From Alex Corina…
Garston Shows the Art of Regeneration
Garston Cultural Village Campaign is delivering the biggest schools residency in the city with ten artists working with students in ten schools over ten weeks. And with all the artists in place, the project will be completed in July.
The Spirit of Garston project, part-funded by the Liverpool Culture Company, Neighberhood regeneration Fund, South Liverpool Housing,and PH Holt Trust and is promoting the importance and opportunities for recycling across
the city and demonstrating how schools and artists can play their part in encouraging recycling.
Putting employment at the top of its agenda, the Garston Cultural Village Campaign is aiming to create at least 250 new jobs in Speke and Garston in the run up to the Capital of Culture 2008. And after just 18 months it is well on the way to achieving its target with the creation of 25 new jobs for artists and craftspeople in the area.
Participating youngsters from Garston Gilmour Infants School will be joined by Councillor Paula Keaveney who is responsible for recycling and the environment for the city council.
Also present will be Clare Trenholm from the Liverpool Culture Company, Gilmour’s artist in residence Becca Backhouse and the driving force behind the campaign, artist Alex Corina.
Alex explains: “We wanted to encourage Garston’s young people to create a symbol for their village or their school by using everyday materials that might otherwise be thrown away.
“It aims to combine raising awareness of recycling and its importance to the environment with creative approaches to the arts.
“It is also about learning what materials can and can’t be recycled, considering how recycling saves natural resources, looking at recycling methods and how recycling can be used in art.