Longley Place | Community
Bridging Place, People and Poetry
At Art Acumen, we believe that creativity thrives when it’s co-authored. For the Longley Place public art commission, we designed a community engagement project that invited local voices into the heart of the process, fostering contemplation, individual expression and collective dialogue.
In collaboration with a poet-in-residence, we extended a quiet invitation to the Brighton & Hove community: to reflect, respond, and reimagine their connection to nature and open spaces. Through intimate guided walks and meaningful exchanges, residents shared layered stories and emotional truths, everyday moments of calm, joy, concern and hope.
This engagement was carefully designed to bring the community into the creative process, allowing them to shape the narrative and ultimately enjoy the final commissioned work as something they had helped inspire. By taking part in their own creative journey, participants formed a deeper connection to the work and to the place itself.
“I’d never thought my quiet walks through the park held any meaning. But speaking them aloud, and hearing others do the same, made me realise we’re all connected by these little green rituals.”
Outside Voices
To extend the creative conversation further, we partnered with the Brighton Film School, commissioning second-year students to create a poetry film inspired by the community’s shared reflections. Their interpretation continues the dialogue in a new medium, championing the next generation of creative talent.
This is engagement rooted in empathy, and art that sparks connection. It’s a shared journey, one that invites people in, builds understanding, and creates a sense of belonging. At its heart is our belief in art’s power to shape places and bring people together in meaningful ways.
We engaged with a wide cross-section of the community, including schoolchildren, commuters, community groups, visitors, shoppers and strollers. Through gentle and inclusive invitations to take part in the creative process, we created opportunities for connection. Whether it was through pop-up workshops, guided walks or spontaneous conversations in public spaces, each interaction offered a moment to pause, reflect and contribute.
