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Dream Depot - the project | Guest Editorship - Fiona Whelan Amsterdam
2010-09-14
Dream Depot - the project
Dream Depot is an art project for (and with) socially disadvantaged young people. I started developing it in November 2006
Phase 1 of the project Dream Depot:
The project began in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands in 2006 with a group of 12 young people who were currently being re-housed due to the demolition and restructuring of their local neighborhood. It was supported by the local city council, the building corporation and the artist group Backyart. The project dealt with the young peoples dilemma of not having a space of their own. Together with me, the young people made a cartoon strip to visualise their dilemma.
Phase 2 of the project Dream Depot:
The project continued in 2007 in Kildare, Ireland with a group of 10 young people from the Kildare town. It was supported by Create, National Youth Council of Ireland and the Kildare Town Youth Project. It became quickly clear that although these young people were not being faced with being re-housed, having no space of their own was also their biggest dilemma. This phase of the project resulted in `THE GAFF` a mobile hangout that the young people build under my guidance and with the help of a local carpenter.
Phase 3 of the project Dream Depot:
After securing the funds from the Amsterdams Funds for the Arts and the City Council of North Amsterdam, I asked artist Anja Hertenberger to collaborate with me in developing the project and working with the young people. The project was also supported by the Noorderparkkamer, a cultural pavilion in a park in Amsterdam North. This phase of the project grew out of a problem the Noorderparkkamer had with a group of local young people who were vandalizing and burning the children`s natural playground and open theatre sets in the park. The Noorderparkkamer were in support of the idea, that the young people should be given the opportunity to create a place for themselves in the park, in the hope that this would alleviate the problem. During the project the young people developed a concept and, under the guidance of a professional carpenter and the Anja and myself, build a hangout of their own. For more photo`s and information in Dutch http://www.dreamdepot.org/blog_DreamDepotNoord/
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