Putting Communities at the Core of Space-Place-Making

On Saturday 29 June, we had the successful take-off of BIG BANG, a large public event which served as the community launch of Light Years, and the grand finale of sister project Street Cosmos.

Over 1,100 visitors came to the wonderful The Tcr Hub Teesdale Community Resource (TCR) Hub in Barnard Castle throughout the day, with six coaches bringing in partners from different communities in County Durham. On the surface it looked like a good ol’ summer fayre (bouncy castles, face painting, games, music, grey sky), but there was a lot going on under the hull!

BIG BANG is a great example of how large-scale public events can invite communities right into the centre of new developments and initiatives - in this case ‘space-place-making’ for the North East of England. An incredibly diverse range of people came together to make it happen and explore the cosmos: from community members, astrophysicists, leaders from 英国杜伦大学 , Durham County Council , Space North East England , artists, toddlers, grandparents, students, circus performers, volunteers… It was quite staggering and the very essence of space-place-making.

At the event visitors could experience the Street Cosmos Showcase; immersive exhibitions designed by community members, artists and scientists, to explore subjects that they found most compelling from Durham University’s world class space research.

The Imaginary Meteorite Lab: a collaboration between Gaunless Gateway Big Local, Auckland Youth and Community Centre, Little Chefs Big Chefs CIC and artist Sarah Stamp.

Do You Wanna Build A Spaceman?: a collaboration between Daisy Arts, Blackhall Community Centre where children make their own ‘smart’ EVA (extravehicular activity) suit!?

The Blackhall Wormhole: journey through a wormhole to another galaxy with Blackhall Community Centre and Daisy Arts.

The Astronaut’s Studio?: Zine studio created by artist Mack Sproates and young people from Barnard Castle, about space and what we humans should make of it all.

Trashion Capsule Collection: Young people from TCR Hub making ‘Mars base closed-loop system’ garments from recycled materials.

Produced by Bishop Auckland-based events company Baccanalia , the 1,000 plus visitors were encouraged to explore the incredible grounds of TCR Hub (which contain two lakes), where they would stumble upon:

-????????? Durham University scientists demonstrating a ‘Galaxy Maker’ arcade machine

-????????? Rocket scientists, inviting children to draw self portraits that they will send to the stratosphere in October

-????????? ‘Marshmallows & Blackholes’ – visitors could roast a treat on an open fire and discuss the grand cosmic questions with a world-leading astrophysicist

-????????? Storytellers weaving a yarn about lessons we can learn on earth about the delicate approach to food cultivation on future Mars bases

as well as a crashed UFO; astronaut circus performers; a body-popping C3PO (for some reason but people loved it) and about 100 other things.

BIG BANG was about having fun with space and not so much direct learning (that’s later). It was an invitation to help shape the space-place-making agenda. And based on the feedback from the day, County Durham communities can't wait to suit up and strap themselves into the rocket!

The partners and collaborators will be fed up with me thanking them – but a huge THANK YOU!! once again for making this wild day of fun and mind-expansion a success.

Light Years (www.intothelightdurham.com) is a 3-year art + science project, part of the Into the Light Place Partnership, led by Durham County Council, with Durham University and Culture Durham. Also funded by Arts Council England/National Lottery and UK Government Levelling Up.

Street Cosmos (www.streetcosmos.com) is a project from Durham University, No More Nowt (Peterlee), Blackhall Community Centre, Gaunless Gateway Big Local (Bishop Auckland) and The Tcr Hub (Barnard Castle), and many others, putting worldclass research into communities. Funded by Museums Association and UKRI.