Household collaborated with Belfast City Council to trial new ways of working with artists and people across the city. Over the course of this project we explored best practice co-design processes to creatively engage with council owned areas of the city such as Ormeau Recycling Centre, Templemore Baths, Belfast Castle and the City Hall.

Household invited artists Aisling O’Beirn, Janie Doherty, Thomas Wells and Mitch Conlon to develop projects that would open up new experiences of the city, and generate new communities of interest or place. Each Community Takeover ended with a temporary takeover of a council site by the artists and groups. These projects were evaluated and have formed four case studies representing different methods of co-design working.

Aisling O’Beirn worked in North Belfast on a new project, Right to the Night which focused on the impact of light pollution in the city. Aisling met with residents of North Belfast, astronomers, academics, writers, environmentalists, council workers etc and through this network of people has initiated a ‘Dark Skies Advocacy Group’. She conducted a series of free events in North Belfast such as Bat Walks, screenings and photography walks. As a direct impact of this project Belfast Castle has reduced the levels of light pollution emitted by the lights in the castle grounds that would negatively effect wildlife.

Janie Doherty worked with an intergenerational women’s group at the Footprints Women’s Centre in West Belfast on a series of workshops around Motherhood and movement. The final piece involved a tour and performance by Janie Doherty for the women in Belfast City Hall.

Thomas Wells collected stories from individuals from East Belfast’s queer community about their experiences of growing up and living in this part of the city. A final meal and sharing of these stories took place in Templemore Baths in January 2024.

Mitch Conlon brought together a group of historians, business owners, farmers and city council workers to look at creative approaches to waste disposal in South Belfast. He was interested in co-design approaches with people who are time poor and usually unavailable for engagement with these types of art projects.