Projects

Running in parallel to England’s Creative Coast’s Waterfronts commission for Eastbourne, an accompanying community programme spanning digital, offsite and open-air deliveries, was led by artist Amy Leung.

These activities unearthed, explored, and extended many of the rich themes present in the Mariana Castillo Deball’s offsite artwork and the 1997 St Anne’s Hill Archaeological dig that inspired it, including ideas around belonging, personal objects, landscape, and our relationships to these.

In preparation for the launch of England’s Creative Coast, Amy delivered a series of Zoom workshops with members of Eastbourne’s YMCA LGBTQIA+ young people’s group. The ideas, designs and stories that emerged from moments of shared making informed the design for Towner’s unique geocache objects, which formed part of the England’s Creative Coast Geotour.

An accompanying audio work by artist Karolina Raczynski, titled Dig Deep was accessed via a QR code contained within the geocache and combines extracts from a series of interviews recorded over zoom with local contributors who each had unique connections and perspectives on the St Anne’s Hill archaeological dig and the Anglo-Saxon grave finds that were unearthed.

To celebrate the launch of England’s Creative Coast, Amy also delivered a series of experimental drawing and casting workshops for families, over zoom. ⁠Material kits were posted to all families taking part and activities included playful drawing exercises, and waste mould casting and encouraged intergenerational and collaborative making.

Amy also led three creative workshops with the older people’s social group at Willingdon Trees Community Centre. These celebratory sessions relaunched the group after a long period of closure due to the pandemic. Materials were provided in individual making kits to enable additional shielding members to take part remotely. Sessions broadly explored themes of landscape, geoglyphs, and artefacts. Working with yarns, chalk, and clay, creative activities sat alongside chatter, cream teas, and board games.

Stepping Forward was a day of open-air activity for families, in partnership with community organisations Amaze, Community Stuff, Defiant Sports and Holding Space. Activity included a coastal walk which traced the trail of towner’s geocaches, creative activity led by Amy and physical activity, using outdoor play resources. Families bought picnics to enjoy together at the end of their facilitated sessions.