Meet the artists – Quiet Down There (QDT)

The visit.

On a bright and snowy day at the end of November 2021 we took a trip to Fairfields and Whitehouse to meet some local people and to start to plan how we will work with residents in these two neighbourhoods.

Since being awarded the commission to work with residents in Fairfields and Whitehouse, to help shape ideas for a new piece of public art for the area, we have been fascinated by the history of Milton Keynes and how the wider area is evolving.

From our research it seems that Milton Keynes is a city of opportunities, a place that welcomes newcomers and has the conditions for people to set up home, business and creative lives from scratch.  The culture, that can be seen to the outsider to start and end with the concrete cows, has benefitted from the city’s ‘can-do’ attitude and includes museums, galleries, theatres and festivals.  In addition there are over 230 pieces of public art across the city offering an accessible outdoor art gallery which people interact with on a daily basis.

The role of public art.

Commissioning public art is a big responsibility, it can influence the way space is used, who uses it and how well it is looked after.  Good public art celebrates what is already there – it facilitates the lives of the people that live around it, be that by provoking new thoughts or enabling encounters.  It should make people feel proud and it should reflect the way they feel about their community.  The people of MK are known for being fiercely proud of where they live – any artwork must do justice to this strength of feeling.

Public art in Fairfields and Whitehouse.

With Fairfields and Whitehouse being nascent communities it’s important that spaces encourage community building and cohesion.  Our trip on this winter’s day revealed huge skies, beautiful views, a cosy café and infrastructure for newts! We saw plenty of evidence of a thriving community through allotments, schools and playgrounds and we felt very excited by the potential for a functional piece of sculpture or outdoor furniture that offers more opportunities for different types of people to come together in different ways.

A recent neighbourhood survey revealed that residents want places to meet, local events and activities for young people and children almost above all else.  Our role is to be a blank canvas for the residents, a place for them to explore and collect their thoughts around what a piece of public art could mean for them and how it could support and enable them now and in years to come.

Join us for a conversation.

Quiet Down There will be appearing around Fairfields and Whitehouse between April and June 2022 offering people a free lunch in return for half an hours conversation about the people, places and hopes of the area.  We will also be creating an online conversation for those that don’t have time for lunch, this will be launching early February.  If you have any ideas about the new public art commission or you would like to know more about our part of the project please email lucy@quietdownthere.co.uk.