Member Article

Sunderland Council partners with SCENe to boost creative industry

Sunderland City Council has partnered with the Sunderland Creative Enterprise Network (SCENe) to create a community artwork within the city’s newest extra care developments.

It’s hoped the project will be the first of many collaborative projects across the city, which will showcase the talents of Sunderland’s creative industries and provide photography and artwork within community settings to engage and entertain people.

Dovecote Meadow, a £16 million extra care development on the former site of Felstead Road School, is the first to become involved and commission a collection of local heritage photography from Sunderland based and inspired photographer, Andy Martin, which will be displayed throughout the complex.

The initiative provides images of local landmarks that create memory prompts and conversation points for residents, particularly those with conditions such as dementia.

The scheme also provides a platform for the city’s finest ‘creatives’ to showcase their work and develop their individual businesses, cementing the fact that the city is dedicated to establishing a thriving and vibrant arts scene whilst boosting Sunderland’s economy and retaining art within the city.

As well as enriching the lives of residents, the artwork has also made an impact with visitors of different generations, provoking conversation and engagement and allowing them to find common ground through art.

Upon full completion, Dovecote Meadow will provide 175 mixed tenure apartments, including 17 apartments designed for people with dementia. Developed in a partnership between Housing and Care 21, Sunderland City Council and construction partners Keepmoat , the extra care development features communal areas that include a restaurant, coffee bar, beauty therapy, wellbeing suite, hair salon, lounge and landscaped gardens.

There are also plans in place to extend the schemes to other extra care developments across the city throughout 2015.

This pioneering initiative will not only benefit the city’s creative community of artists, designers and photographers by opening up networks and opportunities, but it also reinforces the fact that Sunderland’s art scene has continued to emerge as a strong and diverse network.

This latest partnership demonstrates the city’s supportive culture and cements the fact that Sunderland is dedicated to finding ways of using art to help, stimulate and support wider communities.

Sunderland based photographer, Andy Martin, said: “It’s a real privilege to be involved in the project and to work closely alongside local communities.

“It became quite clear along the course of the project just how important it was to have imagery with a strong local identity represented in Dovecote Meadow.”

Sunderland City Council Portfolio Holder for Health, Housing and Adult Services, Councillor Graeme Miller said: “People in Sunderland are very proud of our cultural heritage and local landmarks, and there are fantastic places to visit which are permanent reminders of our history and traditions.

“This has provided the perfect theme for the artwork project, and given us the opportunity to support both the Sunderland Creative Industries with these commissions of their talents and to showcase their work.

“The fantastic images that they have produced of our city have given the residents at Dovecote Meadow much to enjoy and talk about.

“It’s a great celebration of our shared history and tradition, and a great example to the creative talent in our city which I hope we can help develop with arts projects like this in other local housing schemes and extra-care projects.”