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Street Selfies Take a Snapshot of British Democracy

800 years of democracy found throughout Britain’s streets.
The British Parliament launched the “Democracy Street” initiative to engage the public in their democratic history. Image courtesy of Jon Adams.

Residential streets, motorways, and roundabouts in Britain are digitally exploring 800 years of democracy in a new interactive arts project that celebrates the anniversary of the Magna Carta. Launched in March of this year, the Democracy Street initiative begins as a mobile mapping app, providing information of the roads named after people and events significant in shaping today’s British parliamentary system. From Churchill Close in Hampshire, to Thatcher Avenue in Torbay, users are encouraged to discover their local areas but also to submit material for British artist Jon Adams to use in a final artwork.

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“We’re giving people a puzzle,” Adams tells The Creators Project. “There’s no boundaries on who it’s about or what you can do with it. It’s about people who make a difference.”

With over 5,000 streets mapped currently—some describing renowned figures like Florence Nightingale or Charles Kingsley — participants with a smartphone can utilize the app’s GPS locator to bring up facts and images about the roads around them. Users can also drop pins to discover other streets throughout the UK, receiving information compiled through the collaborative efforts of British institutions such as The National ArchivesThe National Portrait Gallery and The History of ParliamentBadges are earned for taking part.

“Someone could look into their local area and find someone that they didn’t know about,” says Adams. “There are roads named after MPs but lots are comparable as they have the same name. This is the tease to make people look further.”

Additional investigation into street names can be done individually or through the research tools found within the app. User interaction is further encouraged in the forms of selfies or digital artworks, which people can upload to mark their discoveries or demonstrate how Parliament fits into their lives. Every upload is charted on the map.

“It’s about encouraging people to have a say and using the internet to engage people in their creativity,” says Adams, who thinks this interactive method makes the project and its end result “totally and utterly democratic.” The data generated through mobile participation will create patterns, helping Adams produce the final artwork that’s expected to be unveiled in November 2015.

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“The possible patterns are infinite,” he says. “I'm looking for what presents itself to me. It could be poets, it could be admirals, or it might not be a name at all. The digital information might hold patterns too. It’s the randomness of people putting stuff up that I really like.”

A colored map shows examples of British streets associated with democracy. Image courtesy of Jon Adams.

Adams gives the example of streets named Waterloo perpendicular to roads called Wellington, suggesting Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. For an artist with Asperger’s and dyslexia, patterns come naturally to Adams. “I've always been good at systemizing,” he explains. “I have an analytical 3D mind, not 2D.”

The artistic results could include photographs, digital artwork, and reinterpreted pencil drawings and maps. While Adams hasn’t seen which area has produced the highest user engagement yet, he’s hoping there will be more participation when members of parliment return from summer recess. “Part of the project is also about encouraging people to vote. Whether you’re involved in an arts project or putting a government in, there’s not much difference. By joining in, you can make a difference.”

Try Democracy Street for yourself, and see more of Jon Adams’ work here.

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