Press Release
Artist is commissioned to create a Gift for Dunton Hills
Date: 28 June 2022
In partnership with Essex Cultural Diversity Project, Brentwood Borough Council has commissioned artist, Becky Vincer, to work with local communities to create a design that could be printed in a variety of ways to welcome each new resident of Dunton Hills Garden Village.
The commission is part of an ongoing programme to engage communities in the placemaking process and is the second of two creative projects, which explore the evolving development of the garden village. The first commission enabled artist Laura Malacart, to work with local residents to create the ‘A to Z Guide to Dunton Hills’, which is a database of street names for the new garden village.
For this commission, Becky will work with children, young people and community groups to co-create a picnic blanket design that could also be printed on items such as an umbrella or shopping bag. The design will feature recipes, stories, quotes and illustrations gathered from a multitude of cultures and voices. The final gifts will encourage people to connect with others and enjoy food and outdoor spaces together.
Over the next few months, the artist will deliver fun, accessible workshops, gathering a wide range of inspiration for the picnic blanket; using creative activities she will ask participants to consider their experiences of sharing food with others: Who do you eat with? Where do you eat? What do you eat and drink? Where do the recipes come from? There will be opportunities to make, share and enjoy food together as part of the creative process.
As a gift for future residents, the picnic blanket design will celebrate diversity, culture and community, offering a mutual talking point and conversation starter to bridge connections between new neighbours. The designed items will encourage a collective sense of ownership as they are used and seen in shared green spaces in and around the Dunton Hills Garden Village.
Councillor Garry White, Chair of Housing Committee, said; "The Council is keen to embed community identities into the new garden village and engage residents in place-making and we are thankful to Arts Council England and Homes England, who have provided funding to enable this creative endeavour. We hope Becky's commission will assist the borough and others in welcoming the village's new residents, making them feel part of the community and connected to their new neighbourhoods. "
Becky’s arts practice is centred on human character strengths and how creativity can nurture positive values and behaviours. She is interested in the power of the arts to bring people together and its ability to foster generosity, a sense of community and belonging. Becky said, ‘I’m thrilled to have been selected for the ‘Gift for Dunton Hills’ commission. I’m excited to discover local people’s stories and memories that will help to co-create a welcoming and meaningful gift for new residents, connecting them not only with the green spaces but with each other, too’.
"Partnership is at the heart of Essex Cultural Diversity Project's work, and this is a great opportunity to continue our creative collaboration with Brentwood Borough Council, to support artists and communities from diverse backgrounds as part of our ongoing programme of place-based commissions" Indi Sandhu, Creative Director and CEO, Essex Cultural Diversity Project
Notes to editors
About the Artist
Becky Vincer is a community visual artist and creative producer based in south-east Kent. Her work is centred on human character strengths and often explores values of kindness, hope and love. Becky works collaboratively with community groups to cocreate visual art, often working with collage, textiles, printmaking, and drawing. Becky has a degree in Fine Art: Sculpture, in 2019 she was selected to attend Clore Emerging Leaders and the Eden Project Community Camp. She has been commissioned by Portsmouth City Council, Medway Council and Dover Council to create community engaged artworks. Becky regularly facilitates workshops for arts, community and education organisations including Platforma Festival, Turner Contemporary, University of Pennsylvania and schools across Kent.
Becky has facilitated participatory workshops for a range of community, arts and heritage organisations, since 2019 this includes: Aim4, Animate Arts, ART31, Bright Shadow, Canterbury Festival, Catching Lives, Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park, Free Space Project, Girlguiding UK, Gulbenkian, Harrow Arts Centre, Horsebridge Arts Centre, IO Arts, History and Disability, Newington Chill Club, People United, Platforma Festival, Portsmouth Museums & Galleries, Primary & Secondary Schools in Kent, Ramsgate Festival, Scouts, Sound Up Arts, The Big Draw, The D-Day Story, Turner Contemporary and University of Pennsylvania.
https://beckyvincer.art/
https://www.instagram.com/beckyvincerartist/
About Essex Cultural Diversity Project
Essex Cultural Diversity Project energises cultural diversity in arts and heritage. Our mission is to create opportunities, stimulate participation and provide a focal point for the development, celebration and co-ordination of cultural diversity through arts and heritage activity. We achieve this through an exciting programme of projects, festivals and events; commissioning artists to explore community, diversity and place; and supporting artists, arts organisations and communities working in diversity through training and networking events, signposting opportunities and providing important platforms for their work. Essex Cultural Diversity Project is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. Find out more at https://essexcdp.com
ENDS