Santana Airfield: linking place, identity, and memories through performance into civic participation

This project explores how an artistic oral history-based audio walk can be used as a tool for connecting locals, visitors and immigrants with a place and engage them as participants in public debates concerning local development projects in the Azores. Santana Airfield, Azores, is an abandoned complex risking demolition. Zoning laws are changing the landscape. The personal narratives of elders linked to it are also in danger of being lost. The intent of this project is to have participants explore the land and buildings of Santana Airfield in a walking performance before and while listening to the sound art followed by a post-walk discussion on how this artistic practice can be used to foster community engagement in transformative activities as compared to other forms of calls to action. The research ends with the documenting of the participants’ initiatives such as media output, petitions, and town hall meetings to turn Santana Airfield into a heritage site.

Faculty Supervisor:

Luis Sotelo-Castro

Student:

Partner:

Universidade dos Açores

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

New and Digital Media; Other; Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: