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In one of Bristol鈥檚 most dilapidated areas, a group of artists, free-thinkers and local residents have joined together in an attempt to speed up the regeneration of the area and turn it into an important cultural quarter of the city.

The People鈥檚 Republic of Stokes Croft (PRSC), as the group has boldly named itself, is go.

The hope is that the promise of the "shining star", as they call Stokes Croft, will eventually be borne out, and the investment will begin to head across town.

Pride and identity

The driving motivation behind the PRSC is a desire to engender pride and identity in an area that has long been subject to crime and poverty.

Stokes Croft is a 鈥渉otbed of the creativity that abounds in Bristol鈥�, but has been 鈥渃riminally and deliberately neglected by government,鈥� according to the association鈥檚 website.

There is already a Bristol City Council action plan in place for the Stokes Croft area.

Among its objectives, it aims to 鈥減reserve and enhance the historic character of the area鈥� and 鈥渢arget available resources for the regeneration of the major derelict sites.鈥�

However, the People鈥檚 Republic is aiming to further this planned regeneration, with 鈥減eople who work and play in the area鈥� taking the lead in the development of its future.

He says the few steps they have taken to date have had a very positive effect "on the vibe of what is considered to be Bristol's most run-down area鈥�.

The PRSC aims to take control of the area鈥檚 visual environment, taking the art 鈥渙ut of the galleries and displaying it in the streets for all to enjoy,鈥� he said.

Banksy

Contributors' work will be on the same stage as that of renowned Bristol artist Banksy, whose award-winning 鈥淢ild Mild West鈥� piece adorns a wall on Cheltenham Road, a few minutes' walk from the boundaries of the Republic.

A number of painting projects have already taken place in the area - the 60ft hoarding outside what was formerly 27-33 Jamaica St is now a PRSC-run outdoor gallery. The area is re-painted each month to allow a new artist to display their mural.

To date, the hoarding has been host to a number of different artworks. Over Christmas 2006, Chris himself painted a factory silhouette spewing out festive smoke in the shape of reindeers pulling sleighs.

The PRSC website lists 124 sites in the area that are suggested as potential canvasses. Disused shops, telecoms junction boxes and hoardings are all open to suggestions for "decoration", although the organisation is adamant that work should not damage the essential fabric of the site.

One photograph on the PRSC website shows poignant graffiti left on an underpass wall in memory of a deceased friend.

The website suggests this site as a place where people can write their thoughts, expound philosophy and leave personal messages. The concept of such message walls has been seen before, most notably at Ground Zero, the site of the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York.

The overwhelming theme for the Republic is establishing a fresh sense of positivity. A disused shop frontage, half its sign missing leaving only the letters "ORTS" , is another of the sites that has already had a suggestion made for its improvement.

In lettering similar to the old sign (and making use of its remaining lettering) will be painted the slogan: "EFFORTS ARE ALWAYS WORTH MAKING".

In the case of Stokes Croft, it appears that this mantra holds true. The art that has already hit the streets has brightened the area, and the PRSC is bringing together residents to rally around their community.

In combination with the development plan laid out for the area by the council, the Republic hope to play a large part in the regeneration of Stokes Croft - to "borrow ideas from the past and weld them into the present", and to "create a showcase for the world to enjoy and admire", their website proclaims.

The Republic is planning its official launch on September 22 2007, and the weekend of the 8th and 9th sees the artwork really getting under way.

Painting will occur on the hoardings at Dighton Street and Lower Charles Street, branding them with large letters reading "Stokes Croft".

The Republic says that those taking part in the painting will be selected on a 'first come first served' basis on Sunday 9, starting at 10:30am.

And, as the regeneration starts to gather speed, keep your eyes peeled, because the street that simply used to be the way to the Memorial Stadium might just become one of the most important and vibrant road in the city.