STREET SIGNS cucr 20 years 1994-2014 Contents Introduction [Editors | Emily Nicholls | Claire Levy | Dr Alex Rhys Taylor [Alison Rooke CUCR Co-Director | Monica Sassatelli CUCR Co-Director | Alex Rhys-Taylor CUCR Deputy Director] Front page image by David Kendall Graphic Design by Caroline Fedash www.behance.net/carolinefedash] INTRODUCTION 1 Welcome to the latest Issue of Street Signs. 2014 sees CUCR reflecting on its past and looking forward to a lively programme of research activities and events. VISUALISING AFFECT: AN EXHIBITION 3 STUART HALL 4 Since the last issue of Streetsigns we are proud to commissioned by Create. This was a valuable opportunity have hosted the 30th International Visual Sociology for MA students to get experience of the world of GENTRIFICATION WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT IN SHOREDITCH 8 Association conference at Goldsmiths. We worked contractual research and to understand the complex closely with IVSA’s President Doug Harper and CUCR’s micro-politics of delivering participatory art and cultural IN THE LIGHT OF DAY 11 Caroline Knowles, to bring this three day international strategy at local partnership level. In this issue see some CARPENTERS ESTATE - STRATFORD 12 conference to CUCR around the broad but compelling of the fruits of this partnership in Claire Levy and Harriet theme of The Public Image. The interest in contributing Smith’s reflections on their involvement with Marcus THROUGH THE CLOUDS: AN UNSETTLING ENCOUNTER WITH THE CITY. 14 to the conference was overwhelming (indeed it tested Coates’ everyday shamanism project. our organisational capacities!) and we very proud to be in MARCUS COATES’ SCHOOL OF THE IMAGINATION AND SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION(S) 16 the position to help bring together not just a conference This year sees the continuation of the CUCR’s consulting ON SWANSCOMBE MARSH 20 with the familiar programme of plenaries, and conference arm as we work in partnerships with a number of papers, but a sociological festival, which included organisations developing critical and collaborative ACTUAL IMAGINARIES 22 walks, off-site exhibitions and interactive installations. approaches to research and evaluation at a local, national and international level. Much of the evaluative research 9UB OR THE ART OF URBAN SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY 26 This is a good place to reiterate the expression of our gratitude: our thanks to all those involved, we hope it we carry out at CUCR is conducted in tandem with FAIRYTALE OF NEW ADDINGTON 30 was a rewarding experience. It was for us: among the others outside of the academy: This includes cultural 200 delegates from around the world, our colleagues institutions, public bodies, local authorities, health trusts, A NECESSARY AWARENESS 35 from CUCR and Goldsmiths played a great part in both artists ‘participants’ other researchers and ‘stakeholder’s and so is best thought of as being ‘co-constructed’. The FRAGMENTS FROM THE ATACAMA DESERT, SOUTH AMERICA 40 the academic and festive atmosphere, and we hope conversations and collaborations were started that will research we do does not merely evidence the impact of IN SEARCH OF EDGELANDS 42 continue to inspire our work in the future. As Streetsigns an intervention ‘as if from the outside’. Our approach to demonstrates: visual sociology is a constitutive part of evaluation arises out of the recognition that if research A SENSE OF DEJA VU: 46 the research CUCR endorses and carries out, and its role ‘works’ or is successful, it is by virtue of a variety of A SELECTION OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM THE CUCR 48 within public will remain a central issue in years to come. social actors shaping it and contributing to it on an In this issue, the visual theme is strong with Kata Halasz’s on-going basis, well before the research can be framed CONTRIBUTORS 49 review of ‘Visualising Affect’ the exhibition she curated for as a ‘product’ or as an ‘outcome’. Our position arises the IVSA, along side the striking visual projects of Michael out of a scepticism regarding the instrumental use of Rogers, David Kendall and Christian von Wissel. evaluative research, being the handmaiden to the cultural establishment, doing the banal housework of cleaning up The summer of 2013 was also busy due to a collaboration after the show is over. with CREATE London, an organisation working to deliver London’s post Olympic cultural strategy in the ‘growth Our interest in the critical potential of research and arts boroughs’. Reflecting our commitment to develop CUCR’s intervention will be taken forward this year through two community of researchers, students from the World successful applications for awards under the AHRC’s Cultures and Urban Life, and the Photography and Urban Cultural Value research programme. This research stream Cultures MA programmes took part in two days intensive has arisen out of dissatisfaction with the arts and culture training in critical evaluation with CUCR’s research impact agenda impact agenda and the recognition that manager Imogen Slater, Dr Alex Rhys Taylor and Dr Alison the culturally or socially ‘valuable’ cannot always be Rooke. They subsequently went on to work on short, reduced down to a spreadsheet. In the spring the CUCR paid Research Internships focussing on five art projects organised two ‘expert workshops. The first Curating Community? The Relational and Agonistic Value of 1 Participatory Arts in Superdiverse Localities is concerned identities residential location. This project investigates with curating community. It brought together academics the proposition that in cities such as London we and practitioners from the fields of participatory arts are witnessing an increase in pro-active spatial dis/ and community development to examine the relational engagement by the rich; an increasing spatial retreat by Visualising Affect: and agonistic dimensions of arts participation, focussing the affluent; emerging forms of self-segregation; social in particular on the context of regeneration. The second insulation from what are perceived to be ‘risky’ urban workshop focused on the Creative Collisions and Critical environments; and a rising physical defensiveness to the Conversations and brings together mental health and homes and neighbourhoods of the very wealthy. an Exhibition social care practitioners, artists, gallery arts education In the last 6 months we have seen many of the CUCR practitioners, funders, theorists, researchers and artists [Kata Halasz: PhD candidate Visual Sociology] currently working at the interface between the arts and doctoral research students complete their research. mental health. This ‘creative collision’ aims to identify Congratulations go to Dr. Francisco Calafate, Dr. Paolo ways of delivering arts/mental health with energy Cardullo, Dr Gerald Koessl, Dr. Steven Hanson and Dr. and creativity in order to develop a shared sense of Rachel Jones. purpose and the recognition that arts practice not only Alison Rooke, Monica Sassatelli and Alex Rhys Taylor improves ‘patient management’ but also make a valuable contribution to the education and training of health practitioners. to hold dear 1994- 2014 – 20 YEARS OF CUCR CHERISH 2014 also marks CUCR’s 20th anniversary. The centre was established in 1994, with Nikolas Rose as its Director. Subsequently, in the 1990’s with Michael Keith at its treat with helm, , the Centre received funding for the research into several large regeneration projects. This research affection stream had a specific focus on the impact of regeneration at the level of neighbourhood and the perspective of and tenderness local communities on the changes taking place on their doorstep. Our anniversary year will be an opportunity to reflect on our roots in researching the politics of regeneration. In April we hosted an event organised with Jess Steele, author of Turning the Tide an Everyday History of Deptford, Ben Gidley (formerly of CUCR) and local organisations and activists from Deptford to reflect Can affect be visualised? Isn’t art about the visualisation—and circulation—of affect? on the changes that have taken place locally and to think Fifteen artists, filmmakers and visual sociologists propelled us into the midst of the always critically about the changes in regeneration politics on a multiple and ambiguous ways of how race, gender and sexuality come to matter. They brought city wide scale as London goes through rapid, corporate- close the affects we bring to these very present references, evoked in mundane and profound led regeneration anda major housing crisis, characterised examples of human experience, in a kiss, in a wedding, or in diasporic dying. Visualising Affect by increasing inequalities. The themes of local democracy, was an exhibition tense with the terrifying and the fleeting beauty, with the urge for capturing, accountability, participation, community involvement and economic transformation which framed much of CUCR’s for holding still a moment of visceral connection across times and borders. evaluative research seem as urgent as ever. Organised in conjunction with the International Visual Yvonne Füegg would lead viewers on a path that blurred These are just some of the highlights of our public events Sociology Association Annual Conference 2013 boundaries between sociological and artistic practices programme. CUCR continues to be a lively research (hosted by the Centre for Urban and Community and methods was an important curatorial concern , as well community. We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Michaela Research, Goldsmiths) the exhibition brought together