ROYSTON ROAD PROJECT is engaged in a long term ‘arts-led’ community development process where local people are involved in the creative process of transforming both a negative attitude and poor physical environment.

In the 1998-2001 Parks project (£1.7 million)

• local people were involved in the design process of 2 ‘pocket parks’
  
• 2 rival communities learned to work together
  
• local people were employed in the training/construction of the parks
  
• 7 arts residencies brought top artists to work with local groups in ways we could never have imagined including a new local radio station and a writers project which reinvigorated the dwindling community council
  
• a wider community celebration involved huge numbers of people in celebration of the opening of the parks

Since 2001 ROYSTON ROAD PROJECT has continued to look for opportunities to work with local groups to further develop its work:

• looking to lead study visits to inspire vision in quality of design
  
• looking at 2-3 critical open spaces with regard to their potential upgrading
  
• keeping an engagement with arts and artists through the 2004 Storytelling Project and Festival, celebratory events in the parks and 2 further arts residencies
  
• taking part in conferences and learning about the wider implications of arts in community development as we ‘tell our own story’ and listen to others.

The People

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