Identified Problems:

Retail parks such as Rushden Lakes outside of town offer a more relaxed and experiential shopping experience with kids easily able to play and safe spaces to sit.

The tourist information centre in Town Centre has sections for things to do in London and Birmingham but not a Northampton specific section and details of Northampton activities tend to focus on things outside of the town centre

There is no one place in the ‘Cultural Quarter’ where people can look and see what events are on in the town centre.

Smaller independent shops are having to move out of spaces (Ridings Shopping Centre) because they can’t afford the rent.

Parking is expensive and has made certain streets unattractive and not user friendly.

There are an influx of estate agencies.

Possible suggestions for creative events:

We decided that whatever we did needed to be interactive, engaging and regular.

Something celebrating the history of the town.

Pop up performances in empty shop fronts in different parts of town that occur regularly and keep bringing people back, developing a local audience.

Engage the local community through interviews and posters in shop windows saying: ‘what do you want here.’

Create something that challenges the local communities perception of what they would ordinarily go and see.

Something iconic and memorable (like the
Creepy Clown) that will get people talking and raise the town profile.

A flash mob in town centre inspired by shoes

An advent calendar style event. Open a different shop door every day of advent to discover a new shop environment.

Create a festival that brings different communities together under one roof.

Ultimately:

We’d like to create experiences in the town centre which can make people believe in, engage with and be proud of the cultural heritage of their town again.

Events should be: Relevant, Iconic, Experiential and Regular.

Eventually, off the back of the project, and after consultation with the local community, create an arts space where artists and the community can come together make things and be proud of their local heritage.

Where to begin?

Contact the council and meet with them to discuss possibilities for buildings. Create contacts and start conversations.

Meet with Theatre Delicatison to talk about how to repurpose buildings for creative use.

Find a producer to help write applications, clarify ideas and work together logistically.

Build a team of interested and engaged local artists to help bring the ideas into reality.