The Trials of Democracy: Who Gives a XXXX?
Free Public Art Workshops: Engage at your Level!
Join us at our free workshops to discuss and debate democracy, take part in activities led by visual artist Hilary Cox Condron, and Menagerie Co-Artistic Director Patrick Morris. Each workshop has a different theme or set of activities, so you’re welcome to come to more than one!
November 16th at Lichfield Community Hall
Being Counted. Who's in? Who's out? And is it all a numbers game? A creative workshop exploring what Democracy means to us, with Hilary Cox Condron and Patrick Morris.
November 23rd at Cambridge Central Library Conference Room
Information/Education/Agitation. What do we want!? When do we want it!? How are we going to get it? A creative workshop exploring education and information impact our Democracy, with Hilary Cox Condron and Patrick Morris.
November 30th at Mill Road Community Centre
A Blind Date with Democracy. Where will you go? What will you wear? Will you kiss? A writing and theatre workshop exploring our relationship to Democracy, with Patrick Morris.
What is this project?
The Trials of Democracy is Menagerie’s Public Art project for 2024-25. It is a unique collaboration between our own Patrick Morris and visual artist Hilary Cox Condron.
What will happen as part of it?
They will spend 8 months running open-access workshops around Cambridge, inviting people to explore their own relationship to DEMOCRACY – the political system under which we live.
What is it going towards?
The culmination will be a weekend of performances, art exhibits, and installations which articulate the diverse experiences of our system of government. Using the old Cambridge Guildhall courthouse, we will put DEMOCRACY itself under the spotlight.
How can I get involved?
Book onto our FREE workshops, linked above! They are open to anyone age 14+ (14-17 year olds will need consent from parent/carer). We are also seeking volunteers who may wish to take part in the creative process – of making, devising, creating and performing (more on this soon…)
In the meantime, some FACTS and QUESTIONS:
In the recent General Election, turnout was just 52% of eligible adults, the lowest since
Universal suffrage was introduced in 1928.
Labour received 9,712,011 votes and won 421 seats
Conservatives received 6,814,469 votes and won 122 seats
Reform received 4,091,549 votes and won 5 seats
Lib Dems received 3,499,933 votes and won 72 seats
Greens received 1,939,502 votes and won 4 seats
Did any of these votes belong to you? Did you wish they belonged to you?
1) What makes you feel a sense of belonging and investment in your locality?
2) What drives you to participate in, or to withdraw from, the democratic process?
3) Do you vote? If so why? If not, why not?
4) What ways do you participate in this democracy? (Eg. Neighbourhood group, Citizens’ Assemblies, trade union, protest movement, community work)
5) Where do you see faultlines in our democracy?
6) How does the growth of Cambridge affect you?
7) What would you prefer to democracy?
8) The ghost of John Pink is said to haunt the Guildhall in Cambridge – why would he want to do that?
9) There was a man called Benjamin, who owned the land on which the Guildhall was
ultimately built, before he was turfed off that spot in 1224. What happened there?
10) Where did it all begin? (Don’t say Athens).
11)Where will it all end? (Don’t say with Donald Trump).
