Specific To Site Week 3 – Testing Grounds (Thursday)

IMG_0203 IMG_0196Last Thursday saw us checking out Testing Grounds as a non-place. When we got there I realised that I’d passed the place many times and always wondered what it was. Testing Grounds is located on City Road towards the back of the Arts Centre. Amongst skyscrapers, offices and busy traffic, the open industrial site exists purely for artistic operations. We received an in depth description of the site’s history and how it came to be. The most fascinating thing that I found out about the site is that the council actually ensure that Testing Grounds is only used for arts purposes. This kind of thing is quite unheard of, especially when the location is perfect to build another skyscraper of large building. This fact makes the place somewhat sacred in a way. We also spent a while exploring the place. Everywhere you look there’s little trinkets to be found and objects to ponder. I particularly liked the crate that encompassed an old piano. To me it looked like a stage and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I’d love to perform there, to hold my own gig there. Definitely going to put that one on my goals list.

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