 |
 |
 |
|
| Leaf Arts |
|
| community & public arts |
|
| www.leaf-arts.co.uk |
|
|
| Leaf Arts provides creative arts opportunities to empower, assist and facilitate people in making positive changes within their lives and community. |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Art in Regeneration |
The creative arts play a significant role in the regeneration of our communities, and have done so for the last 30 years. Although there are differing reasons and methods of regenerating a region the key fact underlying regeneration schemes is the political will and public finances that drive these projects forward. The aim always being to transform the lives of people considered to be living in poverty. |
| The core objectives of regeneration projects are usually about focusing on the resolution of the following depravation indicators - low levels of employment, generally high levels of problematic health issues, low income levels, low education levels, poor housing and environmental conditions and high crime figures. Concentrating on improving the physical and functional aspects of an area has traditionally been understood to automatically lead to an improvement in the economy, which in turn will lead to improvements in all the other depravation indicators mentioned above. Although this is partially the case it should not be seen as a given. |
| No matter how beautifully the fabric of a community is regenerated, if the social fabric is not addressed, sustainable communities will not emerge. By social fabric we mean ‘social capital’ – a term devised by academic Robert Putman. He recognised the complexity of our lives and the intrinsically social nature of human beings and created a term of reference that could begin to be measured more objectively. It is the establishing of social networks and connectivity between people with shared values, concerns and respect that brings about stability and a nurturing community. It is the creation of social capital, along with the established objectives of regeneration initiatives that will move communities from depravation to health. |
| Seen within the context of Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ theory which states that people are only able to pursue, let alone recognise, their higher needs once their basic needs of physical shelter, food and basic income have been met, shows just why regeneration projects have focused on the building of houses, parks, improved roadways, etc. However that alone will not offer people the tools and chance to recognise their higher needs and that of their community. It has been recognised, through research, that simply throwing money at improving peoples’ physical needs does not lead to sustainable regeneration. |
| The many government agencies and charities that exist do a huge amount of valuable work in directly addressing the difficult issues at play within peoples’ lives, and undeniably contribute towards building improved social capital. They too contribute towards enabling people to raise their aspirations and begin to start thinking about addressing their higher needs, ultimately leading to self actualisation. But even they do not have all the tools that are needed to enable people to become fully rounded individuals within a interconnected and communally sustainable community. |
| Regeneration programmes need a tool that along with all the tools of developers, government agencies and charities, has the power to delve deep enough to make a real sustainable difference. This tool is the creative arts. The creative arts has for decades been shown to offer people the ability to address the deep seated personal issues such as lack of self respect, low self esteem or confidence, low self worth, communication problems, and many more, that deeply underlie the reasons people fall within the depravation indicators in the first place. On a community level, it is the very same issues that inhibit people partaking in social networks, contributing to civic responsibilities and feeling proud of where they live. The creative arts need to take their place as a core activity within regeneration programmes and within a package of measures working towards building the sustainable communities of tomorrow. If long term sustainable creative arts projects were put in place they would be seen to underpin the social, emotional and personal in making houses into homes, streets into communities and spaces into places. Regeneration initiatives need to understand that ‘selling a lifestyle’ needs to go beyond the billboard and include real interaction with house purchasers and tenants in ensuring the ‘lifestyle’ they’re buying into is sustainable, meaningful and life enhancing. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
