Jo Roberts commission for Didcot Orchard Centre(15/04/2005) |
A commissioning programme is underway for a new retail development in Didcot, the Orchard Centre, due to open this month. Artist Jo Roberts is working on a temporary project starting in May to engage the public with the new centre, and Gordon Young is developing a permanent commission for Orchard Street. Jo has undertaken three months of research in the town and has developed a series of activities and artworks to take place from May to July this year. During May she will be engaging with the people of Didcot in a number of unusual ways, starting with the launch of an appeal for a delivery bike to meet people in the town (inspired by an historical image of a local woman on her delivery bike). Jo will be working with BBC Radio Oxford throughout the project to collect 'wishes' from the people of Didcot and create a 'wish list' to record the community's hopes and aspirations, which will be displayed at the Orchard Centre. The wishes will be transformed and appear on limited edition luxury carrier bags which will be distributed to local people at the Orchard Centre as part of a special event in July to celebrate the project. |