Impact case study database

Hafeda’s projects bestowed long-term benefits to diverse communities in London (2014-present), Portugal (2017-present), Brazil (2019-present) and Lebanon (2019-present), developing social and creative skills amongst 696 children, young people and adults, encouraging them to assert their rights and opinions about public space by building permanent social infrastructures. Hafeda’s work influenced decision-making of council authorities in London and Braga, Portugal; UK housing developers; South London Gallery and MK Gallery (UK); and curator Amanda Abi Khalil.

Informing estate planning and development in Southwark

The SoP galvanised SLG’s presence on Sceaux Gardens Estate. Originally temporary, SoP became permanent, with the Tenants and Residents Association insisting it was incorporated into Sceaux’s 2017 redevelopment. John McGrath explained: ‘ every time we have a meeting we always highlight the Shop of Possibilities because we don’t want it to go.’ The result was ‘Art Block’, a purpose-designed space based on SoP, with improved facilities for higher numbers of children and young people attracted by the provision. Dr Sim’s report observed: ‘ It is no small achievement (and a clear indicator of local endorsement) that the Shop of Possibilities has been incorporated into planned architectural developments on the estate.’(5.1) Hafeda was invited as guest of honour to launch Art Block in 2017.

Influencing surrounding communities

Sim’s observation that SoP’s ‘ influence stretches far beyond its immediate location’ echoes Jack James, SLG’s Children and Families Coordinator, who says it ‘ caused an expansion of the direct delivery the gallery was doing’. Instrumental in expanding off-site projects on 6 neighbouring estates (5.2), since 2016 the Freelands Foundation has supported SoP with £306,146 (5.3), the Art Block team playing ‘ a pivotal role in designing and defining the space’ at nearby Cezanne House in 2019.(5.1)

SoP was presented as best-practice for estate development in an independent report, shared with housing developers, London’s councils and the Greater London Authority, informing the investment of £873,299 for new programmes for the London Cultural Education Challenge (2015-18).(5.4) SoP also influenced MK Gallery’s Learning Team’s Learning Programme.(5.5)

Building confidence and skills in young people and children

Hafeda’s methods have had long-term benefits on participants’ confidence, wellbeing and social skills, as three independent reports, based on interviews with sessional workers, parents and children (5.1; 5.6), testify: “ The programme has benefited hundreds of children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds … supporting their social development and increasing confidence. It has also created training and paid employment opportunities for local young people between ages 16–25 … raising their ambitions and career goals whilst acting as positive role models for younger children.” (5.6). Hafeda’s work at Serpentine Galleries with struggling schoolchildren was a catalyst for improving confidence and creative skills. Alex Thorpe, Serpentine’s Education Curator, observed that Hafeda’s methods ‘ definitely [build] confidence. Confidence in articulating and sharing opinions and being confident to agree and disagree with people … giving them [the participants] some tools to think and reflect on their experiences.’(5.7)

New employment/training opportunities

SoP created employment for 20 sessional workers, 1 manager and 1 coordinator. Art Block employed 17 sessional workers, 1 manager, 1 coordinator and 3 trainees. According to James, estate residents ‘ gained employment, responsibility and income through this opportunity’ (5.2), many securing their first job since attending SoP as children. Dr Sim noted that SoP positively ‘ affected the aspirations and resilience’ of employees. (5.1)

Improving civic relations in Braga

When invited by Space Transcribers to mentor professionals on Santa Tecla housing estate in Braga, 2017, Hafeda used his innovative participatory methods to produce art events and a film, facilitating community discussions on social unity. Following Hafeda’s work with the Roma community, the community was ‘ incited… to take action over the future of their own social housing estate’, establishing ‘Gabinete de Mediação Roma’ in 2018, described by Fernando Ferreira, co-founder of Space Transcribers, as a ‘ resonance of Mohamad and [the] student’s project .. this mediation group continues to act as a bridge of communication and mediation between Santa Tecla’s residents and Braga’s City Council,’ moreover, ‘ This mediation process became essential for reducing the conflicts of communication transmitted during the entire regeneration process of the social housing estate.’(5.8)

Informing curatorial commissioning

Struck by Hafeda’s ‘ rare’ approach to socially engaged practice and his ability to give it a permanence through film, curator Amanda Abi Khalil selected ‘Sewing Borders’ for the exhibition ‘Living Room UIT (Use It Together)’ at ISCP, New York, 2019. The film changed how Khalil commissions social art: ‘ Mohamad’s video did influence and impact my practice as a curator, especially when it came to commissioning and the process of commissioning.’(5.9) Hafeda’s parlaying of social projects into further artworks was a key influence on Khalil’s commissioning for ‘A casa é sua’, at the Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro (2020): five social art projects Khalil commissioned, involving hundreds of children and adults from the Favela of Maré; an Arab community living in Rio de Janeiro; and refugees stranded between Lebanon and Syria.