Gatis Community Space with GeoTone
GeoTone worked with Gatis Community Space over the summer to find out about the people who use the space and about the area . GeoTone CIC is an arts and technology social enterprise with a mission to create and share innovative audio experiences with people who are disadvantaged , disabled , elderly , or living in remote locations . They started off by interviewing everyone they could , asking them who they were and what Whitmore Reans means to them , often using a physical map of the place as a starting point . They met a violinist and entrepreneur in the making , a volunteer with multiple degrees , a gardener getting back on their feet , a sci-fi horror expert , a refugee whose passion is human connection and African jazz . They were all part of one community where they gave their time and energy to one another , making things happen . Everything GeoTone recorded at Gatis was put together for the Whitmore Reans Remapped audio walk , which takes you around the Newhampton Arts Centre and on a journey through this part of our world . GeoTone also collaborated with local artist Adam Billington on Gatis ’ Lantern Parade . This year ’ s theme for the parade was The Magical Mushroom Forest , highlighting the echoes in nature between the hidden mycelium of mushrooms that connects the trees and plants and our human hidden connections . Some of the mushroom lanterns from the parade were installed as part of the exhibition . Participants made the lanterns into characters , with the parade telling a story that comes from Whitmore Reans . With the youth club and at drop-in sessions they created character biographies , stories , sound effects as well as recording songs and electronic music to help create a new local folklore for the Lantern Parade and the area . To carry on the conversation on the days GeoTone weren ’ t at Gatis they also installed a red telephone box , inviting people to respond to questions about the area . This was created with the help of the Gatis team , as well as James Townend and Tom Morgan . They wanted to make a quiet , private space where people could reflect on where they live , and imagine how it might be different . Visitors to the exhibition could hear some of the stories and sounds GeoTone collected throughout the project in the red telephone box , which was also installed as part of the exhibition .
Key things GeoTone discovered :
• People were very proud of their area but felt as though there were distinct issues which gave the area a bad reputation . A clear issue that came up multiple times was litter and fly-tipping . Solutions such as community skips and informal litter-picking initiatives came up frequently .
• Something which people love about Gatis , is that participants are able to give to the project and volunteer in a way which they feel valued for . They feel welcome , comfortable and as a result , they want to give back to the space that has made them feel so at home and integral .
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Image by event participant