Creative Voices, Activist Voices exhibition on tour! 30 May – 1 June 2025
Fun Palaces producer Rachel travelled with Dr Katy Pilcher, a sociologist from Aston University and the Creative Voices, Activist Voices partner, on the first leg of the exhibition tour. The first stop was Portrush in Northern Ireland being hosted by longtime Fun Palaces Makers, Swell. Here, Rachel shares a conversation she had with Gemma Reid, one of the founders of Swell, speaking about how they started, the creative people of Portrush and her love of the area.
In May, I travelled to Northern Ireland, for the first leg of The Creative Voices, Activist Voices exhibition tour, where it was to be hosted by longtime Fun Palaces Makers, Swell. The exhibition shares findings from a research project, between Dr Katy Pilcher, a sociologist from Aston University and Fun Palaces, looking at whether communities who make creative and cultural experiences for themselves tend to get more involved in activism and campaigning.
I was excited about meeting Gemma and finding out more about Swell. As Gemma explained to me it first came about as a result of the conversations she had with others from Portrush. They felt that many people were doing interesting and important things, but there was no way for people to act collectively in the interest of the whole community. This led to the idea of putting on a festival to showcase the amazing things people in Portrush were doing. It was hoped that this festival would build a sense of community and allow collaborations to emerge.
Since its inception five years ago, Swell has always been run as a Fun Palace. Gemma explained that this was because it felt important to connect with other organisations that could offer support and enable Swell to feel part of a bigger movement. She saw Fun Palaces and Swell as sharing the same ethos, celebrating the creative things people are already doing.
When Gemma saw that the Creative Voices, Activist Voices exhibition was touring, she was keen for Swell to be included. She was concerned that after five years of running Swell as a Festival, people saw it as ‘just’ a festival, rather than an activist movement supporting the people of Portrush to come together and shape its future. The exhibition and associated events were held in The Arcadia, a stunning venue on the Portrush coastline which was once a ballroom and is now a café with a large upstairs room looking directly out to sea. Gemma curated the weekend of activities which included storytelling, and the repair café led by local artists and placard and foam print workshops, which drew in many people. Some were engaging with Swell for the first time, and some became new volunteers.
The exhibition research findings were also a useful starting point to stimulate topical conversations. The research reveals that taking part in creative activities with your community can lead to people becoming more involved in activist issues. This gave Gemma the confidence that Swell can and is transforming from a festival towards community activism; a belief found in other protest movements like Protestival in St Leonards, East Sussex, which describes itself as part community festival, part protest. Gemma mentioned that bringing together a group of like-minded people can create a wall which may exclude others from getting involved. These types of potential barriers were outlined in the research, an important reminder to stay aware of different people’s needs and create an open and welcoming environment.
So, what’s next for Swell? One of the things they have been doing at each festival is giving people postcards which ask, “What is your wildest dream for Portrush”? Over the past five years, themes have begun to emerge. One was the desire for a community centre, a space that doesn’t cost or demand anything of you, that’s open, free, welcoming and where you can connect with others and do things together. Portrush has a town hall, which, despite being a great space in a central location, is underused by local people. Swell has been animating and revitalising the space with creative events for local people and running takeover days.
I found everyone warm and welcoming and loved Northern Ireland’s beautiful and dramatic landscapes. The walk I took along Portrush’s long, sweeping sandy coastline, visiting Kinbane Castle and Rathlin Island, a magical place brimming with wildlife; puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes and guillemots allowed me to see why everyone is so captivated by this area. Gemma was delighted that I, a visitor to the area, ‘loved it almost as much as she does’. Being in this wild landscape offers a reminder of how much our rituals and routines can be dictated by the extremes of the weather and how culture can sometimes evolve from our exchanges with the natural world. It was wonderful to experience how people are making change happen in Portrush in small but impactful ways. I look forward to returning some time soon!
The Creative Voices, Activist Voices exhibition tour continues until March 2026. It is showing at Macrobert Arts centre until the 12th August and then on to The Bureau Centre of the Arts running from Tuesday 16 September – Sunday 5 Oct. For more information see the website.
