Louisa Taylor teaches camera skills in a Showman's Yard
Image by A McAvoy
Fair Glasgow gave some insight into who manufactures and who deploys things we take for granted
Image by A McAvoy
Fair Glasgow uncovered the hopes and fears about the ever changing field of Public Entertainment Licensing and who will be able to deploy in the Public realm
The Show Float leaves Govan for a test run - Seen here passing the Pearce Institute.
Image by A McAvoy
Eric van Egerat, Indira Van de Klooster from the Netherlands , + Karen Anderson representing The Andrew Doolan Awards panel watch the "Show Float" leaving a Showmans Yard in Govan ready for its summer tour of Old Scottish Fairs
Image by A McAvoy
Kids from Show people families
( standing ) interviewing performers at Irvine Marymass Fair about perceptions of Showpeople
on the ShowFloat
Image by A McAvoy
Glasgow Fair
The "Show Float" was conjured from apparatus already dear to the Show Folks. It performed a role in this "Bottom Up" project called “FAIR GLASGOW” which ran from MAY 2013 – March 2015
It was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund HLF and recorded and administered by Fable Vision studios.
The Show Float was developed as a community engagement tool for deployment and set up by show kids at an "ever decreasing circle" of traditional Scottish Fairs. A tool enabling an engagement process and critical dialogue about whats happening to people and places involved in Fair Culture.
It was physically configured from a number of redundant things by Andrew McAvoy + Liam o Sheah and members of Govanʼs Fairground Community Group. Specifically- James and John Stringfellow with help from Gerard Weston and a number of wonderful kids from ShowFolks families feeling the heat of societal prejudice.
It was built in a traditional Showman's Yard at Water Row in Govan from the following.
Namely :-
1 - A low slung long wheel base chassis. 2 - Reconfigured and reassembled timber parts from a previous Community stunt - The Ghost of Water Row. 2- New Timber carcassing to allow for strength and a road trip. 3 - Durbar Plate from a redundant show ride (A "galloper" ) 4 - Original Hand painted Scottish Waltzer Cars circa 1968 made from the curved corners of Glasgow's Tramcars. ( Tramcars driven under battery power to Govan's Water Row to avoid burning on decommissioning by Glasgow Corporation.) 5 -Hand painted Wooden "Speedway" bykes circa 1960 as dressage and furniture. 6 - Stainless steel Guard rails recycled from a Showmans yard.
It was supplemented for the Fair Glasgow Project with a removable water proof cover ( tilt ) manufactured by Montrose Rope and Sail, who have delivered tilt to the showmen since the early 1900's . ( men do stich in Montrose)
The Show Float was deployed and used by the gentlest and best behaved kids you will find in the Post Industrial blighted areas of old Glasgow - Kids from forgotten yards and commonly overlooked regal show families. Affectionaltely known by themselves and their elders as "Show Kids".
It charted: over a year long tour of Scottish Fairs - the history, hopes and fears of more than a percentage of Glasgow's inhabitants. People who have been responsible for trade, liesure and making, since the foundations of the city were set.
It later took the recorded findings of the road trip back into the schools and contributed to debate ... and a record.
A record greatly in need of further resource as the City under weight of Economic Defaults and drivers, displaces the community in the name of improvement. ( Thank you to Professor Chris Dalglish for site of his Paper - "The city as the Great Improver "
This was a project that investigated the nitty gritty of how how to hand the tools over and let a community take control of the gathering of information. An investigation in enbaling and deliberate Endogenous process
Once handed over It allowed for a greater degree of careful listening where the Community took ownership of the task.
The tool remains with the Show Folks Community.
The wider "Fair Glasgow" project allowed many people outwith the Show folks Community, insight into the workings of a commonly disregarded component of Scotland's Industrial framework.
Technologically the practice found in the Show Folks Yards - a skill base it did not previously know existed. It also noticed a kindness, a generosity and considerate community deliberately questioning what was happening round about them.
We gained a tiny insight into an intangibly rich culture spanning many generations.
Some sense of the thousands not hundreds of years it has taken to evolve was taken.
Historically - Glasgow was founded on Fair ... Fair was Glasgow and we were left with a question for a title.
Fair Glasgow ?
Appendix B: Fair Glasgow: Strand 2“The Showfloat”
By Architect - Andrew McAvoy RIAS + JJR Stringfellow – Showman.
Hit on link for Full project strand report submitted to HLF on completion of project
Swing Boats being manufactured at Water Row Govan - Circa 1890
Image Copyright of JJR StringFellow
Fair Glasgow Project introduced via publication in event Programme.
Words by A McAvoy - 2014
Gated Communities - Sketch in process - A McAvoy -2014
Hidden yards containing deep post Industrial narrative
Tool deployed - Kids from Show families discuss the prejudice they have encountered at School.