Radio broadcasts from boats have a long history, with the iconic Radio Caroline making waves in the North Sea and inspiring music radio for years to come. On a smaller scale and with none of the radio piracy implications this summer, artist Lucia Scazzocchio of Social Broadcasts will work with young people from Blackburn to transform the much loved Bill Hunt barge into a floating micro-radio studio on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
From its mooring at Eanam Wharf, Drift will become a live community radio station on the water, broadcasting the life and sounds of the canal, both with and by the people who are connected to this region of Lancashire.
Content including interviews and group discussions, live music and poetry, pre-recorded radio features, field recordings and sound artworks created as part of a series of audio residencies taking place across the linear park this summer all featuring, hosted and produced by members of the local community in a series of events were shared on a live broadcast which took place over the course of 1 day on Saturday 31st August.
You can find a recording of our live broadcast, as well as the individual shows and performances from the Drift project so far on our Mixcloud page.
As part of the project Estudio ESSE worked with young people to co-design a ‘make-over’ for the Bill Hunt as well as to customise a wooden garden shed which functioned as a ‘jingle shed’ for outreach recording and workshops over the summer.
DRIFT: is a collaboration with Super Slow Way and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Young People’s Services
