The Bristol Eco Shows: Engaging The Powers That Be

David has a background in community development, but is also a jazz musician and visual artist. The Eco Shows use of a professional core of musicians and artists to deliver a community based social change project. The artists work over a period of three months with a group to support and enhance what they want to do as a community in the long-term. At the end of that time they mark what has been achieved with a show.

“This year we’ve got people from Redcliffe, Hartcliffe, Withywood and Redland. I think one of the things that weaken some of the community based effort here is that Bristol is quite village like, there are lots of disparate bits and funding tends to be focused on those. Where is the connectivity in that?”

“Bristol is known as the city of music, it’s got this worldwide reputation so we’re using some of that aspect to really make this an amazing hard hitting transformative show.” He adds, “If Bristol changes things within the next generation by reducing its carbon footprint, then this could be replicated in other cities. [Since] half of all human beings live in cities around the world, if we did thousands of city-based projects that would have a big impact worldwide.”

The next Eco Show event is a talk from human ecologist Alistair McIntosh. David says that Alistair is looking at the big question, the relationship between the social and the natural world. He’s had experience as a grass roots activist and is now an advisor to a major multinational. He’s made the journey without compromising his radical critique of the way the world is. “Those of us who are activists, we tend to demonise the guys with power but the world isn’t quite like that. The world is one place with degrees of difference, every aspect needs to play its part in a holistic change and by listening to him and debating we can get more of an insight into how to involve those who have power.”

With a strong steering group and support from all over including Transition Bristol, The Pierian centre, The City Council, and The Create Centre, The Eco Shows have one pilot project under their belt. A second pilot is being run by visual artist Pablo Perez who is busy fundraising for a project in Easton which will result in a video-based exhibition.

 “It’s about a multiplicity of things all happening together. Rob Hopkins from Transition Bristol talks about unleashing the collective genius. I think art has lost its’ power to critique and transform society.  The cleverest creative talents have become co-opted in the advertising industry or we regularly deliver what is merely Friday night entertainment for people to let off a bit of steam. I don’t want to be compromised by the consumer system I want to create change with my art and I know other artists feel the same.”

 By Kesty Morisson