part of the innovative Four Corners programme, which is one of the main legacy projects from the city’s Capital of Culture status.
Now in its fourth year, Four Corners links residents, cultural organisations, artists and the city council’s neighbourhood services team to explore the question “what does the environment mean to you and your neighbourhood?”
Using art, drama, poetry, planting and podcasts, hundreds of people in communities across the city will answer the environmental question in their own special way.
Other projects include:
South Liverpool
Residents have been working with South Liverpool Neighbourhood Management Service on the Adopt a Plot project. This encourages them to take responsibility for an area of unloved and neglected land in their community and transform it with plants, shrubs and some TLC. Podcasts and blogging are being used to document their progress.
South Central
Working with Arts in Regeneration (AiR) and the Eden Project, people from Toxteth are holding ‘The Big, Big L8 Lunch’ – a huge tea-party where everyone in the neighbourhood is invited. The key message of the day is sustainability and residents are preparing for the Princes Boulevard event by growing food and flowers or creating street music, art and theatre all of which will be showcased throughout the event.
Liverpool East
Stanley Park is the focus for this area and groups of people have been working with the International Centre for Digital Content (ICDC) talking about their experiences of, and aspirations for, the Grade II listed park. As part of the initiative they are being trained how to produce short films, animations and audio tracks to bring their stories to life.
Liverpool city council’s executive member for the environment, Councillor Berni Turner, said: “For the past four years Four Corners has been an outstanding success and I’m delighted that in the Year of the Environment, residents are being encouraged to think about what the environment means to them and where they live.
“There has been some fantastic work already done by the people of the city, coupled with local artists, and the support of the Neighbourhood Managers has been superb."
This year cultural organisations involved with working with the communities are ICDC, The Bluecoat, Encounters, AiR, and Everyman & Playhouse.
Executive member for safer, stronger communities, Councillor Marilyn Fielding, said: “This is a truly pioneering project which has raised people’s aspirations and increased their confidence and skills. We are bringing Liverpool's leading arts organisations directly into the community in a unique partnership.
"It is helping young people engage with older people and letting the whole community document their memories of the past and aspirations for the future."
The projects will culminate in a special exhibition at The Bluecoat from the 23 - 29 July – where the projects will be displayed or performed throughout the venue.
