Neighbourhood Artist - Orchard Park, Cambridge 2007 - 2009

My brief was to offer creative approaches to the process of place-making and to develop a legacy artwork in collaboration with the ‘coming’ community of 1200 homes.

This developed into a series conceptually interlinked opportunities for creative participation by the new residents of a major, mixed use development at that time 'under construction' on the northern fringe of Cambridge. Originally called Arbury Park, it was renamed Orchard Park, by popular demand of the pioneer residents. Events included: gift frames for every new resident, Do-It-Ourselves Road signs, creative workshops, formation of Park Arts Group, temporary site-specific installations, carnival participation and an urban beach.

The following artists deserve credit for their involvement and contruibutions, in no particular order: David Houghton, Simon Keep, Paul Roylance, CJ Mahony, Emma Fenelon, Karen Rann, Elspeth Brooke, David Kefford, Helen Stratford, Ghettokid, Penfold, Andy O’Hanlon, Caroline Wright, Dan Fawcett, Mark Dixon

‘a show of hands’ : Artist book of photographs taken during the construction of the Orchard Park community centre

Documented in ‘Home Grown Art and the Cultivation of Neighbourhood’ by Oliver Bennett ISBN: 9780954144753

Archive of books, photographs, documents and ephemera held at the Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library

Dedicated to the builders and pioneer residents of Orchard Park, Cambridge. Footage shot by Kirsten Lavers during the construction of the Community Centre by Mars Construction. Edited by Daniel Fawcett, sound design by Simon Keep. 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' performed by Jolanta and Greg Wegrowski.