Our Place Artist Residency Space Exploration As a result of Sophie s visit to and her conversations with the staff and residents there, it was agreed that the Our Place residency brief would be Space Exploration looking at how spaces might be altered temporarily, offering a flexible approach to using spaces in the home. provides residential care for 55 people, most of whom live with dementia, some of them very advanced. In March 2017, live artist Sophie Fox visited, to meet the staff, residents, and their families. She wanted to learn from them about, and was particularly interested in what they thought were the best things about the home and their hopes for it, in the future. What they told her Although staff clearly had the skills, several said that they lacked the confidence to engage creatively with the residents. They also identified areas in the home that they thought were underused and could be made more of. Overall, staff felt the home could benefit from a more playful, sensory approach to engagement and a more flexible approach to how different spaces were used. Temporarily transforming living spaces would offer new experiences for the residents and, in encouraging a creative, playful atmosphere, it was hoped that staff would feel more confident and keen to join in. In May 2017, Arti Prashar of the Spare Tyre Theatre Company, ran a training day for the six artists commissioned to deliver the residencies and the Creative Champions. These were TPiC staff, residents and family members chosen by each care home to support Our Place. The day gave artists and Creative Champions a chance to explore ideas about creativity, personcentred communication and sensory engagement. It was also an opportunity for the Champions to discuss the specific brief with the artists who were to deliver their residency. Artists and Champions The artists engaged to run the residency at were live artist Sophie Fox and visual artist Kaitlin Ferguson. The Creative Champions were Dilly Tuck, Laura Harding and Sophie Jarman. Sophie Fox (L) meeting the Creative Champions J. really enjoyed blowing bubbles at the other residents.
Our Place Artist Residency what the artists planned Artists Sophie Fox and Kaitlin Ferguson selected two distinct areas in which to work one being a corridor/lounge area upstairs and the other a large conservatory on the ground floor. The upstairs corridor was wide, light and airy. Residents rooms led directly off it and at either end there were further corridors, leading to more rooms, including bathrooms: as such, lots of people, including residents, staff and visitors, passed along the this particular corridor on their way to other places. Oh, I wish I was in here and not working downstairs. It looks lovely can we keep it up forever? I swear I can smell the sea. Staff comments The conservatory, however, was quite different, in that it was a destination in itself, with no rooms leading off it. It was a much larger space, with comfy chairs and tables, offering a place to meet up and socialise. The plan was to transform these different areas by using fabrics, projected images, music and simple props, to alter the look, sound and feel of the space. The artists were also going to lead simple activities in keeping with the altered environment and in which residents, family and staff could take part. There are several residents at who remain in their rooms throughout the day. To make sure that they were also included in the residency, the artists created mobile environments with which they visited them in their rooms. Day 1: 22 nd August an upstairs seascape Oh, I wish I was in here and not working downstairs, said one of the carers, as she passed along the corridor. She was responding to the transformation created by Sophie and Kaitlin. By draping fabrics across the ceiling and down the walls they had created such a sense of being by the seaside that another member of staff insisted she could smell the sea. There was much bubble blowing and caressing of different fabrics. Residents clearly enjoyed feeling the textiles, remarking on their colour and smoothness. Some became particularly playful, hiding behind the fabric and then peeping out and laughing at us. The artists also played some typical beach games and, with the aid of some fancy fish-hats, struck up numerous conversations about fish, crabs and other sea creatures. Page 2 That morning, a member of staff had brought her daughter into work with a friend in of hers. The girls joined in the games with the residents and had such a good time playing beach ball and learning to swim like an octopus that, when the shift ended and it was time to leave, they didn t want to go home.
Staff came and went along the corridor, with many of them joining in a bit of a fish flap as they passed by. Moira, the Manager, printed out the lyrics to Bobbing Along and proceeded to sing them all (there s a lot of verses) together with Kaitlin and one of the residents. She was so enthusiastic about how the space had been altered that she said she d like it to stay like that forever. Sophie also created mini-seascape environments, by attaching ribbons and other objects to a transparent umbrella. With this, she visited residents in their rooms and took a little bit of beach into their bedrooms. Bobbing along, bobbing along, on the bottom of the beautiful briny sea. Wake up, F. You re missing the children! Staff comments Page 3
Our Place Artist Residency Move the table back and then we can see the full effect. I m surprised really, aren t you? Look at all that colour. Residents comments Oh, I love the lights. Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow! Staff comments Page 4 Day 2: 24 th August a downstairs seascape On their next visit, the artists began to create a seascape downstairs with help from the residents, who were keen to join in. M. helped to unfold the fabric, commenting on how silky it felt, after which she played with the fairy lights and blew bubbles, making Q. squeal with delight. A. wanted to be wrapped up in all the coloured fabrics, immersing herself in a sea sensation. Meanwhile, a group of four other residents played beach volley ball and M. amused herself by popping the bubble wrap. Strings of fairy lights were festooned around the room one resident commented that it looked just like Christmas whilst R. said that they should keep the display up over night, to show the lights off. He became engrossed in telling one of the artists about sea turtles and obviously enjoyed the jelly fish hat, as he wore it all afternoon. The upstairs seascape along the corridor, embellished by staff wearing fish hats
Fish hats and glowing lights all added to the sense of being beside the sea Day 3: 25 th August all the fun of the funfair Working to their original brief of sensory exploration, the artists had planned a programme of interventions for the residency. However, these were obviously expanded upon and developed, in light of the reactions they evoked and how the residents and staff responded. As such, their planning document was very much a work in progress, as this entry for 25th August demonstrates: - [We want to create spaces that are]... Ephemeral Abstract Magical Multi sensory [It s about] Portable engagement Creating a feeling Multi layered theme multi sensory Sight high contrast Taste, smell, sound, touch Silky fabrics, white chiffon scarves, projectors Moments of joy Bringing the moments and/or show to peoples laps Macro and micro working big and small Moments that can be taken into peoples rooms Ephemeral Abstract Magical Creating a feeling Multisensory Silky fabrics Projectors Moments of joy Artists session plans By the third day, with a theme of Funfair and the aim of creating joy, laughter, excitement and fun, the artists were well on their way to achieving the space transformation they intended. Their plan was to create a funfair scene upstairs, using a variety of fabrics, projected images and music and props such as hoola-hoops, balloons and musical instruments. And so they set off, to create their magic. Page 5
Our Place Artist Residency I couldn t have met a better bunch. How beautiful it all is. Residents comments The residents were clearly interested in what was going on around them, asking questions and offering advice. F. directed Sophie as to where to hang the hoola-hoop. Once it had been completed to her satisfaction, she turned to Sophie and said, I couldn t have met a better bunch. A non-verbal resident next to F. watched the artists intently, following their every action as they moved around the space, suspending nets and chiffon scarves and creating waterfalls of bunting from walls and ceilings. When offered a large piece of material, she took it carefully in her hands and rubbed it gently across her lips, obviously enjoying the sensation of the smooth, cool fabric. Page 6
J. sang along to the Swanee whistle and then started dancing up and down the corridor. Meanwhile, Sophie used one of the walls as a screen on to which she projected pictures of fairground scenes with carousels and a soundtrack of exciting funfair music. Warm, positive atmosphere. Kaitlin became so excited by it all that she elected to attempt a human canon ball performance with nothing more than a humble hoola-hoop and her own self-belief. Luckily, all went well and she shot up and down the corridor, much to the delight of the residents, particularly J., who giggled away at her antics. So many conversations took place that morning between the residents and artists. One person recounted stories of his life in the RAF, another talked about their music career, others sang, holding hands and joining in together. As a scrapbook note for that day says, it was a warm, positive atmosphere with many nurturing points of connection made with the residents. J. giggling in the hoola-hoop and singing along to the Swanee whistle. Scrapbook entries Sophie on her ukulele, and Kaitlin, having a Cleopatra moment Page 7
Our Place Artist Residency The photos [of the coast installation] just don t do it justice. This looks wonderful. The ball game was great, and the pictures bring back memories of the circus. Day 4: 28th August Funfairs The artists created a funfair downstairs, and with amazing effects. One resident in particular, who generally appeared to be quite anxious, became engrossed in a game of throwing and catching a beach ball. With a broad grin on her face, she got better and better at it until, by the end of the session, she was throwing the ball across the room and knocking down a tower of bricks. R. also enjoyed the ball game, saying it was great. He was also really interested in the equipment used by the artists, particularly the cameras and mobile printer. He reckoned that the photos of the seaside installation just don t do it justice and that the projected memories brought back memories of the circus. Meanwhile T. and his partner donned brightly coloured wigs and posed for their picture to be taken. He commented that he d never seen P. look so happy: Why aren t there more residents in here? he asked. They re all sitting in the dining room, but they should be in here, it s great. I ve never seen her look so happy. Residents comments Page 8
A member of staff noted that it was very effective just a few bits of fabric changes the space, and another resident, who didn t want to come in to the session at first, complimented the artists, telling them, Oh yes, it looks very good, you ve done a good job. A resident leafing through the scrapbook, full of pictures and comments from the residency Why aren t there more residents in here? They should be in here it s great. Family comment It s very effective just a few bits of fabric changes the space. Staff comment Red noses, zany wigs and sparkling lights help to create all the fun of the funfair Page 9
Our Place Artist Residency A visitor walked through the installation on their way to a relative s room and commented: This is so peaceful. When offered the ukulele, J. held it and made a variety of specific, deliberate sounds, clearly choosing where he wanted to place his fingers and how he wanted to pluck the strings. Days 5 & 6: 29th/30th August into the forest For the final two days of the residency, Sophie and Kaitlin transformed the spaces into a forest landscape, complete with freshly hewn eucalyptus branches for the smell and dried leaves for the sensory experience. Residents responded really positively to the greenery, particularly when the leaves were used as a foot massage. In the upstairs forest, the artists suspended paper birds above the residents. F. started to play with the dangling bird above her and talking to it, telling it how naughty it was whilst J. blew at the birds, to make them spin. F. spent some time talking with a carer about how beautiful the birds were. Artists observations Page 10 The artists also created a mobile forest, to take into individual rooms
The artists used a lot of chiffon scarves to create the Fairground scenes and the staff liked them so much that a selection was bought, for to use. On the final day it was noticeable that many of the staff and residents were wearing the scarves they had decided to have a scarf day, and very lovely they looked, too. Of course, there were those who preferred to tie their scarf to a toy and then decided to wear three hats J. looked round and said, Ooh, what s that then? A forest? Well I never!!! T., visiting his partner, clearly really appreciated what the artists were doing and the air of silliness. I love the idea of this, he told Sophie. The final afternoon continued on as a general song and dance session, with everyone joining in. I. tapped her toes to the music, Q. nodded along in time to it, and J. and P. danced with the artists. Other residents and family visitors also joined in the fun, particularly when Sophie started to play her ukulele and sing Bring Me Sunshine. It seemed a most fitting way to end the Our Place residency at. Oh, what s this, then? A forest? Well, I never! Residents clearly enjoyed the tactile nature of the installation and kept touching it, feeling the materials and commenting on the colours. Lovely to see Q. giggling and laughing with scarf on. Beautiful big sing-a-long at the end of the day. Artists observations Resident s comment Page 11
The Our Place Story participants Our Place was a pilot project, intended to explore an holistic, experimental approach to embedding creative interaction and engagement between staff, residents and families in residential care homes. Residents 29 Staff 31 Family 8 Total participants 68 Our Place beneficiaries Over the six Partnership in Care homes, the project engaged with 198 residents, 141 staff and 80 relatives and friends, meaning that over 400 people benefitted from Our Place. Suffolk Artlink worked closely with The Partnership in Care to develop and deliver the programme of training and artist residencies. We are indebted to TPiC staff and management for embracing the idea of Our Place, and for all their help, support and enthusiasm during the project. The Our Place model of collaborative artist residencies successfully achieved its aims, in that: - Comments, registers and other evaluation materials evidence increased levels of meaningful engagement between residents, family and staff. The creative interventions impacted positively on the wellbeing of residents and developed confidence and creative skills in care home staff. Artists state that their professional practice was supported and developed The experiences and insights gained during the Our Place project will enable Suffolk Artlink to develop models of best practice for artists working in care settings. Thank you to everyone who made this possible, but most of all, thank you to the staff, residents, families and friends at for sharing their time, interests and affection with us. The arts are an essential part of being human, bringing pleasure, belonging, self-expression and vital skills to our communities. As a participatory arts charity, Suffolk Artlink develops and delivers inclusive arts programmes in communities that bring change to people s lives. Our activities are led by experienced arts practitioners, encompass a rich variety of art forms and are delivered in close partnership with care, education, voluntary and community organisations. Suffolk Artlink, Units 13 & 14, Malt Store Annex, The Cut, 8 New Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 8BY 01986 873955 www.suffolkartlink.org.uk