Case Studies
Piecing it Together
Design Feature
Type of Project
Placemaking
State
Tasmania
Location
Urban
The innovative Piecing it Together project, an initiative coordinated by Council on the Ageing (COTA) Tasmania, Illustrates how public art can make a strong contribution to the quality of streets and spaces. This project showcases how an intergenerational street art project can enliven a previously underused public space, which in turn encourages active living (with subsequent benefits for health, including heart health).
Challenging stereotypes
The project reflects several Healthy Active by Design features in action, including Sense of Place, Public Open Space and Destinations. The site and project are small in scale, but clearly illustrate significant co-benefits for community engagement and placemaking, with opportunities for activity.
Piecing it Together is an intergenerational street art project that brings younger and older people together to learn about, design, and create street art. The project challenges stereotypes around age, with the aims of reducing ageism and promoting community respect.
The project challenges ideas about how people of different ages can express themselves creatively. Putting an intergenerational twist on the project, COTA Tasmania brought people aged 12 to 18 years together with people aged over 60 years to engage in a similar initiative.
Following discussions with Eastlands Shopping Centre, located in Rosny alongside a variety of mixed uses and community facilities that form a central hub to the Clarence municipality, a site was found to host the next Piecing it Together project. This new site creates an opportunity to brighten a dull, busy walkway connecting the bus mall to the shopping complex. After hearing about the project, and wanting to support its worthwhile message, RACV/RACT Hobart Apartment Hotel provided funding to cover the costs of purchasing paint.
Jamin, a Tasmanian street artist and muralist, brought participants’ ideas and skills together to develop the piece. Participants spent three days learning about street art and discussing ideas for the piece that would incorporate local sense of place and their own life learnings.
Piecing it Together was inspired by a Portuguese project called Lata 65; in this project, people aged over 65 design and create street art to brighten the streets of Lisbon.
The project challenges ideas about how people of different ages can express themselves creatively. Putting an intergenerational twist on the project, COTA Tasmania brought people aged 12 to 18 years together with people aged over 60 years to engage in a similar initiative.
The first Piecing it Together project was delivered in 2018 in Ryde Street, North Hobart, with the support of Hobart City Council. The project’s outcome was a piece of art reflecting the local sporting and cultural precincts. Following this success, COTA Tasmania found an enthusiastic supporter in Clarence City Council to investigate a second project.
Following discussions with Eastlands Shopping Centre, located in Rosny alongside a variety of mixed uses and community facilities that form a central hub to the Clarence municipality, a site was found to host the next Piecing it Together project. This new site creates an opportunity to brighten a dull, busy walkway connecting the bus mall to the shopping complex. After hearing about the project, and wanting to support its worthwhile message, RACV/RACT Hobart Apartment Hotel provided funding to cover the costs of purchasing paint.
Jamin, a Tasmanian street artist and muralist, brought participants’ ideas and skills together to develop the piece. Participants spent three days learning about street art and discussing ideas for the piece that would incorporate local sense of place and their own life learnings.
Surprisingly, the reflections on life experiences shared by both groups were similar. After settling on the theme of taking risks (a concept that all participants related to), younger and older participants paired up to prepare bird stencils to reflect the process of taking a leap of faith as we “leave the nest” of our comfort zones.
The art project took three days of painting to complete. Across this time, participants learned spray paint techniques, how to use masking tape as a stencil, and how to apply their layered bird stencils, supporting each other to complete the piece.
The art project took three days of painting to complete. Across this time, participants learned spray paint techniques, how to use masking tape as a stencil, and how to apply their layered bird stencils, supporting each other to complete the piece.
A City-funded evaluation found that participants were surprised by how people of different ages contributed throughout the project, particularly with working together, contributing to discussion and having similar ideas and issues. All participants enjoyed working with, and learning from, people of different ages. Another key learning was how proud everyone was with their work, with many taking friends and family to visit the site.
Professional videos were produced to capture the project and participants’ journeys. These videos will also promote the benefits of the project to future funders. Videos illustrating the project can be viewed on the COTA website.
Professional videos were produced to capture the project and participants’ journeys. These videos will also promote the benefits of the project to future funders. Videos illustrating the project can be viewed on the COTA website.
Project team
- COTA Tasmania
- Jamin, street artist and muralist
- Clarence City Council
- Tasmanian Government
- Vicinity Centres/Eastlands (shopping centre)
- RACV Hobart Apartment Hotel
Project cost
$25, 000 (This cost includes $10,000 of professional video production and evaluation).
Health value
- Piecing it Together offers health value by promoting intergenerational connections to improve sense of community and reduce negative perceptions of older and younger people.
- The project also delivered a bright and inviting space to enjoy outdoors, which is connected to a broader network of walking routes, including connections to the Clarence Foreshore Trail.
- The public art intervention improves the quality of an otherwise overlooked area of public space, improving the appearance, which has the potential to attract more people to engage with the space, enjoy the artwork and otherwise enjoy the health benefits of walking.
- Many participants hoped that it would be a place that brought a smile to people’s faces and helped them forget about their worries or concerns at that moment.
Economic value
- Piecing it Together offers economic value by improving the appeal and sense of security of a walkway that connects public transport to a shopping complex, encouraging people to use this connection. The project also creates a sense of place within the Eastlands community that can encourage more people to shop at this complex.
- By being part of the project, participants have demonstrated their ability to work in a team with people from diverse backgrounds, and their ability to develop creative skills. These skills will be useful for future employment or volunteer opportunities, particularly if they want to pursue creative arts.
Environmental value
Piecing it Together offers environment value by beautifying an otherwise dull space and emphasising foliage in the planter boxes that were painted. The project encourages people to be outdoors and explore the piece.
Social value
- Piecing it Together offers social value by bringing younger and older people together to better understand each other, challenging negative stereotypes and encouraging community connection.3 This was witnessed and commented on by many passers-by using the walkway as painting occurred, allowing the broader community to challenge their own assumptions about younger and older people and expectations of their behaviours. Through video promotion, the Piecing it Together story and its outcomes can continue to challenge community expectations and perceptions about ageing.
- Community members involved in design and creation of art in a community space develop a sense of ownership and connection to their community.2 Piecing it Together provided an opportunity to connect with other members of the community. One of our older participants specifically joined the project to meet new people and become part of her community after moving from mainland Australia.
Use value
Piecing it Together offers Use Value by creating an interactive art piece for people to visit and explore, increasing sense of place and security that comes from community-led art.4 The walkway is more attractive and interesting, encouraging people to use this space as they move between the bus mall and Eastlands Shopping Centre.
References
- Hooper, P., et al. (2015). “The building blocks of a ‘Liveable Neighbourhood’: Identifying the key performance indicators for walking of an operational planning policy in Perth, Western Australia.” Health & Place 36: 173-183.
- Leyden KM. (2003). Social capital and the built environment: the importance of walkable neighborhoods. American Journal of Public Health 93(9): 1546-1551
- Davidson, S. R. & Boals-Gilbert, B. (2010) What age gap? Building intergenerational relationships. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 38(2): 23-29.
- Borrup, T. (2009) 5 ways arts projects can improve struggling communities. Project for Public Spaces: https://www.pps.org/article/artsprojects.
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