Skip to Content

This website uses Cookies you can control them from this page: Cookies page

Functionality Cookies Performance Cookies Targeting Cookies
THE 2023 FESTIVAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
21 October - 17 November
FoSS and ESRC logos

Experiencing and Improving Public Spaces.

A tour of pedestrian underpasses in Jesmond and Sandyford followed by a creative workshop about public spaces

a footpath passes some trees and disappears in to a pedestrian underpass

What’s on offer?

The tour of pedestrian underpasses traverses Jesmond and Sandyford. The meeting point is the gates at the southern entrance of Exhibition Park, by the Claremont Road roundabout and skatepark. The meeting point is a five-minute walk from Eldon Square and Haymarket bus stations. In terms of accessibility, the underpasses have sloped access (allowing wheelchair usage). We will ensure that everyone is comfortable with the pace.

The creative workshop about public space takes place in Sandyford Building at Northumbria University (room 210). We welcome everyone – no matter your ‘artistic ability’ – to the creative workshop. We will guide you through the process at the workshop, and give you examples to assist you.

The event has two options, both taking place on 7th November 2023. The schedule is:

11:00 – 12:30: Part one – a tour of Newcastle’s pedestrian underpasses.

13:00 – 15:00: Part two – a creative workshop about public space (where participants visually represent their experiences of, attitudes towards, or suggestions for public space through art, collage or mapping). 

What’s it about?

This event draws on a research project about people’s experiences of, and the management of, public spaces in Newcastle upon Tyne, which focused on pedestrian underpasses. The project was conducted by the same academics at Northumbria University who are running this event.

The first part of the event (tour of pedestrian underpasses) will utilise data from this research project to explore people’s attitudes towards, and experiences of, pedestrian underpasses, and attendees will be encouraged to reflect on their own feelings about these public spaces.

The second part of the event (the creative workshop) will encourage attendees to reflect on their experiences of, and attitudes towards, public space more generally (e.g., streets, parks, squares, shopping centres, pedestrian underpasses). In this creative workshop, we will explore the themes of safety, mobility, belonging, nature, art, protest, gender and inequality. We will also identify ways of improving public space.

Who’s leading the event?

Ian Cook and Clare Wiper

Open to

This event is open to all members of the public. If you like being outdoors or being creative, then this event is a great choice for you.

Of particular interest to

Adults

Event Booking details

Register for each part of the event separately through the links below:

Part one – pedestrian underpasses tour:

https://events.bookitbee.com/northumbria-university-2/a-tour-of-newcastles-pedestrian-underpasses-public/

Part two – creative workshop on public space:

https://events.bookitbee.com/northumbria-university-2/creative-workshop-on-public-space-public-space-eve/

The capacities of the tour and creative workshop are capped at 25 participants each. If you book and then cannot attend, please inform ian.cook@northumbria.ac.uk so others may take your place.

Scheduling information

The event has two options, both taking place on 7th November 2023. The schedule is:

11:00 – 12:30: Part one – a tour of Newcastle’s pedestrian underpasses.

13:00 – 15:00: Part two – a creative workshop about public space (where participants visually represent their experiences of, attitudes towards, or suggestions for public space through art, collage or mapping).

Event booking deadline

The end of Sunday 5th November 2023