Symposium - Sue Clifford
Sue Clifford
Director, Common Ground -
Common Ground: ‘England in Particular’ & ‘Confluence’
Having outlined the history of Common Ground’s extensive and influential work, Sue asserted the prime importance of ‘place’ and how ‘the common voice’ was often usurped by professionals who marginalised the local vernacular knowledge. This undermines ‘where you are in the system of things’. In their recent ‘Confluence’ project the River Stour featured as a specific river that suggested archetypical qualities of difference. Music and literature, visual and celebratory arts were used alongside science, myth and community development to ‘touch our hearts’ and generate awareness of the value of its ‘particular’ nature.