View the project page here
Invite:
"Within the context of the last year, I’m rethinking what it means to live well in keeping with our individual and collective values, both in our daily and local environments.
With more people spending time locally and in outdoor spaces, I want to investigate how we can become active agents of our localities, how we can rethink, redefine, and re-enter our local places, and how we can co-create our community’s shared future.
I would like to invite you to participate in the initial research phase of ‘This Could Be The Place’, which will include consideration and discussion of this topic.
The Quay Car Park Thomastown, Saturday & Sunday 19th & 20th June, 12-2pm.
Conversations, creativity, and curiosities all welcome."
What went well:
The social media advertising worked very well. Most people who arrived had seen the invite and video online.
People actually came and participated - I didn't know what level of engagement to expect so this was a big bonus.
A 10 year old boy was brought along by his father, and I found his participation to be the most imaginative and fun element of the day - hoping to find a way to access this more with adults.
What didn't go well:
I think it's of vital importance to make a point of welcoming people into the space so they feel comfortable to get involved, however it was difficult to welcome new participants while I was talking with someone already engaging with the project. I'll have to come up with some techniques which allow me to politely step away from a discussion to introduce new people.
I sincerely do not want this project to be a space for people to air their grievances, or preach an existing dogmatic opinion relating to how other people are ‘getting it wrong’, and there is one way to do it 'right'. Cultivating this open space where people feel they can be part of a solution rather than a problem might come with further stages of the project, but it will be a challenge.
What next...
After a successful first weekend, I will now collate all the information gathered and organise it into order of most to least popular responses.
I will also reflect on the methodology used, think about ways to improve anything that didn't work well, and create plans for the next stage of the project.
This Could Be The Place #2 will take place in a couple of weeks in the same location.