Eyes on the City
Live sporting-style commentary of happenings in the city delivered from the Grandstandium. Featuring interviews with experts, a range of historical, civic and political information and critique, Eyes on the City would interrogate a new location every week for 8 weeks.
Keeping our eyes peeled on city happenings
Eyes on the City was an event series run in late 2015 and then again in 2016 making use of our Grandstandium project. Each week the Grandstandium would be installed in a different part of the city to commentate on what was happening. From the demolition of the old library building, to watching the construction of the new bus exchange or an empty green field in view of the Cardboard Cathedral and Calendar Girls strip club, each week saw a commentator channelling the dryness of Garrison Keeler or Roy & HG weave together information, critique, history, politics and questions for those attending to consider. Special guests of relevance would join each week as well to be interviewed.
Award-winning
Eyes on the City took place at the same time each week for about 8 weeks each series. It was free to attend and open to anyone passing by to stop and listen. More often than not, it seemed like a rather absurd thing to passers-by; to encounter people sitting in a mini-grandstand looking at a demolition, a construction or in what had to be one of the strangest, a blank field of grass. Someone handed out free popcorn while someone else sizzled sausages on a BBQ.
Eyes on the City picked up a City to City Barcelona FAD Award, 2016, as one of the top three global Learning Initiatives in the City. It was in recognition of the contribution this format made to conversations about the city that were open to anyone.
Who, what, where, when
Date: November 2015 and Feb – March 2016
Locations: Various in the central city
Client/Funder: Christchurch City Council
Key people: Ryan Reynolds, Trent Hiles, Ciaran Fox, Simon Gurnsey
Values: Experimentation, Leadership, Participation
Support/Sponsors: The many folks who gave their time ot be interviewed!
Hire me!
The Grandstandium is available for hire to community groups, events, schools and more. It can be towed by a 4-wheel drive or two tonne ute. Seats up t0 32 people with roof for sun/rain.
For more information and to arrange your hire, please contact filltehgap@gapfiller.org.nz
