31/12/2021
Starting October 2020, Fusion Arts has developed a series of free online coding workshops for Oxfordshire residents in collaboration with Oxford Science and Ideas Festival (IF Oxford). Over the course of six sessions in October - November 2020, participants learnt how to make and code their very own lantern for Oxford's Light Festival, building a circuit with multi-coloured lights that could be controlled using computer code.
Participants from this course were then recruited for a subsequent series of workshops running monthly from March - June 2021. During these sessions, participants expanded on what they had learnt, using computer coding and sensors in circuits to control LED and motors that flash in sequences and colours. Harnessing the power of art and engineering, the project connected creative modes of coding with artistic practises and thinking to help develop a range of transferrable skills all whilst being lots of fun! Several of the sessions were led by the creative coder and artist CJ - Carise Alejandro who was brought on board by fusion. The live sessions were held between March and July of 2021 and can be accessed on-demand here.
For Oxford's Light Festival 2021, artist Cj — Carise AleJandro collaborated with Glow Your Own participants and youth from the Leys CDI summer club to develop their work and turn it into a supersized responsive light-up LED artwork called Circuit of Life. This was then installed at Blackbird Leys Community Centre and debuted with a free switch-on event for Oxford Light Festival that allowed the public to interact with the high tech creation. Using phones and QR codes, people sent the lights instructions to glow with amazing patterns, colours and images!
Also on offer was some delicious Caribbean food and the chance to build your own LED lamps. The night was a great success, with young children and older generations alike coming together to enjoy this captivating piece. The artwork was left on over the festival weekend for local residents to come and enjoy. Click to watch a video of the installation in Blackbird Leys.
Fusion Arts work with artists, groups and communities from across Oxfordshire and beyond to support a variety of imaginative and socially engaged projects.
Exploring Climate Change Through the Eyes of Indigenous Farmers in Indonesia. A collaborative project with Soboman Artspace 219 in Yogyakarta.
Creative writing project for young people across Oxfordshire, building writing skills as important tools for self-expression.
Long term project using interactive art strategies to develop speech and language in young children.
