From Calais Jungle to a Dagenham housing estate: sparking community cohesion through the arts

The presentation will focus on Heath Spark, an artist residency in a large public housing estate in Dagenham, UK. This will highlight integration issues in a tradionally working class area now mixed with government resettlement of immigrants, including asylum seekers. The research presents work done at the Calais refugee camp in order to help frame the journey. The presentation shows how public funding was both important to make the project happen but also scripted a narrative around the arts.