Hillaballoo

Views and visions 

Telegraph Hill is in New Cross, SE14, in South East London. It is named for an ‘optical telegraph’ that passed messages across Kent’s highest hills on to the Admiralty. Building on years of activism in the area, a ‘creative community vision’ for Telegraph Hill is underway.

Hillaballoo is a summer event supporting these developments. It celebrates the fabulous view, explores everything to do with ‘looking further’ and invites visions for the future of SE14.  

The first took place in 2007 and Lewisham Council have given a bit of money for it to happen again, on Saturday 19th July 2008. The centrepiece will be Willett and Patteson’s Amazing Camera Obscura to give us all a 360 degree view from the Top Park. http://www.amazingcameraobscura.co.uk/index.htm

Everyone is invited to prepare and share artwork and activities. The possibilities are limitless but might include:

• Drawing games
• Photography challenges
• Sun prints
• Shadow catching
• Optical messaging
• Pinhole cameras
• Spot the ball with a twist
• Treasure hunts
• Illusions and spectacles

Also invited are contributions on local history, science or community visions. The contributions don’t have to be visual but could be words, performance, music or participatory activity.

Your questions answered:

When? Saturday 19th July, lunchtime until after dark.

Where? The Top Park, Kitto Road, is the main site.

Will there be food? The Farmer’s Market will be in the Lower Park, 10 am -3 pm, so you can buy food for a picnic. Cafe Orange will be open too.

Will it cost anything? It’s free.

Are there fees for contributors? We have no extra funds to pay fees. Some contributors may want to busk for donations or to sell items.  

Are there any limits or rules for contributors?

• There are no limits on artistic content, except to bear in mind that it is a family audience.
• This is a ‘Power Party’, which means keeping a low carbon footprint. Please no generators or amplified music. See http://powerparties.wordpress.com for more information.
• Liaison with the Park managers will be minimal, so no complex equipment, no construction, no vehicle access to the Park and no safety risks.

What should I do if I want to contribute?

Email Bridget on bridget.mckenzie@flowassociates.com whether you just want to express interest or describe your proposal.

You can also use this website to share ideas, seek views, link to your own webpages and promote your work. If you want to add regular posts, ask for editor access, or you can simply post comments.