Despite the restrictions causing the postponement of this year’s flagship annual art event Making A Mark, supported by the Arts Council and Preston City Council, Oxheys has been busy ensuring Preston’s art scene has remained active within the constraints and in a safe and secure way.
2020 has been a unique year with unique challenges, yet has also provided opportunities and examples of communities coming together in ways not previously thought possible but in ways that show that community spirit is alive and well, opening up possibilities for the even greater challenges we all face from climate change. Little could we have known the scale and immediacy in the truth of the chosen theme “changing world” for the Making A Mark event, now postponed til 10th July 2021
this is my local park which I have utilised over many years with both my children when they were growing up and now my grandchildren, so it feels very fitting and very exciting to have this opportunity
As it became apparent that restrictions would not allow the main event to take place this year, with support from his family (all of whom are in the same bubble), in the early hours of Sunday May 31st Tim laid out his installation on Preston Flag Market and says the response was overwhelming and totally supportive, making him appreciate the importance of art and its impact especially in difficult times. The installation itself is a message of hope, entitled ‘Seek To Understand’, which Tim explains as
to seek to understand is to love. In this fast changing world there has never been a more important time for us to seek to understand ourselves, others around us, our communities and the wider global community we are all part of and depend upon. The trees act as a community to bring a message that however challenging times appear at present there is a way forward. The trees act as messengers of the climate change we are all creating and which is upon us now. However they do bring a message of opportunity.
We have seen that a strong sense of community still exists, that science is still relevant and that with leadership people are prepared to act in ways never thought possible, that we do have a choice. If we seek to understand and act upon that understanding then anything is possible.
After further discussions, agreement was reached with Moor Park and this winter the installation will be planted out, in its intended form in collaboration with Friends of Moor Park, PCC, Andy the park ranger, Treesresponsibilty and other volunteers, in a covid secure way, becoming a permanent living artwork for the community of Preston to enjoy for years to come. Tim says:
This is tremendously exciting and will mean Oxheys will be Making a permanent Mark in the city. Community is so important to me and to get here has involved so many smaller communities coming together to create a larger community, to create something for an even larger community, which has reinforced my belief in its importance. It has been an amazing journey artistically to get here but even more importantly, in discovering some of these communities in existence within our fantastic city and experiencing their creativity and support. I cannot express how much gratitude I feel at the hope that brings me
Plans are under way for planting, however due to ongoing restrictions full details cannot be announced yet but will be once planting is complete. As the installation will be there for years to come there will be plenty of opportunity for all to see it. Plans are also in discussion for a full official opening once restrictions are lifted and in how the installation can be incorporated into next years’ Oxheys Making a Mark event which will now take place on 10th July 2021, so watch this space….