BUS STOP

This project transports an action which took place in front of a local Primary school in the village of Ballykinler/Ballykinlar and re-installs the outcome- of a mobile bus stop- together with a multimedia portrait of this community initiative in Co. Down. Being aware of asthetising a 'political action' within an art space by disconnecting it from its local social-political context, we try to work as close as possible with the participants and their lead artist and activist Anne-Marie Dillon.

Participants
Ballykinler Young Adults Forum: Anne-Marie Dillon, William Granleese, Tommy Warnock, Michael Robb, Marty Robb, Gavin Robb, Dean Murray, Corey Gibson, Ryan Crozier, Lisa Crozier, Nathan Crozier, Anthony Killen, Shauna Killen, Anthony Magelan, Shamar Hook, Curtis Trainor, Ashlene Trainor, Jeneifer Mageean, Stephen Kelly, Andrew Kelly, Lorna Lundy.

Bus stop was originally built outside a disused school in the centre of the village. The Community Association has argued for years that a sheltered bus stop at this location next to the Army camp was needed alongside their wish that the former Primary school  should be used as a community centre- a recent request was again refused. The installation highlighted the fact that there isn’t a sheltered bus stop and the direct action revealed the lack of social provision, the divisions in the village and the opposition to a proper bus stop from parts of the community in fear of anticipated vandalism.

For PS², the bus stop is re-assembled together with a personal documentation of the history of the Community Association; its past and present projects, the community structures, stakeholders and fractions, struggles, achievements and set backs. A history of an initiative which set out to provide social and creative activities for the small village in the past ten years; from ad hoc child care to youth disco’s, from shopping tours for elderly people to water sports for the youth. What distinguishes these social activities from other initiatives, is the strong artistic element which makes these events into happenings or performances. Installation view PS² This project is seen in connection with an ongoing programme by PS² of art initiatives in a rural context. How difficult it is to introduce art and creativity into a smaller town or village in Northern Ireland is exemplified with this initiative by the Community Association in Ballykinler. It shows the wide gap between urban and rural conditions in terms of cultural provision, desires and political preconceptions.

'The bus stop project is a bit of craic. It gives us something to do as there is fuck all else here. It's keeping us on the street and bringing the young people together.'

Ballykinler/Ballykinlar

With its seaside location and the Mourne Mountains as a backdrop, the small village of Ballykinler in Co. Down seems idyllic. Unless you take a wrong turn and end up at the gated compounds of a long established British Army site? A complex situation, not just for the two different spellings of its name on road signs. How do you live there as a young person? How do you make changes or at least influence the social infrastructure? And where does art fit into all of this?  Meeting in the parish hall with police and political representatives, standing on a map of the village made by Anne-Marie Dillon. The model map shows the army camp, the Gaelic foottball pitch, the rugby field and scattered housing.

Anne-Marie Dillon, artist and co-founder of the Ballykinler Community Association and the initiator of many activities in her home village, brought together a group of young people to work on small projects, to have fun and to kick-start a process of creative engagement with the social and built environment.

This project is supported with funding from the RHYZOM research project.

Other  PS² initiated or supported projects in Ballykinler

Un-regimented, 2014

Transfer Tests, 2012

RHYZOM - Collaborative network for local cultural production and trans-local dissemination, May 2009 - October 2011

UP- Down - 4 community art workshops + 1 Village Fair, 2011

Beach Huts, 2011