What the community wants.

How do we know what they want….

I just had an interesting conversation with a local artist who is organising an arts event.  We were talking about whether or not people ‘wanted’ different kinds of artistic happenings in our community and how did we know.  

Over the years as a creator of many arts programs in this area, I have asked myself this time and time again.  What is it that this community are wanting, and are they prepared to experience something different and new if I offer it? How do we know as artists or arts programmers what the audience want?

For instance, young people really resonate with circus, and the Hip Cat Circus has gone from strength to strength over the past 9 years.  On the back of that I have attempted to offer other kinds of theatre experiences for young people, none have equalled the success of the circus, and quite frankly most have down-right failed.  Circus has that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that young people in particular are looking for; it is accessible, fun and ever so slightly risky.

So many times I have been caught in the trap of thinking ‘I know’ what will attract an audience or participants just because yesterday I did something similar and it was a resounding success.  Not sure why, but this just never seems to work.  Even down to: just because we had an actor doing a one-hand show about a topic that was so successful that we could’ve sold it out 4 times over, then the same actor comes back on another topic – or even brings the same show back, on the same topic, at another time – and we struggle to sell even one show….go figure!

The times that I have spent asking the community what they want, and then programming that, still has had mixed results – as often the person who talks the loudest is not necessarily speaking on behalf of the all.  When it comes down to it we are all just speaking on behalf of ourselves.

I guess as an arts programmer, or artist in a community, all we can do is make offerings.  If some of these offerings are taken up and are seen by an audience, or participated in, then we take that as a positive.  If it’s new and different to anything that has been on offer before it might take a community a bit of time to ‘get it’ and that has got to be OK.  Ultimately for either the artist or for the programmer, if we believe in the art, can communicate that passion and the reason for it, then the community can make up their own minds, and we can learn from that.

If you would like to join in the conversation or let me know what you want to see in your community, please leave a comment here or on facebook

Merryn Tinkler

Urban screen or exurban screen

All around the world, buildings are being projected on with wild and amazing digital art.  Animation has gone 3D and is growing out of old heritage buildings.  

There are many amazing examples on the internet that show spectacular animations as part of community celebrations. Some of my favourites include our beloved Hamer Hall in Melbourne being deconstructed last year during the Melbourne Festival (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgVHXO1QZoA); or this one called “How would it be if a house was dreaming?” (http://www.urbanscreen.com/usc/41 )

Perhaps building projection has taken over from fireworks by providing major community events with the WOW factor.

Urban screens is a phenomena that is a part of this digital projection culture.  These differ slightly in that they are permanently installed screens that are programmed with various digital art, promotion or even propaganda.  They are electronic canvases in urban environments all around the world, including LED screens and signs, plasma screens, information terminals and projection surfaces as well as intelligent architectural surfaces and media facades.

And there is Frankston's screen at Cube 37.

London is also a prime example.  A number of years ago urban screens were set up in 18 sites across London in preparation for the Olympic Games. The aim being that the public could get a taste of what to expect in July and then in July to create a destination for families to enjoy the Games within their own borough. Like a large TV in the middle of the town square without the capacity to change channels. They are funded by the BBC, so have a slightly more commercial aspect to them, however, what it highlights is the power of digital mediums to bring people together and to create communities.

The likening to fireworks, where we all gather around in the dark with children on our shoulders and go ooohh ahhh at gun powder powered colourful explosions going off over our heads.  It brings us together as a community because we love to gather and we love spectacular.

This aspect of community building is something that is being explored on a much more ground roots level in urban environments all over the world.  Not all local areas can afford the likes of London’s urban LCD screens or the technical genius of the 3D animations on heritage buildings.  Any surface can be utilized, and cheaper technologies that can produce light, project colour and create atmosphere can be used to bring a sense of newness and aliveness into otherwise dark and empty areas of towns and cities.

Frankston is going to explore just this in late June.  exUrbanScreens is a project that is going to bring life to the dark corners of Frankston during the darkest time of the year.  Check it out www.exurbanscreens.com