The Future Something Project (FSP) was Artswork’s 2 year digital arts and technology action research project, funded by NESTA. Young professional artists, designers and entrepreneurs worked with groups of at risk young people as project mentors and tutors in Brighton, Crawley, Bognor Regis and Chichester. After 9 hard working months, the 4 teams of young people and mentors held a final FSP exhibition in the centre of Brighton at the end of May 05. It was part of the city’s Fringe Arts Festival, and ran for 4 days to critical acclaim. Work from the exhibition has since been invited to show at Futuresonic 05 in Manchester, Optronica in London, and the BigBlip 05 in Brighton.
The projects participants also spent the summer of 05 producing their portfolios and completing the FSP website to profile their final interaction design projects. Here you can see the range of projects from new musical instruments to shy robots, talking luggage, interactive chill out lounges and animated comics.
Many of the participants have gone on to start college courses across West Sussex and beyond while others are working and volunteering on related projects.
Equipment used by the teams has been placed with 4 youth centres (Dormans Youth Arts – Crawley, 39 Club – Bognor Regis, Beacon Centre – Hassocks, and The Place – Worthing). FSP participants delivered a series of taster workshops to both staff and young people at the centres throughout winter 05/06. This then lead onto new digital arts projects being initiated by the centres to extend the creative and digital arts opportunities to their young people. FSP participants took part in delivering these projects alongside youth workers.
The research and evaluation of FSP is currently being produced and collated by both Artswork staff and a research team at Goldsmiths College, University of London. The Goldsmiths team worked alongside the participants throughout FSP to explore the projects activity and impacts. A full research and evaluation report is currently being published and launched.
The FSP poster / brochure is available from the FSP manager Andy Robinson. Designed by the participants and visiting mentor David Cuesta, it contains the final exhibition projects alongside artwork and articles by participants. For further information on this project please contact Artswork’s Chief Executive.
