Street Summer Loving With Channel 4 & somewhereto_

What can one do in Westminster Hall? The answer is simple. More than you think…



Crushing the barriers of creative convention, this recently broadcast Channel 4 Street Summer ident shines some light on a rather grey matter couple of months (Rain? Riots? What else are people ranting about?), whilst showcasing the long-term plan and blue sky-high vision of a nationwide project called somewhereto_.

Delivered by youth engagement agency Livity, in media partnership with Channel 4 and funded by Legacy Trust UK, the name of the somewhereto_ game is to assist any 16-25 year old with a space to do the things they love, be it painting or rapping, writing or dancing, in arenas from a patchy park, to the oldest remaining part of the prestigious Palace of Westminster.

Yes. It’s been a summer of mixed news and emotions, especially in my home city of London town. But I look back and think it is very fitting that Channel 4’s Street Summer season about the contemporary urban arts scene was still dubbed a ‘celebration’. It most definitely was – setting off fireworks with projects from Concrete Circus (bringing together the world’s hottest names in urban sports), to How Hip Hop Changed the World (a hip hop history lesson), Life of Rhyme (exploring the UK rap and spoken word scene), and as for London and the Street Summer somewhereto_ stunt – well it just has a different feel for me since I saw the four lucky young street dancers blessing the floors of Westminster Hall.

Why shouldn’t we - even at times of great uncertainty and adversity - celebrate culture, community, young people, all people?

On that young people front I do raise a glass to work like somewhereto_ - which has an extra celebration at hand – a beat they hope we can all dance to long after this summer is out; in that somewhereto_ worked successfully with Parliament to open up an incredible space which would never normally open its doors to young people to dance in (an unprecedented achievement). And they are working to ensure the Westminster Hall special moment is just one of many stories which help creative young people realise that a space of any kind in their community can be theirs.

So, watch this space through Autumn and beyond as the somewhereto_ journey warms up to break some more records of their own by the time the London Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 comes by.

Any young onlookers around London and the UK – the race for space is on with somewhereto_, and there’s so much up for grabs. It’s your turn and your time to think and leap outside the box – so take your pick from any one of these: www.somewhereto.com/spaces


Space-holders – play your part and give a space here: www.somewhereto.com/spaces/give-a-space

This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel.


Note: somewhereto_ is delivered by youth engagement agency Livity in media partnership with Channel 4. The project is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK.

For more information on somewhereto_ visit: www.somewhereto.com, check them on Facebook here www.facebook.com/somewhereto, or follow them on Twitter @somewhereto_

For more information on Channel 4 Street Summer visit: www.channel4.com/streetsummer