Norwood JunKAction – 2022 – ongoing

Social practice through waste, place and collective action

Founded by Norman Mine in South Norwood in 2022, Norwood JunKAction explores what can happen when a familiar community activity such as litter-picking is brought together with artistic practice. Environmental action becomes a starting point for meeting, exchanging ideas, experimenting with discarded materials and developing projects collectively.

The project moves between weekly litter-picking, creative workshops, public artworks and collaborative projects. Collected and reclaimed materials are used as a way to think imaginatively about the environment and the places we share, while participants are invited to contribute through their own interests, abilities and knowledge. Projects can develop as one-off interventions or longer programmes, with their form and outcomes shaped collaboratively.

Through this combination of practical action and creative exploration, Norwood JunKAction creates a platform where residents, artists, schools, organisations and volunteers can work alongside one another. Rather than separating environmental activity from artistic activity, the project brings the two together, using collective action as a way to generate relationships, ideas and new possibilities within the neighbourhood.

Founded by / Artistic lead: Norman Mine
Established: 2022, South Norwood, London
Selected support: National Lottery Community Fund, NHS, Stanley Arts, Croydon Borough of Culture
Selected collaborations: Artangel, Mayor of London Community Weekend, London Mosaic Studios, Holmesdale Community Garden

Norwood JunKAction website