Eleanor Hoad is on a green-tinted artistic mission. Artist-in-residence at Kingstanding Leisure Centre for the next year, the 30-year-old former sculpture student is one of four creative people commissioned by the council to help get the public involved in innovative art. Eleanor’s environmental work was selected for the Erdington constituency, and as part of her project she plans to source surplus fruit growing in the area to make into food and drink. “What I’m looking at is fruit that already grows within the city - whether in people’s gardens or on disused land - and ways to harvest and distribute it,” she explained. “It’s about looking at the city’s green space and getting people to look at their existing surroundings with fresh eyes, to see the positive things that could happen and the ways they can use resources.” Drawing inspiration from the idea of urban permaculture - creating sustainable, self-sufficient human habitats by drawing on nature’s patterns - Eleanor’s “enviro-art” could see new fruit trees planted and orchards created in the constituency. She is already investigating the possibility of working on land at the leisure centre and in Erdington town centre square, adding: “To me the idea of planting apple trees is almost like a living installation. I’ll also be building things like a trailer to transport the fruit in, and putting on an exhibition documenting the project in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery next year.” The council’s pilot initiative selected artists from a range of disciplines and placed them in different venues so they can engage communities in art-making while helping to develop their own masterpieces. Activities underway elsewhere include film editing, storytelling and a large mosaic incorporating Islamic calligraphy. Eleanor, from Handsworth, has previously been involved in a variety of community-based ecological projects including ‘Brave New Brum’, which saw her tour the city in the ultimate green vehicle: a solar-powered, recycled media-lab caravan that ran on biodiesel created from old chip fat. She is currently sticking pins in a large map showing the location of existing trees that could be used, and is keen to hear from local folk interested on getting involved. To take part contact Eleanor on 07974 934 917 or e-mail eleanorhoad@hotmail.com. Find out more about the scheme at http://artsresidencies.org. | 
