Land of the Fanns commissioned Ali Pretty and Kinetika to deliver a complex community mapping project to gather 100 stories from across the area to highlight its treasures.
In workshops and via remote sessions, local people and community groups were invited to record their stories about places that had special significance, as well as tales of important characters from the community.
These sessions would usually be in-person but this was quickly adapted during lockdown. Creative packs with materials were sent to participants who needed supplies, so that flag designs illustrating each story could be completed.
The collected stories and flags now represent a people’s history and community map of the Land of the Fanns which culminated in a walking festival and contributed to a significant book about the project called Fens, Forests and Fields by Ken Worpole.
Funders include Arts Council of England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Thurrock Council.
Land of the Fanns summary on the Kinetika website
Fens Forests & Fields – the Land of the Fanns book
Ali Pretty is the founding member and artistic director of Kinetika. Since 2012 Ali’s practice has been to develop transformational walking arts projects with diverse communities which bring people together by walking, talking and painting large-scale silk creations. Ali has led walking projects in Wiltshire, Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Essex and Thurrock, where she has developed an annual walking, talking and making festival Thurrock 100. This pioneering place-making model has been replicated internationally in various forms in Ethiopia, Chile and India. Her most ambitious project was Silk River, commissioned by the British Council for the UK/India year of Culture 2017.