Deptford is Changing
Anita Strasser’s 2019-2020 placement project combined academia, art and activism to create a book detailing the changing faces of Deptford.
Deptford is Changing provides an alternative history of the area that raises the voices of local residents and critically engages with their struggles against unjust social change and regeneration.
Anita says: “With all the incredibly positive comments since the book launch event, I feel that we have fulfilled my aims – to design a book that reflects participants’ experiences of Deptford, speaks to the visual aesthetic of the local community arts scene, is accessible to people of different backgrounds, and acts as a resource for academic and artistic communities.
In community arts and activism, pamphlets and books are essential in highlighting struggles and documenting resistance […]. I’m incredibly grateful that I was given this opportunity and the fact that each participant got a free copy of the book and that I was able to donate books to local community centres and libraries is just amazing.”
Conrad Heyns, Director of the English Language Centre, Goldsmiths, University of London says: "Deptford is Changing (and Anita) has helped…in a positive way. [T]his unique book serves as an ongoing record of time in the changing life of Deptford and will no doubt leave a lasting impact. Not only the book, but also the relationships that have been cemented and the trust that has been built. Working with Anita has been a pleasure and a privilege. [She] has opened my eyes to what is happening in this part of London. Her book legacy will be therefore others… to open their eyes as well.”
CHASE funding ensures the book remains free to all participants, local community spaces, and low-income residents.
As part of this initiative, Anita is currently in the process of wrapping 50 books to be delivered to 50 households in Deptford and New Cross who get weekly food deliveries due to their economic disadvantage. The book (and card) will be delivered with their Christmas food parcel as a Christmas gift.
Read more about Deptford is Changing here.