Date: Monday 24 August 2020 – Thursday 31 December 2020
Our Museum & Galleries will close for Christmas from 19 December 2020 – 3 January 2021, reopening on 4 January 2021. All Christmas shutdown details are listed here.
About the Festival
The Atkinson, in collaboration with Hope Streets, Curious Minds and Blaze, is working with a group of Young Producers to create the Festival of Hope Sefton; a pioneering festival that places young people at the heart of design, making, programming & production.
The festival’s Young Producers are Sally Dugmore, Greg Hodge, Lisa McGrady, Max Regan and Shannon Weekes. Find out more about them here.
Due to the current Covis-19 outbreak, the Young Producers have been presented with an opportunity to reflect the world around them and commission exciting artworks as well as accessible digital platforms.
The series of projects will be delivered throughout 2020 and exhibited at The Atkinson during the Festival of Hope Sefton takeover (24 October – 7 November 2020).
David Ogle: First Light
Artist David Ogle has been commissioned to work collaboratively with Festival of Hope Sefton to create a new large-scale work incorporating light. The artwork is situated on The Atkinson’s façade, acting as a marker for the Sefton Festival of Hope takeover.
In the installation, the front of The Atkinson is taken over by greenery, reflecting on the length of time the building remained closed and dormant during Lockdown. Rising above the greenery is a striking, brightly lit, sun disk. The sun disk radiates hope and positivity of The Atkinson re-awakening, and illuminates the building after dark with its other-worldly form.
Young Producers: Sally Dugmore, Greg Hodge, Lisa McGrady, Shannon Weekes and Max Regan.
Featuring: David Ogle
David Ogle, First Light, The Atkinson, 2020. Images courtesy David Brown Photography.
Butterflies in the Chaos
Created through a process of image creation, this short film called ‘Butterflies in the Chaos’ gathers the thoughts and feelings of this group of young people and situates them within a generation experiencing a pivotal time in our history; full of environmental and political uncertainties.
Young Producers: Sally Dugmore, Greg Hodge, Lisa McGrady, Shannon Weekes and Max Regan.
Featuring: Laurence Payot
The Skate Paint
Reform (Richard Preston and Alex Cullen) have painted a large-scale mural at the skate park in North Park, Bootle. The artists used memories from local people as inspiration for the mural, as well as images they strongly associate with Bootle and Sefton and their ideas for messages of hope. The process has also been documented and made into a film
Young Producer: Greg Hodge
Featuring: Reform (Richard Preston and Alex Cullen)
This is our Home
Artist Dan Chan has created a textile artwork in the structure of a house. The fabric pieces represent the history of Sefton, as well as what ‘home’ means to the communities currently living in the borough.
Map 1:
• Men and Women in formation inspired by Southport’s involvement in WW2. For example, moving children out of the area by train during The Blitz.
• RAF Woodvale
• Bomb damage in Bootle, the most bombed area outside of London during The Blitz.
• Fort Crosby
Map 2:
• Fashions and life in Sefton during the 1980s.
• The Docks
Map 3:
• A celebration of our key workers during lockdown – the postal service, NHS workers at the hospital and supermarket workers.
• Formby woods with an image representing family today.
• Rimrose Valley and the hope it will still be here to enjoy as its future is uncertain.
Young Producer: Shannon Weekes
Featuring: Dan Chan
-
- Map 1
-
- Map 2
-
- Map 3
Sustainability as an Artform
This model of ‘Utopia’ is designed by Young Producer Max and Artist Sascha. Max commissioned this project to share knowledge of recycling and looking after our planet.
During lockdown, nature has become more important to us than ever. We noticed the birds in the sky, how spring turned into summer, how nature makes us feel and the sense of quiet without rush hour or traffic. This new artwork invites us to reflect on this period, think about our impact on nature, and how we might change our ways.
This sculpture is made out of recycled materials and environmentally friendly adhesives. It’s lifecycle has been carefully thought through and it is fully compostable. Further sections will be added to the artwork over time.
Please get involved! A video tutorial will soon be available, inspiring you to create your own utopias at home.
Young Producers: Max Regan
Featuring: Sascha Gilmour
Lumivon
A zine created by Young Producer Sally Dugmore reflecting on Hope.
‘Heritage is about leaving something behind that shows people in the future what was important to you…I want to make heritage more relatable to young people.’
Young Producer: Sally Dugmore
Newspaper Of Hope
A Newspaper of Hope written by young people for young people and produced with Comics Youth. Download here.
Featuring: Comics Youth
Reach
Facilitated by artist Lisa Langan, VIBE’s Climate Crew Eco Club collected and cleaned rubbish from the Leeds/Liverpool canal to create a sculpture of a hand. Lander Road Primary made a balloon housing all the faces of the young people who have taken part in Conquer Life projects and partnered in the Eco Club.
The clenched fist is a universal symbol of solidarity and support. The balloon is a symbol of reaching for unity, and strength when working together to change how we care for our environment & community. The young people loved expressing their views through this sculpture. Solving problems in relation to found materials encouraged them to think of different possibilities, not only related to the sculpture, but to the way we could change our thinking related to our environment.
Conquer Life is a social enterprise growing out of Bootle. VIBE is one of their free projects for young people age 8-18.
Featuring: Lisa Langan / Conquer Life / VIBE / Lander Road Primary
Hope In Our Time
A short film looking at Southport 20 years ago before the turn of the 21st century and stating the group’s hopes for Southport and Alchemy Youth Group twenty years from now. Accompanied by a canvas of the word ‘Hope’ made from images found and created during the research for the film.
Featuring: Alchemy Youth Group
Buddy Up Choir: Songs For Hope
The Buddy Up Choir is made up of young people aged 13 to 18 who have additional needs and disabilities and are supported by young volunteers and Staff. The Buddy Up Choir is very inclusive, and they learn singing skills with the emphasis on the enjoyment of their experience together not the perfect pitch destination! Led by singing tutor Bernie Whelan, the choir is about having fun and improving creativity, health and wellbeing in the community.
Young Producers: Lisa McGrady
Featuring: Bernie Whelan, Buddy Up Choir
Jack McConnell
The Young Producers commissioned illustrator Jack McConnell to create artwork for the Festival of Hope Sefton Instagram account. Jack has created a countdown to the takeover event at The Atkinson, introducing the Young Producers, artists and reflecting on the individual projects.
Young Producers: Sally Dugmore, Greg Hodge, Lisa McGrady, Shannon Weekes and Max Regan.
Featuring: Jack McConnell
Instagram @festivalofhopesefton
festivalofhope.co.uk
