On Monday 23rd of December Last Legs Community Arts Organisation set up a ‘pop up’ art installation in a Central Drive Shop at Bethesda Square (previously Mickeys Carpets) in Blackpool the same shop where ‘Dr Evoes Pet Shop’ was previously housed as part of the Culture Shops initiative in 2013 and has been created by the same artists Boz Phillips and Lee Fitzgerald.
All the art on display has been the work of the local community including pupils at Revoe Learning Academy. Boz Phillips and Lee Fitzgerald set up workshops with the participants to support intergenerational community arts activities for the project.
‘Last Legs’ – Boz Phillips and Lee Fitzgerald approached LeftCoast earlier this year for funding to support the local community with publicising their community garden situated at the back of Lady Smith House, Ibbison Court.
The community have worked hard with GroundWork and the Council to set up the garden and are still seeking volunteers to get involved.
The installation will remain in the shop for one month from 23rd December – January
‘We have worked with the community of Central Drive and Revoe to create a ‘Fantasy Plant Shop’ art installation – Hand Grown Un’s.
After creating ‘Dr Evoes Pet Shop’ last year we received such positive feedback and requests to produce another art installation we decided to seek funding from LeftCoast to carry out this project. The children who designed the fantasy pets/ animals for the ‘fantasy pet shop’ last year really wanted to get involved making the work but we did not have enough funding or time to act on their request. This time thanks to funding from LeftCoast as part of the ‘Growing People – programme,designed to get local communities thinking differently about their green spaces’, we were able to involve school pupils, young people attending the Monday Club at Ibbison Community Center and more of the older community in making the art works. All the art works created for the shop were made using recycled materials.
We worked directly with at least 500 participants on the project with the aim of supporting the community gardeners and give their hard work a higher profile.
By installing more art in empty shop windows on Central Drive people can see there is a really strong sense of community in the area. People there are working very hard to improve the area and need positive creative ideas from everyone to reinforce this.
The community profile recently carried out in the area showed that local people really do want more opportunities for art and creativity there. We are currently in the early stages of setting up art workshops for older people in the area next year.
Working in the area is always a pleasure because the community are so enthusiastic and positive: we will continue to support them by creating opportunities for further arts activities’.
Thanks to
 LeftCoast for funding the project
Blackpool Borough Council for the loan of the shop premises
The Revoe-Lution and The New Revoe Residents Association team based at Lady Smith House for their ongoing support and hard work
Revoe Learning Academy for their art works
Bugs to Butterflies for their art works
Susan Howarth and The New Life Church for their art works
The community of Revoe and Central Drive who participated
Shirley McCarten and the Tuesday luncheon club for their support and input
The community gardeners at Lady Smith House, Ibbison Court
Blackpool Family Hostel, Central Drive
GroundWork
Last Legs’ friends and artist colleagues for their help, support.
2013 Fantasy animal made from recycled materials based on a design drawn by schoolchildren for ‘Dr Evoes Pet Shop’ Central Drive Blackpool 2013Â
Design by schoolchildren Revoe Academy art work by Boz Phillips 2013
I have experience of working in partnership with organisations such as Empowerment, Horizon Blackpool, The Grange Blackpool, Urban Arts Studio St Annes, Age Concern UK, Connexions, Homestart, New Revoe Residents Association, Revoe-Lution Blackpool, Blackpool Borough Council, Young carers, Streetlife, Fylde Youth Service, Blackpool Art Of Recovery and Blackpool Club to Go : delivering, and facilitating numerous community arts and digital media workshops since 1999.
I continue to collaborate with a number of local artists, musicians, organisations and individuals to create digital and non digital art works. My art works, jewellery and video productions, have been exhibited online, in local galleries, and local shops over the last 15 years. I have also directed and been involved with a number of short films and online music and television productions.
From 2016- 2018 I was the ‘artist in residence at Ibbison Community Center where I was instrumental in setting up ‘Hand Made Un’s’ Community art group.
I am currently working with 5 homeless hostels in Blackpool, funded by BCH on project – ‘Home is where your heArt is’ and previously ‘Onwards and Upwards’. projects devised and delivered by Last Legs after our successful ‘Art Buddies’ project 2017-2019. In 2017 we were nominated for a BCH community award for Art Buddies.
Projects I have recently led include – a mosaic to celebrate Revoe and commemorate important buildings, a poster project for Blackpool Art service, Horizon ‘Freedom Clock’ art work in conjunction with Grange Park Residents and the recovery community. I have worked in partnership with Lee Fitzgerald on both these projects. As Last Legs we have received funding for a number of project in the Blackpool Central / Revoe areas. Working with community members of all ages. Our most recently successful devised, delivered and funded project is ‘Home is where your heART is’ – going to hostels across Blackpool to support creative interventions and make art works for new homes during time in the hostel stay: involving creative activities such as poetry and art canvases. This project is ongoing.
2006 Video stills from two videos produced for the Grundy Art Gallery.
In 2006 I worked with two Blackpool schools to produce two videos based on the work of Yuji Watabe who’s video work was on display at the Grundy Art Gallery.
Boz Phillips 2006
Relevant Skills
• Designing and delivering projects and workshops: working with community groups to create art works
Big Spider made from gloves from a design drawn by schoolchildren for Dr Evoes Pet Shop
Boz Phillips 2013
• Creating and installing art works in shop windows
Bird lady in cage 2012Â
Boz Phillips 2012
 • Art film production skills – costume, set design etc
• Curating and organising multi-media, art projects.
• Planning and carrying out health, safety and risk assessments.
• Evaluating and giving feedback on project outcomes
• Organising, networking and collaborating with other artists and work colleagues
• Producing measurable, quality outcomes from projects and activities
• An understanding and experience of multi agency working practices.
• Research skills.
• Identifying and receiving funding
• Budgeting and planning project expenditure
• Directing, filming and creating short films and experimental video
Be the ‘Banana Skin’ a feminist exhibition 2016 online catalogue
Blackpool Culture Shops – Nov 2012
‘We can Fly’  – March 2012 A storybook with photos from the Birdies Trail art project working with writer Chris Culshaw, NADFAS and Homestart St Annes
One of the clues posted in local shops. Image of young person in bird costume made during the ‘birdies Trail’ project for the book ‘We Can Fly’ – created by Chris Culshaw.  I worked with families to make costumes and masks that formed the images to accompany stories in the book.
‘Fish-box’ – screen printed limited edition book Spring 2008 (Red Fox Press)
Video still from ‘Short History of the Illuminations’ 2006
Boz Phillips 2006
Photograph of participants of the ‘My Place’ video made to celebrate the opening of the ‘Oracle’ building in Blackpool. Working with Blackpools dance officer and UDP.
Dr Evoes Shop One of our many community projects.
From 2014 – 2018 : Last Legs is proud to have shared so many creative experiences with the community.
Dr Evoes shop was created as part of the  ‘Blackpool Culture Shops’ project in Blackpool and was one of the first projects Boz Phillips and Lee Fitzgerald worked on together. then becoming ‘Last Legs Community Arts Organisation’.
All the animals and shop fittings were created with recycled materials.
The sign on the shop window was created as a historical reference to the traditional hand painted shop window signs and utalised a ‘classic’ font. This was painted by Mr Dee.
Mr Dee has been creating graffiti work in public places, on walls for over 20 years. Mr Dee is currently chairman for Last Legs
Boz Phillips has been creating work for display in local shops and displaying the work of the community in public places in collaboration with local artists since 2004. She is currently the treasurer for Last Legs
When available Lee Hodgkiss is our official photographer and secretary for Last Legs. Â Lee helps out as at larger community events.
We are DBS cleared, have public liability. We also have a child protection policy in place.
David Jennings is the latest member of our team and provides help support and knowledge when we are building walls and items that require woodwork skills.
This site is dedicated to our work with community members
last legs community arts health 