A Place For Words: Batley Family Encounters Project
What happened?
Encounters artists, Ruth Ben-Tovim and Trish O'Shea were commissioned by Loca to create a participatory arts project exploring stories of childhood from families in Batley, West Yorkshire. The project was commissioned on behalf of Batley Locality Children's Centre and aimed to create stronger links between the Children's Centre and local families.
Working with associate Artist Carry Franklin, The artists created a mobile street stall, which they toured around different parts of the area to engage with local people. Using a range of prompts including maps, suitcases, toys and questions, they collected stories about growing up, family journeys and inheritance from hundreds of passers by. Participants wrote the story of their family's journey to live in Batley on luggage labels, drew framed 'family portraits' and added their memories to an enlarged map of Batley. The market stall became a mobile and evolving exhibition, filled with participants' material. In each location, Batley Locality Children's Centre staff also set up a stall to make connections with participants. The artists also worked in two schools in the area, creating an activity kit for teachers to collect stories, memories and ideas from children and their parents.
At the end of the project, the artists created a legacy publication, working with graphic designers DED, to present the photographs, stories, family portraits and maps they had gathered. Every participant was given a free copy. The wealth of stories and images collected throughout the project was exhibited at Batley Library and later at Kirklees Media Centre, Huddersfield.
Project Gallery
Batley Family Encounters street stall
Batley Family Encounters exhibition at Kirklees media centre
Batley Family Encounters publication
What made it work?
- Producing a high quality legacy publication - this gave participants an opportunity to take pride in their stories and local area and have their involvement in the project valued and remembered.
- Working closely with the Children's Centre, rather than for them. The Centre invested a huge amount of time and energy in the project and was able to reach hundreds of people as a result.
- Strong project management from Loca, who designed the project brief and forged an ongoing relationship with the artists and Children's Centre and supported them both throughout.
Further information and links:
- To purchase a copy of 'Batley Family Encounters' please visit: www.encounters-arts.org.uk 07870 698333
- Loca
