'Imagining St Fittick's' was a series of online conversation events that shared stories, experience and future imaginaries of St Fittick’s park, Torry, Aberdeen.
St Fittick’s Park is currently under threat from industrial development in the form of the Energy Transition Zone [ETZ]. Globally the rapid development of renewable energy infrastructure is often propelled by the same apparatus as oil; the radical simplification of bio/social worlds, the power of private finance applied to the force of public planning, and a disregard for the communities and land that have no value to them. Just as oil has shaped our daily life the development of new energy systems will produce new systems of power bound up in ongoing processes of deindustrialization, gentrification and renewal. If successful the impacts of the ETZ relate to the loss of important ecologies, lasting and material damage to an already marginalized community and aspects of landscape and cultural capital that will be compromised.
Consultation with members of the Hands of our Green Spaces in Torry steering group highlighted a want to think beyond the proposal to imagine the future of St Fittick’s, through community engagement, stewardship, arts and educational programmes. The series created an informal, conversational space that was led by participants to share concerns, ideas, and challenges for the future of St Fittick’s park. We were delighted to have a wide variety of people participate, from members of the local community, to arts professionals, environmentalists, social scientists, and city councilors. We would like to thank members of the St Fittick’s Friends steering group for their support and contributions.
The conversational events are part of a larger project made possible by the generous support of The Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards. VACMA Aberdeen Scheme is jointly funded through Creative Scotland and Aberdeen City Council. The project is part of a new, long term research enquiry considering energy politics and cultural imaginary. If you have any enquiries about this research, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
St Fittick’s Park is currently under threat from industrial development in the form of the Energy Transition Zone [ETZ]. Globally the rapid development of renewable energy infrastructure is often propelled by the same apparatus as oil; the radical simplification of bio/social worlds, the power of private finance applied to the force of public planning, and a disregard for the communities and land that have no value to them. Just as oil has shaped our daily life the development of new energy systems will produce new systems of power bound up in ongoing processes of deindustrialization, gentrification and renewal. If successful the impacts of the ETZ relate to the loss of important ecologies, lasting and material damage to an already marginalized community and aspects of landscape and cultural capital that will be compromised.
Consultation with members of the Hands of our Green Spaces in Torry steering group highlighted a want to think beyond the proposal to imagine the future of St Fittick’s, through community engagement, stewardship, arts and educational programmes. The series created an informal, conversational space that was led by participants to share concerns, ideas, and challenges for the future of St Fittick’s park. We were delighted to have a wide variety of people participate, from members of the local community, to arts professionals, environmentalists, social scientists, and city councilors. We would like to thank members of the St Fittick’s Friends steering group for their support and contributions.
The conversational events are part of a larger project made possible by the generous support of The Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards. VACMA Aberdeen Scheme is jointly funded through Creative Scotland and Aberdeen City Council. The project is part of a new, long term research enquiry considering energy politics and cultural imaginary. If you have any enquiries about this research, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
