EAST OXFORD HEALTH CENTRE & BLACKBIRD LEYS OXFORD

Architects – Hunters
Client – Oxford Infracare Lift Ltd
Build – £16.3m

Impact Art developed an arts commissioning strategy for the landmark East Oxford Health Centre developments. Since the centres opened in 2007, they have quickly established themselves as local focal points. A place where art and design are used to welcome service users – improving their self-esteem and well being, while reflecting their diverse community.

Engaging local people
From the outset Impact Art collaborated with local organisations Fusion (Community Arts), Blackbird Leys Residents Association, BLAG (Blachbird Lays Art Group) and the Community/Youth Centre, through the commissioning and interviewing of artists and hosting and project management of workshops. Impact secured additional external funding from Arts Council England South East.


East Oxford Health Centre
The lead artists on Manzil Way were Making Marks (Carole Reich and Charlotte Howarth) commissioned to design permanent art for the main atrium and external entrance. They collaborated with performance poet Steve Larkin of SLAM and mentored local Oxford artist Madi Acharya-Baskerville to deliver a series of consultative and practical workshops. These included:
‘Drop-ins’ for locals during the build on Cowley Road.
Workshops with young people at East Oxford Primary School, the Senior Citizens’ Group, the Ugandan Women’s Sewing Circle, NHS staff, Restore (mental health centre) and the Morning Corner Group.

The completed works

The durable stainless steel form – live with movement and influenced by prayer flags fluttering in the wind – features rainbow, sun and raindrop etchings (an idea from a Restore client). All beautifully show the emotional range experienced by those who are ill.
‘Listen to me’    ‘Comfort me, Care for me’
‘Live in Harmony’     ‘Rest, Repair’        ‘Bishram’ (Bengali for ‘rest’)

Blackbird Leys
Two artists were commissioned, oxford based mosaic artist Becky Paton and Paul Forsay.  They worked closely with mentees BLAG and the Youth group.

‘Our aim was to create a form which appears to hang suspended from a simple frame, filling the space with a mass of movement and beautiful lines.’
Making Marks, Artists, East Oxford Health Centre development