COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The ambition for Newham Trackside Wall artwork was to capture and reflect the identity, heritage and future aspirations of the people who live and work in the area through community engagement.
Beginning in late 2017, Sonia Boyce and UP Projects developed and delivered a community engagement process with residents who lived or worked locally to the trackside wall to inform the artist’s designs. This approach was taken in order to understand and consider the communities’ aspirations, concerns and ambitions for the artwork and to gather a rich collection of testimonies to feature in it.
In interviews, questionnaires, public events, workshops, and drop-in sessions at community centres, participants were asked to share their experiences, memories, observations of change and hopes for the future. Open-ended questions allowed participants to share without influence, and their testimonies were transcribed as authentically as possible, without favouring or censoring topics. All testimonies are included in the artwork anonymously.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
A particular effort was made to reach people of a wide range of ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. Involvement from diverse groups, including young people and elders, from Asian, Afro-Caribbean and White British backgrounds was actively sought, highlighting the uniqueness of Newham as an historically multicultural neighbourhood.
Shortlisted proposals exhibition: Sonia Boyce’s proposal was selected from a shortlist that also included artists Oscar Murillo and Amalia Pica. The three proposals were presented in an exhibition that toured to community venues in June 2017 to gather feedback from residents. Photographer: Benedict Johnson
Ambassadors: via a call out, 17 community ambassadors - including local youth centre leaders, teachers, local residents, community organisers, artists and young people - were enlisted to act as local advocates for the engagement activities. Sonia led ambassadors on a two-day trip to Liverpool to study examples of how people have worked with artists to make positive changes in their neighbourhoods. Photo taken by an ambassador.
Meet and Greet events: Sonia hosted two events in Custom House and North Woolwich in October 2017 to get to know local residents and discuss the concept for the artwork. Photographer: Benedict Johnson
Pub Quiz: held at the Henley Arms in North Woolwich, the Newham Stories Pub Quiz helped gather historical and current facts about Newham. Photographer: Benedict Johnson
Interview at Tate & Lyle: delving into the history of the factory and its impact on the neighbourhood. Photographer: Alastair Fyfe
Local organisations and businesses catering to different ages and needs in the area were involved, including:
Tate & Lyle / Drew Primary School / St Joachim’s RC Primary School / North Woolwich Library / Custom House Library / North Woolwich and Silvertown Royal British Legion / Ascension Church / RDLAC (Royal Docks Learning and Activity Centre) / ASTA centre / Shipman Youth Centre / Garden Community Café/ PEACH (People’s Empowerment Alliance for Custom House) / Fight for Peace/ Eastside Community/ Heritage/ The Henley Arms/ YMCA College/ Chinese Community Association / University of East London