Reflections on the final year of the 3 year Parks Helix Project journey

There are many sights, sound of voices, memories of events and experiences that pass before me when I reflect on The Parks Helix Project. Of course the final year with its outcome of the arts based Walking Trail and the things associated with this, such as the Digital Films, the Songwriting Project, the Temporary Art are in the foreground.

But actually it is everything that led to this that is special for me about the Helix Project. Community Arts and its successor Community Cultural Development (CCD) has always been about both process and product and the way in which 'the community' contributes to and feels a sense of ownership over what is created.

For me these key points are not a fixed formula, but a dynamic relationship that is defined both by the context of the specific project, the community and the artists involved, and often re-defined and re-visited as the project develops.

The Parks Helix Project had examples of the wide range of creative community arts approaches that can be produced and drawn on by evovling and dynamic relationship.

From the very much process focused work on the first year photographic project of The Parenting Network to the artist developed and realised beautiful photographic seats of the final year 3 outcome...The challenges faced by the digital film project in engaging community members in not only telling their moving and important stories but in learning and using the technology to create and realise them as finished works...The powerful and engaging monologues created by a professional actor and performed to the community from stories collected from this community to the excellent mosaic stepping stones and stobie pole art that through the quidance and involvement of skilled artists enabled community members to realise their visions and ideas...and so on.

Of course as Project Coordinator for The Parks Helix Project all of this and much more is in my memories. However it is great to see this blogsite and links to the digital films site allowing others to access and understand what a fantastic project the Parks Helix Project was, especially as a fine example of creative arts in a community context.

Robert Petchell
Project Coordinator
Parks Helix Project