John Cockram

John Cockram proposes to construct a three walled glass structure creating a ‘room’ on the South East coast. As the tides rise and fall against its glass walls, ROOM will encroach into the sea to act as a stunning focal point for creative contemplation of the environment, the effects of global warming and our complex relationship with the waters surrounding this corner of the British Isles. Constructed from steel and glass, it will encourage use of the space both for personal reflection and collective activity - a space for performances, exhibitions or simply looking at the view. Associated projects will draw on a range of community and youth expertise, encouraging involvement from all sections of society. The structure will act as an open-air gallery, performance and meeting space, providing a venue for local programming and events.
Location: South East coast
 
Community Engagement
Three artists commissions will result in audio visual work to be projected onto the structure from dusk onwards. In addition three schools projects are proposed:

ROOM with a View
This will explore children’s ideas about the kind of environment they would wish for their future. A project will be developed in which all southeast primary schools will be invited to participate. Children will be asked to create a picture of the view that each would ideally like to see out of their window when they reach adulthood. Thousands of ‘rapid-fire’ images will be assembled on DVD and projected onto the end wall of ROOM – a visual voice from the children of today to the adults of tomorrow.

Hands across the Water
Participation and cultural links on a global scale will be created through a series of creatively inspired dialogues between primary age children in this country and their counterparts in those cities which have previously hosted and are currently bidding for the next Olympics. The Internet will be used to support an exchange of experiences of the unfolding 2012 Games and hopes for an environmental and Olympic future.

Message in a Bottle
This will involve children from ten primary schools in coastal locations to develop ideas, images and questions about sporting and environmental futures. These will be inserted with contact details into glass bottles, each with a tracking device, then sealed and cast adrift at sea by regional seafarers. The timeframe, location and content of the conversations that ensue will be entirely down to the tides and elements.
 

Sofia Castelo

Sofia Castelo proposes a temporary floating pedestrian walkway stretching from Dover towards the French coast. The Less Travelled Path is inspired by three elements: the English Channel as the historical gateway to England, the white cliffs of Dover and the Olympic Games. The walkway will be built with naval industry elements, reinforcing the historical importance of England’s seafaring past. The installation will be seven miles long from England and half a mile connecting from France. The thirteen mile long expanse in between will be connected by a sea shuttle.

Dave Blake

Dave Blake proposes to create a unique digital archive with the people of South East England telling the time whilst going about their everyday lives. 1,440 different people would tell the time each day – one person for each minute of the day. The films would portray a true and positive representation of 24 hours in the south east, embracing the region’s diversity. To realise this project, 288 filmmakers ranging from leading British directors to students from the South East will be invited to make five one-minute films each. Produced by Fuel, the project will be led by Dave Blake.
 

Red Earth (Caitlin Easterby and Simon Pascoe)

Landmark is a great communal adventure: the creation of a chalk ring inspired by the Neolithic enclosures created across southern England 5000 years ago. For one year participants would dig and build a ring of raised chalk 30 metres in diameter, finished with four gateways carved from wood and stone. Archaeologists, geologists, architects and land managers would be invited to help design, plan and work alongside the public during the build. Interdisciplinary artists would be invited to interpret the site, the entire construction process underscored by interactive public performances and soundscapes.