We’re taking over the streets of the city. We want to cover them in art, imagination, joy and celebration, and we need your help.
We’re very excited to share this news with you. Over six months ago, we finished reading a book that left our minds literally fizzing with ideas. From What Is to What If, written by one of Transition Networks’ founders Rob Hopkins, showcases incredible feats of the imagination from all over the world. One idea, in particular, stuck right in our collective brain.
PARK(ing) Day is a global phenomenon with a very simple premise – the temporary reclamation of on-street parking. In city centres, so much of our real estate is taken up by parked cars, and space for creativity is often at a premium. The very first installation was very simple, but has given rise to a wave of bossness across the world.
The original PARK(ing) Day installation on 1st and Mission Streets in San Francisco (Rebar Group)
We started speaking to our friends, and family members, and basically anyone who stood still for long enough for us to bend their ear. We wanted to do this in Liverpool, and we wanted to do it on a large scale. Today, after many conversations with councillors, supporters and co-conspirators, we are launching the crowdfunder for sPark It Liverpool!
We have identified a number of target areas in Liverpool City Centre, and will be taking over the streets in a celebration of imagination, culture, creativity and joy. This sounded like a great idea before Coronavirus was even on the horizon, and now, in the middle of lockdown, it feels more important than ever.
We aim to raise funds for 15 independent businesses, and 15 non-profit, charitable/community organisations to be able to create temporary pop-up stalls in Liverpool. The location is still top secret, but we can say that it will be in the city centre itself. We hope to be able to do this next summer, lockdown and social distancing permitting, but in order to make it happen, we need your support.
We have an opportunity for this project to be supported by Mayor Joe Anderson’s Inclusive Development Fund, and so our first task is to show the Mayoral team that this is something that the people of Liverpool want. Please go on over to our Crowdfunding page, register your interest, and make a pledge. Even if you pledge £1, it will help us in our first goal, which is to show community interest and win the support of the Mayoral Fund.
We think Liverpool needs some love. Please show your support by signing up to the Crowdfunder, and by sharing this across your networks.
Thank you,
Transition Liverpool, Faiths4Change, Friends of the Earth Liverpool and Baltic Triangle CIC
Sounds really imaginative. Something to raise spirits.
Thanks for taking a look Anne. Crowdfunding is going really well, please share the page with your family and friends!
This is such a great way to demonstrate how parking spaces can have such more of a social value rather than having a car parked on them. Love this idea is there any chance of this happening elsewhere in the City Region.
We’d love to make this as big as possible. Unfortunately, our main obstacle to this is the size of our team of volunteers. We are speaking to Councillors from Childwall who approached us about the idea, but we need people to help us. If you are interested in getting involved with Transition, please get in touch at network@transitionliverpool.org
Thanks!
So where are the cars going to park? For many disabled people cars are essential otherwise they will be housebound. (I am not a car-driver myself). Is this event just for one day, or a few days or what?
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your comment. sPark It will be a temporary installation. We envisage the events being one day long, and we hope that the project will grow to a point that we are able to hold events across the city region. We have a disability and accessibility expert working with us on the project to ensure that everyone is able to engage with the event.
Paul