London: "Community Arts Festival at Chiswick House and Grounds"
As part of the major regeneration of Chiswick House & Grounds, English Heritage’s Outreach & Education Departments developed an exciting programme of arts initiatives inspired by the site, leading up to a Community Arts Festival that took place on the 24th & 25th September 2005.
Chiswick House & Grounds are a vital part of Hounslow’s history and the house is one of the earliest and most important neo Palladian villas in England. Earlier this year, The Chiswick House and Gardens Trust, a new charitable trust was set up between English Heritage and the London borough of Hounslow to oversee the restoration, management and protection of this Grade 1 villa and its gardens, which has been enjoyed as a public park since 1929.
At the heart of the regeneration scheme is the desire to involve the local community. The Outreach work leading up to the festival concentrated on engaging audiences who do not currently visit the site and provided a variety of different opportunities for young people and adults to get involved. Projects were inspired by the site to create a variety of art, drama, music and performance which were show-cased at the Festival.
Projects taking place between May- September 2005 included: a partnership with New London Orchestra, working with local primary schools to create a song for the festival, and the development of their unique ‘Orchitecture’ concept; a partnership with Hounslow Youth Services PAYP team, working with local young people to create a performance; four different workshops offered to schools, delivered by professional workshop leaders; work with The World Famous to create the fantastic pyrotechnic finale and lantern making workshops and individual artists created their own site inspired work to be displayed.
The festival marked the spectacular climax of the projects with work created being displayed & performed over the weekend. Alongside the projects visitors had the opportunity to: attend workshops, purchase from the arts market, visit the urban farm, listen to music from across the world, see the kitchen gardens and participate in tours. (Please see the programme for full details of the weekend’s activities)
The weekend was a huge success with over 10,000 attending the festival over the two days.
The festival was part of the initial stages of the regeneration project and it’s commitment to engaging and involving new audiences in the sites future.
‘I don't know what I enjoyed most - the banners, the metal elephant or our young people getting so deeply into their project - all marvellous.’
Katie Johnson, Hounslow Youth Service
‘I'd like to congratulate all concerned with the bits of the Festival I saw: the music and dance workshops I saw were great fun, and above all the World Famous performance was superb, and very well organised and run. Thank you.’
Festival visitor
‘I would like to congratulate whoever came up with the fantastic idea of the lantern show and fireworks display on Sunday 25th September in Chiswick House grounds. I am still in fairy land from watching it. I took my children 4 and 3 years to the event, but I don't know who enjoyed it more, me or the children. The bands, stalls, workshops etc where also really good.
I think this event should be held yearly (funding depends of course) as I thought it was brill...... WELL DONE’
Festival visitor
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