In September 2012, Tempo Arts Ltd received funding from The Seedcorn Fund through Sussex Community Foundation to develop a series of community based projects in coordination with the artists’ temporary projects and events at The SPACE in Kings Road, St Leonards. This series of projects is aimed at reaching a range of residents who do not normally have access to participating in contemporary art & culture. The programme will work with a range of community members including children, young people & older residents.

Hastings based artist, Jaye Ho, created a new installation ‘Memorial for an unseen presence’ for The SPACE (12 October-25 November 2012). The work referenced a pillbox bunker designed to ‘protect’ the adjacent Warrior Square station. Fabricated from old bed sheets impregnated with cement & sand this created a solid but make-shift structure & was anchored with sandbags made from pillow cases.

‘Memorial for an unseen presence’ led to Jaye Ho developing participatory workshops for young people in two St Leonards’ schools. On 24 October, the artist worked with 16 year 10 students at St Leonards Academy to create their own temporary shelters to protect against zombie attacks. Preceding the participatory workshops, Jaye Ho gave a slide presentation of her own work alongside images of other protective shelters used by the military to defend the coastal areas from invasion during WWII. The students worked outdoors in teams to build their structures from recycled materials & found objects.

On 23 November 2012, Jaye Ho led a workshop for 15 year 6 students at Christ Church Primary School in St Leonards. This activity was part of their study on war & as well as constructing their shelters, they were shown images of bunkers on both sides of the Channel.

The community engagement programme is led by Christine Gist, Director of Tempo Arts Ltd. She is also artist/curator of the artists’ projects & events at The SPACE.