What Would it Take?
Summary
What Would It Take? was a research project undertaken by muf as part of the Scarman Trust’s ‘Can Do’ initiative which seeks to empower people to act as local agents for change. Collaborative art and architecture practice, muf, worked with three individuals living in suburban Birmingham to explore how the artist and the architect can give voice and expression to grass roots social entrepreneurs. ‘How to’ templates in the form of graphic visualisations were made to show how the projects could be achieved and offer alternative approaches to local authority provision.
At Shard End, architect Juliet Bidgood worked with a young man to identify the Restless Youth Club, an open network of shifting activities and spaces where young people can gather and keep out of trouble. At Handsworth, artist Katherine Clarke helped the Law, Learning and Leisure organisation to express its objectives and ways of working so that it could establish its legitimacy with other people. At Bromwich, architect Liza Fior worked with a local mother to develop a modular playstrip which could be built up as funding is secured.
