Can an artist have a positive impact on a venue?
Stourport library is a small typical local library located in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire close to the towns of Kidderminster and Bewdley. It has a large underused gallery space, an enthusiastic staff and wanted to change the perception of a library from just a building full of books to a thriving heart of the community.
Jain McKay is a visual artist interested in internal narratives and books as tools for self development. Her aim was to use art as a tool for change, to find ways of raising confidence and self esteem in communities. Looking at the positive effect an artist can have on a community. Together they created an interesting project around the research question: can an artist have a positive impact on a venue, raising self-esteem
and confidence, increasing participation and leaving a sustainable legacy?
Although they had different aims these were mutually beneficial and supportive with lots of overlapping areas.
