The third Forum event was held in Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester in March. The event, which was primarily a roundtable discussion, aspired to look at the issue of art commissioned in a rural context; how the arts can contribute to a process of rural regeneration, how they can the engage with rural communities and what role the arts can play in exploring how communities operate socially, culturally and environmentally.
In order to stimulate the discussion, a handful of people working in the arts in a rural context were invited to contribute to the event. Travelling from different parts of the country and organisations they brought with them very differing experiences. From Grizedale came Adam Sutherland, Director of Grizedale Arts, from North Devon were Andrew Bell, AONB and Countryside Development Officer, Northern Devon Coast and Countryside Service, and Arts Consultant, Lisa Harty. Sam Wilkinson, Arts Consultant, Lesley Greene, Chair, Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail and Artist, Robin Blackledge came up from the Forest of Dean and from the Irwell Valley were Cathy Newbery, Projects Officer, Irwell Sculpture Trail and Murray Chalmers from Groundwork Rossendale.
To start the Event off the Chair, Sam Wilkinson, asked all present to briefly describe who they were, where they came from and what burning issue or question they brought to the Event. After a visit to see some of the work commissioned for the Irwell Sculpture Trail including Titled Vase by Ed Allington, In the Picture by Richard Caink and Remnant Kings by Ian Randall, the meeting reconvened.
The contributors talked briefly about the organisations they worked in, the rural context in which they operated and the issues they perceived as being particulary pertinent to their current work. Adam Sutherland talked about Grizedale being a 'blueprint for what landscapes should look like' and how, because of the nature of the area in which they are working, the question of for whom they are making work and how you engage the visitor as audience are issues they continually struggle with. Andrew Bell and Lisa Harty talked about the work they are developing in North Devon, an area that is starting to and will continue to witness a huge change in land use and demographics. Consequently they perceived a challenge for the arts in terms of engagement with communities and the changes they face. Lesley Greene, Sam Wilkinson and Robin Blackledge talked about the Trust's vision for addressing a number of issues affecting the Forest and the work commissioned which centred around engaging the artists with the forest community. Finally, Cathy Newbery and Murray Chalmers talked about the changing nature of the Irwell Valley and how the development of this former industrial area, being driven by regeneration, was now focused on tourism and leisure. In this context, they saw the challenge being to continue to develop an appropriate and responsive commissioning programme.
These brief descriptors set a context for the debate that followed. that The issues raiseed included the need for a more critical appraisal of the work undertaken in the rural context, the importance of addressing the cultural needs of the people in the area in which the work is commissioned and the continuing need for advocacy.
Our thanks to all the contributors and especially Cathy Newbery for her support in organising the event and for the guided tour of the Irwell Sculpture Trail commissions between Lumb and Chatterton.