1. Introduction

2. Overview & Partners

3. Good Practice

4. Project Examples

   1. Arts on the Trail
   2. Bethlehem View
   3. Crossways Toilet Block
   4. Cultural Voices
   5. Journeys - Cotherstone
   6. Peases West Railway Walk
   7. Time'lines
   8. Youth Vision - Ballymena

5. Useful Contacts

6. Groundwork UK

Bethlehem View

The project was started by Bethlehem View Tenants and Residents Association to transform some overgrown land at the end of their street into an area to learn about wildlife and to create a quiet place for residents to socialise. The group wanted the garden to contain artwork that was sympathetic to the surroundings but that would welcome people into the garden and make them want to explore further. They worked with artist Nigel Talbot and artist in residence at Llanharan Drop-In Centre Steve Ennis to create a sculpture and decorative benches and wall plaques. The project began in September 2001 and is still ongoing.

Project Aims

To create a wildlife garden as a study space for children from the local Drop-In Centre and local schools to learn about wildlife, with art features to stimulate them when the plants have died back over the winter.

How we did it

Permission was received for the project from the landowners Rhondda Housing Association. In order to make the site accessible the Young Offenders Team from Porth was asked to help by cutting back some of the dense overgrowth and the group raised funds to install a stone dust pathway. Nigel Talbot, former artist in residence at Groundwork Merthyr & Rhondda Cynon Taff, worked with the group to produce a carved wooden entrance feature for the garden, incorporating designs by young people from the estate.

The group approached the Drop-In Centre to ask for help from the young people who attended the centre. Steve Ennis worked with the young people to produce wooded plaques with pyrography designs of the wild plants and animals that the young people like the best. The group also produced benches and a picnic table set. The project is now being taken forward by Rhondda Housing association and Llanharan Drop-In Centre due to the ill health of the Tenants and Residents Association.

Key learning points

• Engaging the young people in the project not only gave them the chance to learn new skills but also gave them ownership of the project. All of the artwork has remained undamaged. However it is worth bearing in mind that artwork of this type may not be suitable for sites that are less secure.
• Involve as many partners as possible in the project; sadly the key leader of the original group passed away but his work was able to continue thanks to the other partners.

Top Tips

• Pyrography is a very simple method but make sure there is sufficient supervision as the tools used to char the wood could cause harm.
• Wood for the project came from Cyfartha Nursery in Merthyr, it was good quality flat timber with the bark and rough edges retained. This added to the “naturalness” of the finished product.

Further details

Commissioner

• Groundwork Merthyr & Rhondda Cynn Taff

Artists

• Nigel Talbot and Steve Ennis

Project partners

• Bethlehem View Tenants and Residents Association
• Rhondda Housing Association

Other participants

• Llanharan Drop In Centre
• Young Offenders Team
• Local Schools

1. Groundwork Arts Toolkit

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