The Monthly talks to community artist, Therese Gorman, about CAP’s Side by Side Project

How did you get involved with the Side by Side project and working with L’Arche?

The group applied for a place in Community Arts Partnership’s Community Engagement Programme, and the Side by Side Project Co-ordinator, Carole Kane, asked me if I would be happy to work with this particular group. When I contacted the group, I was told that I would be working with adults with learning difficulties and during Covid the problems these people were experiencing, anxiety, OCD, the question of their social skills, either got worse or they lost some of the skills they had built up. They were all having quite a tough time.

This group kept their classes going during Covid, despite everyone else being in Lockdown. It was a lifeline for them because, as I said, there were difficulties with people’s mental health, social connections were reduced substantially, so those meetings helped them enormously.

We discussed the possibilities and the group wanted to do a TRASH fashion style project where we would work towards participants making their own designs, and then we would have a TRASH fashion style fashion show to finish off the project.

What kind of activities did the group participate in?

We found some biohazard style suits, we were able to find some material from L’Arche’s community garden, we had paint and felt tip pens, and we decorated the suits. The group made head-dresses, and we were able to accommodate everyone in the group regardless of the different abilities people possessed.

Once the project was completed, we had a fantastic fashion show. Everyone was able to showcase their work, and while the fashion show was on we made a little film. I accidentally made that video public and somewhere around a million people viewed the video. You could see that everyone’s self esteem had improved markedly through being part of the project.

Was the project conducted face to face?

It was and it took place towards the end of the Covid restrictions, however we were very careful and cautious. Everyone wore masks they designed they designed themselves. We did work outside when we could, there would only be a couple of people at each table when we were inside and the windows were open. We were following the guidance to avoid people becoming infected. We were also taking temperatures and things like that.

L’Arche were very strict following all the safety measures including sanitising everything, desks, materials, utensils. They were very careful and we were also very careful. This was a very vulnerable group of people and we wanted to make sure that we carried out the project using every possible precaution and safety measure.

Had this group been involved in arts projects before?

I am sure they had, but this might have been a little different in that CAP brings a working artist into the room. This was a proper arts project where the participants designed their own jewellery, their own decorations, their own artwork. It is guided by the CAP principles of Access, Participation, Authorship and Ownership.

Now we aim to make sure the project is carried out to a high standard but it also has to be honest. It has to be the work of those who are participating in the project. They are the ones who have to create and design their work. That honesty in creative activity is vitally important.

Sometimes we have to step in and make sure that things aren’t overdone, sometimes we have to make sure that there is a sense that enough creative work has gone into a piece. But other than that everyone is designing and making their own work.

Do you think the project was a success?

Yes, I think it was and I think we achieved a lot. In many ways it was a privilege and a pleasure to be part of a project like this. I think the people who gave a lot of important feedback were the parents who let us know how happy they were with what had been achieved.

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New Belfast Community Arts Initiative trading as Community Arts Partnership is a registered charity (XR 36570) and a company limited by guarantee (Northern Ireland NI 37645).Registered with The Charity Commission as New Belfast Community Arts Initiative - NIC105169.