Changing Tracks

Changing Tracks - Update

CHANGING TRACKS is an outdoor temporary public art project to be launched this Spring and Summer in County Mayo, Northamptonshire and Catalonia as part of the European Union’s Culture Programme 2007 to 2013.

The project invited artists from the participating countries to explore the changing use of disused railway lines. In the case of County Mayo, artists were asked to locate their proposals on the Great Western Greenway, the 42 kilometre walking and cycling track which was once the railway that connected Westport to Achill Island.

Artists from Ireland, Spain and the UK were asked to explore the shared economic and cultural heritage themes in relation to former railways. They were to consider the railway’s original impact on the community and the environment and then examine how the change of use has now impacted on local economies and lifestyles.

The three selected artists, one from each country, will each create three separate temporary art works each to be situated on or adjacent to disused railway lines which are now used as walking or cycle paths. These nine unique and highly ambitious artworks (three in each participating region; one artwork by each artist) will remain in situ until approximately September.

The artists selected are Aideen Barry (Ireland), Noah Rose ( UK) and Xevi Bayona (Catalonia) .  All three have been working in the three different locations over the last number of months and will begin installing their work this June and and the project will be launched in Mayo on Saturday 12^th July.

The primary intention of the project is to engage new audiences for contemporary art by placing the artworks in a non-traditional exhibition / display environment, thereby removing barriers to participation and providing opportunities to engage with a wide range of leisure and recreational users e.g. walkers, cyclists, families, fishers, and local community groups e.g. heritage, schools, colleges and local tourism businesses. 

A seminar programme aimed at artists and cultural professionals is then planned for the autumn of 2014, with events planned in each of the three participating regions.  The seminars will focus on the implementation and success of the project from the artists and project managers perspectives, with additional invited guest speakers, and will be free to attend.

For more information about CHANGING TRACKS and supporting education programmes and events please go to www.changingtracks.eu

CHANGING TRACKS has received funding the Education, Audiovisual and Cultural Executive of the European Commission (EACEA) as part of the EU Culture Programme 2007-2013, and is supported by Northamptonshire County Council, UK, Mayo County Council and Consortium Transversal Cultural Activities Network, Spain.