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An intriguing new arts project will turn an everyday parking space in Middlesbrough into a one-day space for community-led creativity, music, design and conversation.
The one-off event is part of a global movement called PARK(ing) Day, and is all about showing how streets can be so much more than just roads and car parking.
It is coming to Middlesbrough for the first time on September 19th, meaning the town is part of an international network of cities including New York, Melbourne, Barcelona and Detroit. The Teesside event is one of only two in England.
A participatory project
Park(ing) Day is an inclusive public, participatory project where people across the world temporarily repurpose kerbside parking spaces and convert them into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets for people.
In Teesside a team of makers, artists and placemakers have been supported by Borderlands to come together to transform a parking space on Albert Road into a ‘parklet’. This means it will be a mini public space made by and for the people who live, work and spend time in the town centre. It will take shape in front of the Undergo Cafe - 17 Albert Road, postcode TS1 1PQ.
The project is being delivered by a new local company called SAWDUST. Will Hughes, a multi-disciplinary artist and one of the Tees Valley Artists of the Year is co-founder of SAWDUST and explained: “We want to prove to the people of Middlesbrough that our streets don’t have to be defined by cars and parking . They can be social places full of joy and genuine community creativity too. It has been amazing to be part of imaginative workshops where local people have shared so many brilliant ideas - I’m hopeful our PARK(ing) Day idea will inspire people to see Middlesbrough in a new light.”
Inspiring and inclusive
Will explained the team were working on several ideas as part of the installation. They said: “We are building seating, we will have live music, hook-a-duck and we’re even going to be building bird boxes before the day to install in town. We really hope the space will be inspiring, inclusive and most of all a fun place to spend time with the community here.
“Our space will be open to the public between 11am and 6pm. It will be community-led and assets-based; properly participatory; and beautifully disobedient.”
As part of SAWDUST’s work they have been working with the Recovery Connections Community Cafe; a social enterprise that supports people in recovery. Borderlands Creative Producer Lou Scholes has been working with SAWDUST on PARK(ing) Day.
Making art accessible
She explained it was the perfect way to make art accessible to people in Middlesbrough. “I can’t wait for this to take shape on September 19th - it is so cool that we’re part of a bigger international story. The project is something that is totally different for Middlesbrough but I think it’s really important too. By inviting our neighbours, artists, and local communities to reclaim a bit of the road it gives people here a sense of belonging in our town.”
Gaye Kirby, Head of Culture at Middlesbrough Council, said: “We are proud to be supporting the PARK(ing) Day project here in Middlesbrough. Although it is only for one-day, it will encapsulate the ambition and energy of the artists and makers working here. There are some great partners on board with this, which shows the power of good collaboration between artists and organisations and I’m confident it’ll bring such a fantastic buzz to the town.”
The Park(ing) Day Network is a global initiative dedicated to transforming urban kerbside parking spaces into vibrant, temporary public spaces for art, play, and activism. Originating in 2005 with a single installation by Rebar Art and Design Studio, in San Francisco, Park(ing) Day has grown into a participatory event engaging communities on six continents. It highlights issues like climate change, road safety, and mobility equity, offering a platform for reimagining streets as greener, safer, and more equitable spaces for people.
Transforming public spaces
Through its online resources, including a global map, how-to guides, and partnerships with organisations like the Trust for Public Land and SPIN, the network empowers participants to take direct action, fostering local activism and inspiring long-term urban transformation.
Bobbie Bailey, one of the founding directors of SAWDUST whose work focuses on transforming overlooked spaces into places for people, said: “What’s exciting is how much this project has been shaped by international learning. We’ve drawn inspiration from Better Block in Dallas, whose open-source wiki gave us the templates for the modular street furniture you’ll see on the day.
“Because these designs are freely shared for communities everywhere, we’ve been able to work with local makers to build adaptable, low-cost furniture that will bring colour, comfort and playfulness to Albert Road - proving how small interventions can spark big change.”
All images: SAWDUST
