Paper short abstract:

Over 1000 years Gt Yarmouth grew from a small group of huts, on a sandbank, to a community of 100,000 people, either descended from migrants or migrants themselves. Island, the community-driven, visual arts project uncovered and celebrated this long and rich migration history.

Paper long abstract:

The 2018 Island Project was a 'Silver Darlings' artistic collaboration with Anglia Ruskin University for ethos and research; Time and Tide Museum for historical contexts and networking and Great Yarmouth Library for research and links. Other partners were SeaChange Arts for support; HLF for vital financial support and, most important of all, the staff and families from four local schools and the many citizens who shared their migration stories. Well over 100 stories were collected from past and present migrants.

Following the citizen research phase at the library and museum, local stories and corresponding models from the past provided both a framework and stimulation for assemblies and cross-generational workshops in schools. These gave the opportunity for people to informally talk whilst engaged in clay model making and to then record their stories on video. Workshops were also developed in the library with additional story capture in the video van. This resulted in over 240 people being engaged and culminated in an exhibition containing a 7m sandbank of the town with over 120 clay models each individually relating to an important part of a family's story. The sandbank was surrounded by storyboards and, in an adjacent room, video projections of families relating their experiences and showing their models.

This paper explores the context for the stories, what was learned and some unexpected outcomes. Our open and relaxed approach led to some interesting comments and conclusions. The project also raised questions regarding methodology, engagement and participation.