Factory Night @ Apollo Pavilion, Peterlee
Sunday 22nd November 2009
Victor Pasmore’s Apollo Pavilion in Peterlee was named after the first manned mission to the moon in 1969 - the year the structure was built and is an iconic example of 1960's public art. It marked the culmination of Pasmore’s work as consulting director of urban design with Peterlee Development Corporation. The Pavilion underwent major restoration in 2009. Rednile presents this Factory Night in collaboration with EDAN (East Durham Artist Network) and supported by Apollo Pavilion Community Association and Durham County Council.
Review
Bearing in mind that this was one of the coldest days of a particularly bleak November, you'd have been forgiven for turning it down: the chance to spend an hour or two on an exposed concrete structure in the middle of a housing estate, somewhere in County Durham between the Cathedral and the Coast – that’s assuming you manage to find it in th first place. Whoever thought this was a good idea?
Quite a lot of people, as it turned out; the first in a new season of Factory Nights at Victor Pasmore's Apollo Pavilion in Peterlee was soon over-booked, with a waiting list. Artists from across the region made the journey, braved the elements, learned the history of this pioneering fusion of art and architecture, retreated to the Community Centre for hot drinks – and talked for so long that the event over-ran and I almost missed my train back to London. Something is going on here that requires explanation; something that rednile Projects, their funders and collaborators, and the artists who attend Factory Nights have all recognised as valuable – whatever the weather.
Artists working in the North East are not starved of opportunities. Supported and sustained by universities and colleges, arts organisations, galleries, facilities and networks, the contemporary art scene has enough to offer that artists might think twice before committing themselves to a Sunday afternoon in Peterlee when there are other and easier ways to meet up. Certainly, Factory Nights are not the only dish on the menu - but they have a distinctive flavour that's proving palatable to a wide range of creative people, one that’s hard to find anywhere else. It seems to me that this is down to two main ingredients: firstly, Factory Nights aim to deliver something unique without ever quite defining what that 'something' is. From their first proposal at a Board meeting back in 2007, it was easiest to define them in terms of what they were not to be; neither a discussion event, nor seminar nor workshop, but a chance to make work and network within an environment that’s likely to inspire creativity.
Secondly, rednile's inclusive approach to their audience means that Factory Nights are promoted as free and open to all creative people, not just visual artists - and certainly not just 'the usual suspects'. Regulars make a huge contribution to the success and stability of these gatherings but there's no question of them forming a clique. Factory Nights offer a point of entry for those who do not feel that they belong to any kind of contemporary art 'scene', through the creation of a supportive and welcoming environment. But these aren't simply ‘alternative’ events for 'non-scene' artists, and those who do work the region's exhibition previews, talks and seminars will meet interesting people whom they would not otherwise meet. This may not sound like much of a boast but it’s at the very heart of the project; there are more artists in Hebburn and Heworth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Rednile believe that by exposing these hidden communities of creative people through collaboration with local businesses and funding bodies, they help to strengthen the arts within the region, demonstrating the value of engagement with artists through direct exposure to their enthusiasm and ideas. The money set aside for 'New Collaborations' within this second series of Factory Nights will allow participants to return to the host venue, working with them on what could well be the first commission of its kind for one or both parties. This potential to develop new work beyond the evening itself was tested with the first Factory Night at Wallsend's Mecca Bingo, a former cinema in streamlined Art Deco style. 'Factory Nights by Day' brought artists back to the building during the Wallsend Festival to carry out proposals developed from the initial event. Given the limited amount of time available during Factory Nights, subsequent projects like this help to give something back to the host, showing how artists can respond to the site and the people who use it with imagination and sensitivity.
The location for each event is carefully chosen and plays a part as vital as that of rednile and the people who attend. Because they move to a new venue each time, Factory Nights have allowed rednile to work with different local authorities, building and developing strong working relationships. Each new location attracts a new range of artists, the Peterlee event firmly supported by East Durham Artists' Network (EDAN), many of whom won't have been to previous Factory Nights in North Tyneside and Sunderland. This is good for the events themselves, giving each its own distinct character both through the fresh mix of artists attending and the unique qualities of the venue. The Factory Night in the refurbished Water Board Building in Sunderland was the most like a social event, easy and comfortable in splendid surroundings, whereas Hendon's Queen Street Masonic Temple inspired one of the quietest and best, participants reaching for the sketchbooks supplied in order to capture something of its astonishing interior. These are, in the main, places that we would never normally go to – where we shall find people whom we might not otherwise meet.
So, those who found their way to Peterlee and braved the elements had their efforts rewarded – and the Factory Nights programme, flexible as it is, continues to develop with each new session. I don’t envisage an increase in numbers because Factory Nights will lose their intimacy and approachability with a large group of people, besides the limited space available at some of the sites. But in terms of energy, production of drawings and site-specific work, future commissions and the continued support of rednile’s funders, the potential is huge. It’s the artists who come along who can really make a difference, so next time the opportunity arises, book early, put on your winter coat – and make it a Factory Night.
By Steve Wright
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Funded by: Northern Rock Foundation and Arts Council England, North East.
In collaboration with: EDAN (East Durham Artists Network) (Website Link)
Supported by: Apollo Pavilion Community Association ( Website Link) and Durham County Council.