The first Festival of Pastimes event was part of Time and Tidal Flow organised by New Work Yorkshire and Hull Time-Based Arts in April 2008. Andy Abbott was invited to develop a piece of work in response to the theme of change. The response was the game Significant Pursuits, information about which can be found by following the link in the 'About' section.

Project outline

Andy presents an audience-led event based around the playing of a specially designed board game. The game acts as a catalyst to celebrate, and learn more about, the hobbies, pastimes, self-organised and collective activity of its participants. For Andy these seemingly superficial activities take on a whole new importance for people's identity and sense of ownership in the absence of the family-based or local industries once common to Northern cities. The event invites you to respond to the question 'What do you do in your 'spare' time?' and provides a stimulating environment to discuss it with others.