The Thing on the Rec/Homesquare
Durational socially engaged public art intervention to activate a former recreation ground
Role: Lead artist, curator commissions and event programme, producer participatory build
Funded by Arts Council England and co-produced with Homebaked CLT
Design and build: Nicolas Henninger (Office for Crafted Architecture)
Artists: Samantha Jones, Patricia Levey-Bennett, Elaine Cresswell
Behind the stretch of the high street, Homebaked CLT is developing there is an old recreation ground, locally called ‘The Rec’. At the time, the terrace houses and bakery were built (finished in 1906), and this land was owned by the Marquis of Salisbury, who was a significant landowner in the area at the time. The Salisbury family sold the land to Liverpool Council, with contractual protection on its ‘recreational use for the people of Anfield’.
In 1935, the Donaldson Street Wash (and bath) House opened at the edge of what had now become a recreation ground. Many people in the area have fond memories of The Rec, apparently for many years guarded by a ‘cocky watchman’ and the place for much play, leisure and gossip. In the 1960s, the land was tarmacked, became a place for sports and continued to be a very popular hang-out for young people. Over the years, the Rec fell into mis- and disuse, and for the people living close by, it became a safety issue - to the point that it ultimately got fenced off completely.
At Homebaked CLT, we had always been interested in exploring what this 'recreational use for the people of Anfield' could mean and become today, so we embarked on a process of testing and piloting that use creatively in a series of artist-led interventions and public events.
Designer Nicolas Henninger created a space for people to congregate in and around; something that would be beautiful and surprising, that we could build together publicly - and which, of course, would protect us from the weather.
Building publicly and together with whoever would like to join is an important part of the process, as this is where we get to know new neighbours and other folk: sometimes people offer physical work and sometimes a story, a joke or simply company. In the process, the structure became known publicly as 'The Thing on the Rec'.
A series of events and local festivals prototyped different uses for the land and started local conversations around the past and future of that particular bit of common land: with ‘The Thing’ as the centrepiece, we staged local markets, crazy golf, high teas and swing dancing, a ceilidh, northern soul dance classes, DJ sets, cinema nights and barbecues.
Today part of the land has been transformed into a public square and growing space and is integrated in the plans for development of the wider built environment by Homebaked CLT.