FRED in Allerdale

FRED 2008 - was the last annual art invasion of Cumbria. From the 26th September - 12th October 2008, artists from around the globe  created new work in some of England's most spectacular landscapes in what was Europe's largest annual festival of site-specific art.

For sixteen days artists took their work out of the confines of the gallery and into the big wide world. Previous FRED events have seen work on buses, up the fells, under the lakes, in the woods, at the service station, down the pub and around a mountain. Over the past four years, over 350 artists have created 164 projects in over 250 locations.  See examples from FRED 2006 below.
Contemporary artists working in any medium were invited to submit proposals or details of installation or intervention projects to be located anywhere in Cumbria. To qualify for inclusion in the FRED event artists demonstrated originality and innovation in the delivery of their project.

For further details visit the FRED website www.fredsblog.co.uk

FRED  in Allerdale 2006:

 

'Tidal Properties Ltd' by William Titley

Venues: Co-op stores, Curzon Street & Senhouse Street, Maryport, West Cumbria
10am – 4pm daily, Monday 9th – Saturday 14th October 2006 
FREE

Artist William Titley's latest project, Tidal Properties Ltd, will be launched on 9th October. Tidal Properties Ltd is a temporary public installation and performance in Maryport - a fictional property development company aiming to regenerate the recently discovered community of houses in the walls of Maryport Harbour. The accompanying literature explains:
‘The homes are accessible only at low tide and will be available for purchase throughout the duration of normal business hours as dictated by the politics of a given location. When renovated, the houses (which once housed a community of boat people) will suit first time buyers or investors looking for a second income.’

Tidal Properties Ltd is supported by CA15, Maryport’s Community Arts Organisation, Allerdale Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Allerdale Arts Fund. Tidal Properties Ltd developed from MMAAPP (Maryport Multi-media Arts and Participation Project) where William was the lead artist teaching a group of local people on the Ewanrigg estate, Maryport, to develop new skills to produce digital art. 

The installation comprises a 3 metre x 3 metre pop-up promotional stand with information leaflets and colour images of the development. A sales representative will be on hand to explain the regeneration of these newly discovered harbour dwellings and the impact on the surrounding area as a tourist attraction.
 
The artist’s parody of the procedure of estate agents questions how the demands of the housing market and regeneration developments impact upon the residents of an area. The artist says about his work:
‘I see my practice as a kind of spatial exploration. Operating in public places, my interventions/performances…often involve the negotiation of community space.’

About the artist

William Titley (also known as David) is an artist based in Colne, Lancashire. He is a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire and has an MA in Art as Environment from Manchester Metropolitan University. Solo exhibitions include Demolition Street, a video installation at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal and Generica at The ConTEMPorary Gallery, New York. Group exhibitions include Supercity at URBIS, Manchester as well as projects for Architecture Week and Northern Exposure, a video festival in Lancashire.  

'Willow' by Paul Scott

OS map reference: 114380.
Ceramic artist Paul Scott will be stencilling his trademark willow pattern on the side of a house in Gilcrux. In 'Willow' Paul takes a domestic genre into a different media, on a new scale and in new locations, outside homes instead of inside, leaving us to ponder will we still recognise its source? Driving into Gilcrux from the western (Greengill) end you should see it on the side of a house on the right as you enter the village. It's opposite the restored chapel marked on the 1:25000 map with a "+".

'Flood: There's Something in the Water' by Jan Orrock

Tourists come to the Lake District to enjoy the scenery, which is totally reliant on rainwater. Large lightbox images explore the reality of living with rainfall and flooding. 'Flood' can be viewed from the lonning (lane) off the A595 just south of the road off to Blennerhasset. This lonning has no signpost and runs to Torpenhow but turns into a dirt track passed High Woodnook Farm.