Louise Blackwell

Mystic Joe launch reported in the Crawley Observer

Mystic Joe by Joe McAlister

Mystic Joe is an interactive installation blending technology with art and interacting with the public in the form of a classic, vintage fortune teller created by computational artist; Joe McAlister.

Mystic Joe toured shopping centres, libraries, schools, industrial estates and other locations in Crawley from January to June 2019.

Crawley Borough Council undertook a public consultation on arts, culture and leisure activities in the town and employed Naomi Alexander and I to help them talk to local people in Crawley, to find out their thoughts about arts and culture in the town. We commissioned Joe McAlister who created Mystic Joe – a playful and interactive way for the public to interact with the consultation.

Mystic Joe launched on Wednesday 23 January 2019 at Dormans Youth Arts Centre and visited a range of locations in Crawley. Phase two of the consultation involved a series of focus groups led by Naomi and I. In total over 1000 people engaged with the consultation. The report into the process with a series of recommendations will be launched in October this year.

This is where Mystic Joe visited:

January
Mon 28: 12noon – 2pm Crawley Library
Tues 29: 7pm – 8pm The Hawth

February
Thurs 7: 6.30pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Fri 8: 10am – 11.30am Bewbush Children & Family Centre
Mon 11: 10am – 11.30am Broadfield Children and Family Centre
4pm – 6pm K2 Leisure Centre
Tues 12: 6.30pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Mon 18: 11.30am – 2pm County Mall Shopping Centre
Tues 19: 10am – 12noon Crawley Library 6.30pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Wed 20: 10am – 12 noon Worth Park
Thurs 21: 10.30am – 11.30am St Albans Church Coffee Morning
Fri 22: 12 – 2pm Crawley Town Hall foyer
Tues 26: 4pm – 6pm K2 Leisure Centre
Weds 27: 12pm- 2pm Crawley Library
Thurs 28: Bewbush Children and Family Centre

March
Mon 4: 10am – 11.30am Langley Green Children’s and Family Centre
Tues 5: 1pm – 2.30pm Northgate Learn & Play
Weds 6: 10am – 11.30am Maidenbower Children and Family Centre
Fri 8: 10am – 11.30am Pound Hill Learn & Play
Tues 12: 10am – 11.30am Southgate Children and Family Centre
Wed 13: Langley Green Children and Family Centre 4pm – 6pm K2 Leisure Centre
Fri 15: 10am – 12 noon Crawley Library
Sat 16: 10am – 2pm Wordfest Family Day at Crawley Library
Tues 19: 6.30pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Weds 20: 10am – 12 noon Crawley Library
Thurs 21: K2 Leisure Centre

May:
Mon 6: 11.30am – 4pm Ifield Mayfayre
Tues 7: 11am – 1pm Broadfield Community Centre at The Posh Club
Thurs 9: 6pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Sun 12: 8am – 12noon Gatwick Half Marathon
Weds 15: Sussex Parallel Youth Games at K2
Thurs 16: 6pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Fri 17: 4.30pm – 7pm STEMFest Advanced Technology Centre, Crawley College
Sat 18: 10am – 6pm STEMFest Crawley, Memorial Gardens
Sun 19: 2pm – 4pm Chagos Project at Dormans Youth Arts Centre
Tues 21: 6pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Sat 25: 11am – 3pm Diverse Crawley Cultural Day, St Pauls Methodist Church, Northgate
Sun 26: 12noon – 4pm Maidenbower Park Community Club Fun Day
Fri 31: 6pm – 7.30pm LUNA Outdoor Cinema, Tilgate Park

June
Sat 1: 6pm – 7.30pm LUNA Outdoor Cinema, Tilgate Park
Weds 5: 6pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Tues 11: 6pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Weds 19: 3pm – 5.30pm Manor Green Primary and College Fete
Sat 22: 12noon – 2pm Our Lady Queen of Heaven school fete
Tues 25: 6pm – 7.30pm The Hawth
Weds 26: Sussex Schools Games, K2
Sat 29: 10am – 2pm Armed Forces Day, Memorial Gardens
Sun 30: 1pm – 9pm Crawley Festival including a stop at The Comic Shop

July
Sun 7 Friends of Goffs Park Summer Fayre

Supported by Arts Council England.