October 2015 has seen 150 years of steel making on Teesside halted. SSI going into administration led to the closure of the last operational blast furnace and coke ovens. Much national debate has since occurred, with this an overwhelming sense of grief, loss of faith in the government’s stewardship and fear for the future of this area.
As a mark of respect to those that have gone before us, to those that have lost their livelihood’s and for those who wish to imagine and create a future here, on Wednesday 11th of November we will make certain that there will be no silence here.
Meeting outside the Redcar blast furnace at South Gare at 1pm, we will walk along the site stopping to pay our respects with the reading of Joseph Cowen’s speech (by megaphone) taken from the 1881 Middlesbrough Jubilee celebrations. You can also say a few of their own words should you wish to. A discussion about the future of steel making on Teesside and uses of the site itself will follow, to be held at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art mima at 3pm. The walking talking and discussion will form the co-authored art work No Silence Here. Please film, photograph or document the process.
