City hosts cultural conference

Entitled: A City in Transition – From Contested Space to Active Space – Discussing the Journey – the conference is aimed at highlighting the role of creativity in generating shared public space, inclusive celebrations and good community relations.

Funding for the event was secured by Council through the District Council's Community Relations Programme (CRU, OFMDFM) as part of Derry City Councils Good Relations Strategy.

The city is currently engaged in a re-visioning process and a bid for UK City of Culture and this conference will be a timely opportunity for local communities to contribute to the development of a shared public realm and to and learn from examples of international excellence.

Evolving out of 40 years of conflict where public space has been seen as contested space we are now rebuilding and redefining out relationship to our Public Realm.

In the definition of civic society, we are cautious not only to examine city centre space but also to address the need of all neighbourhoods to be involved in a process of parallel regeneration of Public Realm.

The city is involved in a re-visioning process and this conference is a timely opportunity for local communities to contribute and learn from the examples of international excellence.

The objective of the conference is to highlight the role of creativity and culture in generating a shared public space and good community relations, through well programmed public space and inclusive celebration.

Partners for the programme are Community Relations Unit, Northwest Carnival Initiative and Derry City Council.

A range of local and international speakers will be attending the event including Declan McGonagle, Director of NCAD, Erica Campayne, participation producer, LIFT, Aideen McGinley, Chief Executive of Ilex and Cllr Helen Quigley.

Declan McGonagle, speaking ahead of the conference said: "It is now widely accepted that regeneration of cities cannot take place without regeneration of communities.

Culture is the means of achieving that. What makes this Conference important and timely is that the City of Derry is now poised, through a range of strategic projects coming on stream, which build on existing provision, to transform itself into a truly shared city with real value for citizens and also for visitors."

Oonagh McGillion, temporary Director of Development with Derry City Council said: "Derry city Council is leading the way in festival, events and the re-imaging of shared spaces.

"Council has a strong commitment to the development of inclusive celebration within the city.

"This conference provides an exciting opportunity for local organizations and individuals to contribute their thoughts on the extended use of civic space and to direct the future development of civic celebration.

"The feedback will help not only in immediate planning but also for the cultural programming of our bid for City of Culture 2013."

James Curran of the North West Carnival Initiative said he was delighted to be supporting this opportunity to gather community groups, individuals and statutory organisations together.

"The conference creates an inclusive platform for discussion of the role of carnival and creative activity in animating public space and bringing communities together for inclusive multi-cultural celebration," he said.

One of the guest speakers, Myriam Stoffen said: "The model of participatory creation is the keystone of our project. It is, to a certain extent, a co-production enabling all participants to contribute part of their history to creation, to ask and share questions about the City, neighborhoods and society."