Resistance was beautiful

For the Grow Heathrow Artists Residency: Resistance is Beautiful, 15 artists from all over; Bristol, Newcastle, Germany and more, gathered at Grow Heathrow on a Sunday, without really knowing what was in store for them in the week.

The project co-coordinators had created a loose structure. The beginning of the Residency was set up to introduce Grow Heathrow with its sustainable and community ethics and the history of Sipson, as nourishment and inspiration for the creative process. The week would culminate in some kind of ‘exhibition’ on the last day, which was to be planned by the residents. The rest of the week was open for the residents to make of it what they wanted.

Day one included tours of Grow Heathrow, looking at all the points of resistance, from the solar panels creating independent energy, to the many signs and placards opposing the third runway. Each resident then interpreted parts of the site that interested them, through their own creative means. On the Monday, a blank rota was also drawn up with chores such as cooking, washing up and going out to skip food. Throughout the week, everybody filled in their names to ensure the duties were equally distributed. At the end of the day, everybody was asked for feedback on how they felt it went, and the next day’s activities were discussed. As the light began to fade, the residents all settled in to a talk from Hedvig from the London Permaculture Network – more nourishment for the creative hands.

On the 2nd day the group was given a tour of Sipson and the surrounding area, showing the history of Sipson, and the detrimental effects the airport has had on the community. The residents were also joined by Steve, one of the many local residents who has adopted Grow Heathrow as a second home and who, with his wife and family are actively involved in protesting against the injustices being carried out by BAA. The rest of the day involved more creative interpretations, and ideas began to flow about the tragedy of Sipson, BAA and the hopes and strengths of the wider movement.

With our ‘introduction’ complete, everyone sat down to one of many delicious meals, made with ingredients largely ‘skipped’ or donated. Again, the group discussed opinions and experiences thus far, and what was wanted from the rest of the week.

By Thursday, the 4th day of the residency, the group had started to form plans of how the exhibition might evolve. Many ideas and concepts where discussed and suggested, from group forum theatre pieces to solo pieces. It was agreed by all that, of all of the worthy pieces of work we could muster between us, the site was not only a living breathing work of art, but also the site and its immediate surroundings represented enormous cultural relevance. It was our job as artists to present this in a way which embraced the significance, the beauty and the struggle of this powerfully charged square mile of land and the surrounding community. The form with which this were to take was a ‘trail’ or a ‘tour’ almost.

So Saturday came, the trail was set and a great mixture of friends and residents, new and old, were handed a map and sent off to explore the trail. The trail included paintings and signs at the gate, to art installations in the greenhouses, to creating a band playing entirely on recycled materials called the ‘Dumpstarz’ in the ‘Tat Store’ (the name given to the onsite recycling). A workshop was also organized, with talks and statements by residents and locals. These were held in the remaining derelict green houses to the ‘back’ of the site, which have been vacated since the early nineties, and have been nearly entirely ‘taken back’ by nature; trees and vines completely engulfing the vast amounts of domestic and industrial waste, and neglected market garden structures. We also went and did some excellent Guerilla gardening in the village, as part of the exhibition. Modifications were also made to a bridge, abstract installations, and ‘make your own pizzas’ in the Pizza oven made by residents. Oh and a map to the trail was lovingly penned by our one and only Mike!

It was a week of such condensed inspiration and action that it’s hard to fit everything in, but the magic of the residency has inspired Grow Heathrow residents, Sipson residents and residents from across the country and beyond. Thanks to everyone involved.

This blog was written by Dan, one of the artists who took part in the residency

Art week

The artist residency which took place at Grow Heathrow last week was extremely successful. 15 artists came and lived with us for a week which culminated in an exhibition/tour on the Saturday. A proper blog is to follow soon but for now here is a few pictures. And a whole series of more photographs can be found HERE.

Arts residency exhibition date set

This week Grow Heathrow have been busy preparing the site for the arrival of 15 artists on Sunday night for a week long arts residency.  The exhibition date has now been set for Saturday 21st January, from 11am at Grow Heathrow, where all work created during the week will be on display.

The residency, called ‘Resistance is beautiful’, funded by Hillingdon Council, will explore the creative link between resistance, permaculture, occupation and resilience. The exhibition on the 21st will start at 11am with drinks and snacks later in the day.

For more info contact: growheathrow.residency@gmail.com

For directions see: http://www.transitionheathrow.com/grow-heathrow/

Resistance is beautiful: Artists Residency

Grow Heathrow are offering the opportunity to be part of a week-long artistic residency that explores the creative link between resistance, permaculture, occupation and resilience.

We hope to immerse ourselves in the realities of group living within a project and place that would be destroyed by the third runway. We will use the site as a home, workshop and gallery, in a project funded by Hillingdon Council where outcomes are unknown.

WHO: Anyone is welcome, whatever age, skill level or experience.

WHEN: 16th January 2011 till 22nd January. (with people arriving evening of Sunday 15th)

WHERE: Grow Heathrow, Sipson, UB7 0JG.

COST: Free, but a deposit of £20 will be asked to secure your place.

WHAT: You will be provided with sleeping space, materials.

CONTACT: growheathrow.residency@gmail.com for more information.

DEADLINE: 5th January 2012

Community Power posters

Collaborations by Miss Badchild, Cadi, Alex, Nath, Rob

http://missbadchild.blogspot.com/ http://nisoydealla.tumblr.com/ www.eighteenthirtynine.com

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland comes to Grow Heathrow. It’s true! Over the past year and a half Grow Heathrow has hosted many political gatherings, direct action trainings, workshops, skillshares, community gatherings and has generally provided an alternative lifestyle to capitalism but to be honest – all we have ever really wanted to do is sit and drink tea and watch Alice in Wonderland. And now we can!

Jabberwocky Theatre Productions presents:

‘Waiting for Alice’ – a play by Holly Race Roughan & Alex Woolf

4 pm, Sunday, 11th September 2011, Grow Heathrow, Ticket prices: Pay what you like.

The stage is littered with gleaming teacups. Sat around a long table are figures in rusting top hats and cobwebbed jackets. They sit. Tea is poured. They drink. They wait. Tea is poured. They sip. They wait. Absurd, comic and sharp, this is an explosive piece of new writing from Bristol’s critically acclaimed company Jabberwocky. Why is a raven like a writing desk? Where or what is Alice? A dark secret lurks in the dregs of these cups.

Directed by Holly Race Roughan with Assistant Director, Alex Woolf Produced by Katie Pesskin with Assistant Producer, Lara Taylor

Cast: Holly McKinlay, Eleanor Henderson, Nick Finegan, Tom Wragg-Smith, Callum Brodie,

Reviews of ‘Waiting for Alice’ 2011:

**** (The Scotsman) **** (Broadway Baby) **** (Edinburgh Fringe Reviews) **** (Fringe Biscuit)

” a tremendous ensemble” (The Stage)

“anybody would enjoy the clever characterisation and fine performances from the ensemble cast” (The Scotsman)

Catch Transition Heathrow at Creative Transition event

On Tuesday 24th May, Transition Heathrow will be joining in with a day of talks and open space discussions about sustainability and resilience in art and design education. The event titled ‘The Keys are under the Mat’ is being organised by a group of staff and students from the CCW Graduate school (Camberwell College of Arts, Chelsea College of Art and Design and Wimbledon College of Art).

The group, calling themselves Creative Transition, have recently started a passionate conversation about sustainability and resilience in art and design education. Creative Transition is a call to all CCW staff and students to start talking about taking practical steps toward the art and design school they want to see in the future – inspired by how artists, designers, activists, writers and thinkers are responding to current challenges in the here and now.

There are noticeably few models for this new approach to radical revision of the new structures of curricula of existing art schools. The day will hopefully inspire individuals to work together to see how they might be creative in their own institution.

From 10-4pm in the Red Room, Chelsea College of Art Design. RSVP to ted@chelsea.arts.ac.uk

Art activists visit Grow Heathrow – Tara’s blog

The week, from 21st – 25th June, was a brilliantly mad one as the Interference group – a group of over 20 radical artists, activists and individuals, learnt about the links between art and activism.

We went on a day trip to the Grow Heathrow camp in the village of Sipson, the village recently saved from destruction due to the cancellation of the third runway.

As we arrived the group was having introductory talks from Paddy. I was busy being horrendously late, and had to wait for someone to find the keys for the gate. Looking over at the row of greenhouses it looked homely and welcoming, and I got to chat to some of the long term people on the site who’d been working to turn this land into an organic market garden from March. It was easy to see the huge commitment made to the site as derelict greenhouses had been restored to working spaces full of plants, sofas and working equipment (all donated mostly from the local community). There were several tonnes of rubbish on site that the local residents had convinced Hillingdon council to clear free of charge.

What Interference has found so inspiring from this is that it found activism at its extreme end and at its most potent, working with local communities for real change and long term goals. The land itself is also gorgeous, although ridiculously hot in the summer heat. It was a fully working mini village, with living space, toilets and plenty of food growing around us. The people at Grow Heathrow welcomes visitors with workshops and talks about climate change, permaculture and the surrounding issues of these.

My main task for the day was helping to create lunch with Kasha and Lisa from Interference. We already had chilli cooked by Sam and Mark, as well as some little extras, and finding the communal kitchen wonderful to use, decided to get a little bit ambitious. I made my best ever pot of rice, fried some potatoes and made red onion marmalade using the supplies generously given to us by the Grow Heathrow team. We all had a fantastic lunch in the shade, following a morning of the Interference group helping out on site with construction and gardening.

During the afternoon, fully inspired by the visit, we went off in our groups across the rest of the site to plan our own actions the next day around east London (you can read all about that in our book ‘A piece of the action’ self published and released, or have a look at our flickr account for a visual account of the week, including our time at Grow Heathrow).

Having moved away from Hounslow recently I’m looking forward to returning to that wonderful place (as are many other Interference people!) for the working weekend coming on —- where volunteers once again will pitch their fork into making the land functional and beautiful. Come and join us there!