Advocacy

From regenerating struggling communities to tackling health inequalities, the Community Partnership Awards acknowledge dedication and endeavours towards improving the quality of life for current and future generations. The awards play a vital role in celebrating this success, as well as providing a benchmark for the industry to develop and grow.

Green Heart Partnership received second place for the prestigious Best Partnership award for the work GHP has developed throughout the 11 local authorites in Hertfordshire, and was also nominated for the Best Project award, for the work delivered on the regeneration of Stevenage Town Centre Gardens.

This major one-day national seminar will explore strategic commissioning and how local authorities may need to adapt to meet the growing demands for continuing cultural service development against the downturn in the national economy. It will consider how local authorities can get responsive delivery systems in place which are fit for task and how to access commissioning areas, with consideration of alternative forms of service delivery to meet the needs of the crosscutting agenda.

The seminar will also launch a new case study report ‘Outside In’ which looks at options and issues concerned with externalising local authority arts service delivery.

As well as considering option appraisals of how we can get good service delivery systems in place that are fit for purpose, the seminar will also offer different models of delivery, including contracting out to trusts and the commercial sector to provide future cultural services. With case studies, keynote presentations, breakout sessions and discussion forums, the seminar will seek scope the future landscape in which we will all work across England and Wales.

Download our presentation, NALGAO 17Feb10 >> (1.68 MB PDF)

Interdependence Day is an international initiative developed by Haring Woods associate Benjamin Barber and his NGO CivWorld, with think tank Demos, USA which aims to raise awareness of the interdependent character of global society and foster transnational and interdependent solutions to global challenges.

HWA has participated in Interdependence Day 2006, in Morroco, 2007 in Mexico City, Brussels in 2008, with The Art of Common Space featuring as a leading theme.

Eileen Woods is a member of the Global Steering Committee, which includes  Jacqueline Davis (USA) Executive Director of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, Sebastian Escultor (Mexico) one of Mexico’s most prominent living sculptors and co-host of Interdependence Day 2007, Guy Gypens (Belgium) Artistic Director of the Kaaitheater, and Host of Interdependence Day 2008, Lord Frank Judd (UK) parliamentarian and international negotiator, Adam Michnik (Poland) co-founder of Solidarity (Solidarnosc), editor-in-chief of Gazeta Wyborcza, the first independent Polish newspaper, Claus Offe (Germany) Professor of Political Science at The Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Saskia Sassen (USA) one of the foremost thinkers on cities in a global context and Cornel West (USA) Professor at the Center of African American Studies Princeton University.

Istanbul, Turkey is host to this year's Interdependence Day. 
Read more at www.civworld.org >>

Executive Director, Michael Woods and Green Heart Partnership manager Nicola Paddick presented an overview of the Green Heart Partnership's work over the last six years.  HACO were unanimous in recognizing the Green Heart Partnership’s success and strength of brand, and how this can be further developed for the county of Hertfordshire over the coming years.  Of particular interest was the fact that ‘Perception AREA’ - the innovative arts led public consultation process developed across the county - has now been utilized to work with the United Nations Habitat on a global scale through ‘Place on Earth’.

Eileen Woods was invited by Arts Council England East to present to members of the eastern region Local Government Arts Forum as part of their initiative to stimulate arts led activities in vacant shops.

Shop windows are a major element of the eye level urban landscape and can impact positively on the sense of place, the economy and well being of the community. Equally empty windows and shops can have significantly detrimental effects on city centres and high streets.

HWA senior partners Michael Woods and Eileen Woods were directors of Vantage Design and Vantage Productions & Events, one of the UK’s most successful and influential promotional companies. Their creative strategies, design and build of store window and in store displays for international brands produced landmark work for every major department store group, high street flagship stores and shopping centres throughout the UK.

Over 20 years, HWA has created and produced arts led shop window installations, as part of the programme content for arts and environment festivals, seasonal parades and special events.

This short powerpoint presentation, prepared for the Arts Council East meeting on June 17th provides a background to arts led activities in both empty and trading shops together with a sampling of current approaches and achievements.  Download ShopTalk/TalkShop presentation >>

Responding to the need for strong private / public sector partnerships to re-animate city centres and high streets, HWA are exploring a range of creative concepts for individual sites, regional and national initiatives. 

Find out more information on the Arts Generate website >>

Haring Woods Associates were invited by UN-HABITAT programme to propose a new concept for their youth and climate change initiative. On 2 April 2009 the Haring Woods team represented by Michael Woods, Eileen Woods and Jan-Gustav Strandenaes presented Place on Earth at the UN-HABITAT Governing Council 22, at the UN headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, to an audience of Council delegates, NGOs and international youth programme specialists.

HWA are now working in partnership with UN-HABITAT to develop the Place on Earth initiative.

For more information on the 22nd session of the UN Human Settlements Proramme Governing Council >>

The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is the leading professional and examining body for scientists, engineers, other environmental professionals, students and those committed to the sustainable management and development of water and the environment.  As part of CIWEM’s commitment to widening public understanding of the challenges to our planet, a major new strategic programme on Arts and the Environment was launched in 2007.

Eileen Woods was invited to be a part of the Arts & Environment Network Steering Group, contributing to the development of this new initiative’s creative, strategic and policies and activities: "Putting creativity at the heart of environmental policy and action”.  Fellow members include Michaela Crimmin, David Haley, Clive Adams, David Pritchard and Mark Flecther.

The A&E Network’s unique offer is to provide a link between the professionals charged with managing environmental issues and creative practitioners  The details of the Network’s remit are published here: http://www.ciwem.org/arts/

A&EN is not a funding body, but an invaluable resource to support artists as makers of change in the development, planning and realisation of a sustainable environmental.
For more information, or if you are interested in becoming part of the Arts & Environment Network, please email arts@ciwem.org

Tony Beckwith delivered a lecture to MA students at Goldsmiths Centre for Cultural Studies, led by Dr. Matthew Fuller.  This MA uses an innovative mixture of advanced cultural theory, and practice-based elements including placements and student-led research and experimental projects, aiming to put debates about organisation and production at the forefront of cultural thinking.  Tony spoke about HWA's practice at the forefront of cultural regeneration practice and especially focusing on the juxtaposition of developing a socially engaged practice through a commercially successful business model.

More information on the MA in Culture Industry at Goldsmiths >>

Due to his inspiring presentation at the 2008 conference, requests were made by members asking for a return visit from Tony Beckwith from Haring Woods Associates.  Joined by Michael Woods and Eileen Woods, HWA discussed their practice, where the arts are positioned at the centre of regeneration and growth and how this can be successfully delivered through local government.

Speakers from the plenary session Image courtsey of FLGA

Tony Beckwith presented to Hertfordshire Environmental Forum the latest environmental projects in development by HWA.  He spoke primarily about the Art of Common Space project which looks at exploring a new use and potential for our commons spaces, and in particular the Energy Cafe by artists Amy Plant and Ella Gibbs, known as Pilot Publishing, who have been creating a community led off-grid cafe at Gunpowder Park with self built bicycle powered generators and stoves.  Tony presented this scenario as an ideal example of how ‘the arts’ can turn a space, in this case an underused overflow car park, into a vibrant hive of creative activity that explores real every day solutions to global issues of environmental sustainability through hands-on projects; remembering that old adage: “I read I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand”.

Held in the Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena, Tony Beckwith was one of the key speakers at the annual FLGA forum, discussing the role of the arts and creative industries in building sustainable, mixed communities across various local government areas of the UK, including delivery and evaluation of impact. This was also a valuable opportunity for elected members, arts officers and activists to address key issues for the sector.

From left to right: Tony Beckwith, HWA, Rosemary Kelley, Chairman, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Noelle McAlinden, Chair FLGA, Nick Livingston, Head of Strategic Developement, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Jackie Barker, Arts Policy Officer, FLGA, Esko Rainkainen, Arts Development Officer, Monmoutshire, Wales Image courtsey of FLGA

The conference brought together two strands of work in the current Renaissance East of England programme and discussed the sustainability and growing community agendas.  Tony Beckwith was invited to present the work that HWA had developed in partnership with Essex County Council Creative Partnerships and private sector developers to develop a Cultural Strategy for Tendring District and subsequently an Arts Strategy for Jaywick.

The challenge in Jaywick was to establish a neutral way to positively engage the community with their changing environment. Haring Woods Associates (HWA) were chosen because of their track record in consulting with the public in creative ways to inform policy and development. They worked in Jaywick for 3 years on a series of interdependent arts projects designed to engage the community in framing a positive future for the town.

For more information visit Renaissance East >>

Interdependence Day is an international initiative developed by CivWorld and Demos, USA which aims to raise awareness of the interdependent character of global society and foster transnational and interdependent solutions to global challenges.  As an annual event led by political theorist Dr. Benjamin Barber, Interdependence Day 2008 was co-hosted by Kaai Theatre and the European Parliament, Brussels and featured a dialogue on The Art of Common Space programme and the potential art, architecture and design have to deliver truly common and democratic spaces.

Eileen Woods chairing the Art of Common Space panel. Image HWA