CREATIVE SYMPOSIUM

In June 2009, Elevate working with local authority partners is hosting a two week symposium (residency) working with creative practitioners to explore options for temporary solutions to derelict sites. The idea for this symposium came about from conversations with local authority officers and previous example project work (Burnley, Blackburn) around the notion of keeping the community engaged and improving their environments while waiting for the development of new build. In June 2008, the Audit Commission reported to Elevate that there is a need to address environmental management and temporary solutions to cleared sites in particular.

These sites include cleared areas of land as a result of demolition work and boarded up houses awaiting demolition. Creative practitioners can include artists, architects, landscape architects, designers, ecologists etc. The process is about enabling and informing delivery on the ground using best practice wherever that makes the most impact and harnessing the engagement and imagination of individuals and communities. Sites allocated to the symposium are outlined in the document attached. 

The Symposium will:
·         Enable fresh ideas and new thinking to temporary solutions to derelict sites
·         Develop creative, collaborative and realistic project briefs for a variety of sites
·         Complete the research and development phase of a project to enable the local authority to commission and implement tangible projects this financial year
·         Develop a handbook which will be a documentation of all the ideas and be useful as a tool to help us to lever in funding from other sources to support the implementation of projects on site.

The outputs of the Symposium will include a minimum of 10 creative proposals and a document/toolkit to support the delivery of the project ideas. These will be shown as part of the Dig a Little Deeper conference - see below.

The Symposium and Conference form part of Elevate's Creative Community Engagement programme, funded by Arts Council of England: North West, Lancashire County Council and Elevate.

The Symposium also is funded by Burnley BC, Blackburn with Darwen BC, Hyndburn BC and Pendle BC through their Housing Market Renewal programmes.

NB The symposium will take place from Monday 15th - Friday 19th and Monday 21st - Friday 26th June 2009.

For the invitation, click here.
Click here for more background info.


'DIG A LITTLE DEEPER' CONFERENCE - 25-26 JUNE 2009

Download flyer here.
Click here for booking form.