So, we might not have the amazing pop-up fold-out art-cart info-desk of our dreams built yet (or even properly designed on paper), but we are making decent headway with amazing art and writing. It turns out that building a super fun educational resource about how great it will be to avert climate and ecological breakdown is, y'know... quite a lot of time consuming work.
Word on the street recently got around that the E17 Art Trail was back on for 2021, after the covid-induced pause last year. When we saw that the theme was 'Possible Futures', we knew that we had to take part somehow, even if it was in a slightly disheveled, work-in-progress way. An opportunity to test and refine our ideas, let people know we are here, and most importantly, get to know and make connections with the myriad of local organisations, groups and individuals in the neighbourhood doing the beautiful work of community, creativity and care.
We also see this as an opportunity to create a space that embodies as best we can, the 'Calls to Action' recently put forward by the Transition Network's Bounce Forward project. In March 2021 Transition Bounce Forward, CTRLShift and Losing Control held the What Next? Summit, to explore how we can build community power to bounce forward from Covid19 towards a more sustainable and equitable future. I was lucky to be able to attend a great many of the talks, it was a deeply illuminating and inspiring gathering of people and ideas. Many of the conversations are available to watch here.
Of course our project would not be possible without the seed funding provided by the Transition Network's Bounce Forward project, and the Lotteries Community Fund. We pitched our project in partnership with Transition Leytonstone, who are doing wonderful things all over E11. We would so love to see the return of a busy and thriving Transition Walthamstow, perhaps the seeds for that will be sown and watered during our 'work-in-progress' outing for the E17 Art Trail?
The plan is to turn our slightly dusty, under-used, monochrome driveway into a colourful and welcoming gallery/living room space, where anyone will be welcome to pull up a chair and have a chat about what a thriving, post-carbon community could look like. If covid rates stay low, there will be books and reports to flick through and ways to contribute your own ideas, knowledge and imaginings. Our aim is to create a space that inspires curiosity, empathy, imagination and courage, along with providing accessible information and a welcoming of all the complicated, uncomfortable feelings that too often get pushed down and away when climate enters the chat.
Most excitingly, our friend Professor Simon Lewis, (author of The Human Planet, How We Created the Anthropocene and Professor of Global Change Science at UCL) will be joining us on Friday the 16th of July from around 5pm - 8pm, for an informal 'Ask A Climate Scientist' session. Have a burning hot question? Come along!
Outside of this highlight of the year, you will find us doing our thing from Thursday 1st of July to Sunday the 18th of July, Thursday & Friday 5-8pm, and Saturday and Sunday 12-5/6pm, weather dependent of course. Check the details in the E17 Art Trail Guide! We look forward to meeting all the curious minds in our lovely neighbourhood.
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