An artist, educator and facilitator, I create frameworks for people to use art as a tool for situating themselves within, and asking questions of the world.
I have taught on art and design programmes in higher education for over 10 years, and made the publication Creative Futures to celebrate 27 years of the interdisciplinary BA course Interactive Arts. Currently teaching critical and contextual studies programmes at the School of Arts & Media at the University of Salford, I help students across a range of design disciplines contextualise their work in wider political, social and cultural contexts.
I create opportunities for children and young people to collaborate with artists on co-created, ambitious work, which emerge through problem solving, play and engaging with unconventional materials. My recent video work ‘Respawn’ was made together with 60 Year 5 students from Plymouth Grove Primary School as part of Art Assembly, and exhibited across a number of locations in central Manchester, including Manchester Art Gallery. You can listen to my interview with Russell Kane about the project as part of Art Fund’s Meet Me at the Museum podcast here.
In 2020 I programmed a series of arts workshops and events for children and young people in unusual spaces across Salford. Recent workshop partners have included Curious Minds, Culture Warrington, Edsential and the Chester Contemporary.
As a Freelance Associate of Waymarking, I recently project-coordinated Seeds of Joy, a people-led project engaging Miles Platting residents with local community gardens.
Sometimes I collaborate with my friends at LAUKKU. You can read our Instructions Manual for Times of Crisis here.
Scroll down for my CV. Give me an email if you have any questions, or would like to work together :)
Commissions / Grants / Awards
2023 Family workshops for Manchester International Festival - Yayoi Kusama's You, Me and the Balloons
2023 Chester Contemporary co-commission with Capenhurst CE Primary School
2022 Art Assembly, A one day festival advocating art and creativity for all ages, brought to you by Art Fund with Castlefield Gallery, HOME, Manchester Art Gallery, The Whitworth and The Manchester College.
2018 a-n and Castlefield Gallery, Artists’ International Delegation 2018, Budapest (HU)
2017 Grant awarded to participate and present work in study circle Appearances of the Political at NSU Summer Session, 2017 (LV)
2012 Maxonian Cocoon, commissioned in collaboration with Lu Di, as part of And Let the Walls Loose, curated by Clarissa Corfe, Paradise Silk Mill, Macclesfield
2012 Promo, film work commission for artplayer.tv, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester
2010 Selected to participate in Roche Continents, Salzburg (AT)
2007 Alternative Santa's Grotto commission, Storey Gallery, Lancaster
Selected Group Exhibitions / Book Fairs
2021 Dublin Art Book Fair: Manual / Guest Curator Lisa Godson (SOLD OUT) Creative Futures Artist Publication
2020 All Good Things, Vertical Gallery, Manchester School of Art
2018, 2019, 2020 - Paradise Works Open Studios
2017 Sexy Boy Unites Salford, Paradise Works, Salford
2015 Compression Culture, Vertical Gallery, Manchester School of Art
2015 One o’ those, curated by Rob Carter, 9 Valerie Walk, Manchester
2014 What We Cannot See From Here, Link Gallery, Manchester
2013 Lot No, a Lionel Dobie Project off-site project, Capes Dunnes Auction House, Manchester
2012 Taking Time: only the expanse of snow could be seen, white as this page, Gallery Akademija, Vilnius (LT) (Artist and curatorial assistance)
2011 Postcards from Europe, Wem Town Hall, Shropshire
2011 Rogue Open Studios, Rogue Studios, Manchester
2011 GLEICH ZEIT, Shedhalle, Tübingen (DE)
2011 Do it Together, The Forum, Sheffield
2011 Sessions Polivalents #2, Foxy Fax, Hangar, Barcelona (ES)
2010 MILL 24, Islington Mill, Manchester
2010 TEST, EASA HQ, Manchester
2009 Jahresaustellung, Akademie der Bildenden Kunste, Munich (DE)
2008 Made in 24HRS, London Design Festival, London
Solo / 2 Person Show Exhibitions
2013 One Night Stand, with Monty (UK) Islington Mill, Manchester
2012 Chinese New Year, in collaboration with Lu Di, The Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester
Performer
2017 Tour Guide, Listening to the Dark, Peak Cavern (AKA the Devil’s Arse), AND Festival, Castleton
2017 24 Hr Party People: Redux, produced by Richard DeDomenici, presented by HOME, Manchester
2016 MULL IT OVER WITH THEM, as part of LEGROOM_COMPANY, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
Visiting Artist / Facilitator
2020 CG Associates end of year Winter Wassail [Artist / facilitator]
2015 Play Harder 2, TOAST Gallery, Manchester [Artist Walk]
2014 Shed Show, TOAST Gallery [Artist Dinner, as part of Black Thumb Growers]
2014 FUTURES, BA (Hons) Contemporary Art History, Manchester School of Art [Lecture]
2013 TV Dinners with Hugh Feranly Wittingstall (sic), Merz Barn, Cumbria [Workshop delivered collaboratively with Robert Carter (UK)]
2012 In Our Own Words, [Performative Event], Malonioji 6, Vilnius (LT)
2012 In Our Own Words, [Performative Event], Malonioji 6, Vilnius (LT)
Education / Qualifications / Training
2019 Learning Curve, Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children & Young People’s Mental Health
2018 Masters Certificate in Higher Education, Manchester Metropolitan University
2018 The Reader Org, Shared Reading Facilitator certification
2018 Arts Award, Advisor qualified, Discover & Explore level
2017 Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health First Aid Lite
2016 Kirklees Council, Basic Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect Certificate
2015 Gained Fellowship status at the Higher Education Academy
2015 Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice, Manchester Metropolitan University
2010 BA (Hons) Interactive Arts, Manchester School of Art
2009 Erasmus Study Abroad Programme, Klasse Jetalova, Akademie der Bildenen Künste, Munich (DE)
2007 BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, Bucks New University, High Wycombe
Academic / Editor / Conferences / Features
2022 Interview and showcase, Meet Me at the Museum Podcast, Art Fund
2020 Film presentation and talk, Artistic Research | Performing Heterotopia Summer Circle, Nordic Summer University
2019 Co-Editor, Appearances of the Political edition of Popular Inquiry, the Journal of the Aesthetics of Kitsch, Camp and Mass Culture (FI)
2018 Sauna as a communal space for ‘those who have nothing in common’, web presentation, Learning and Bildung in Times of Globalisation Summer Circle, Nordic Summer University, Fårö (SE)
2018 Blog: International Artists’ Delegation to Budapest, a-n & Castlefield Gallery
2017 Paper presentation, ‘Political activism on an institutional level: democratic and educational implications’, Appearances of the Political Summer Circle, Nordic Summer University, Saulkrasti (LV)
2016 Paper presentation, ‘Slow Spontaneity’, Practicing Communities: Transformative Societal Strategies for Artistic Research Summer Circle, Nordic Summer University, Orivesi (FI)
2016 Official blog coverage, Inspire – Sharing Great Practice In Arts And HumanitiesTeaching And Learning Conference, The Higher Education Academy, Brighton
2015 Academic poster presentation, ‘Manifesto!’ CELT Annual Learning and Teaching Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University
2012 English Language Editor, Nida Art Colony Log / 3: On Remoteness / Apie atokumą (LT)
2012 Featured in Triin Tulgiste's Leidžiant laika / Taking Time: Kopos, pušys ir šiuolaikinis menas / Dunes, pines and contemporary art in Nida Art Colony Log / 2 (4): Taking Time / Leidžiant laika (LT)
2011 Featured artist in Postcards From Europe: A Publication Exploring Place, Culture and Individual Creative Practice
Residencies
2018 Éncore Room, WARMTH Sauna, Islington Mill, Salford
2017 Massia, Häädemeeste Parish (EE)
2013 The Penthouse, Manchester
2013 Cha:let, Lionel Dobie Project, Manchester
2012 A Specific School, various locations, Manchester
2012 Departure Lounge, IKEA, Ashton Under Lyne
2012 Kurt Schwitters DIY Summer Art School, the Merz Barn, Cumbria
2011 summer:studio:camp, Shedhalle, Tübingen (DE)
2010 Hld Tght, The Soup Kitchen, Manchester
Selected Employment
2021 – 2023: Freelance Project Coordination for Seeds of Joy community gardening project, Waymarking, Manchester
2019 – Ongoing: Associate Lecturer, Critical & Contextual Studies, School of Arts & Media, University of Salford
2016 – 2022: Associate Lecturer, BA Interactive Arts and Art Theory in Practice, Manchester School of Art
2021: Creative Educator, Bubble Up Programme, Curious Minds, Greater Manchester
2018 – 2020: Assistant Arts Development Officer, Salford Community Leisure
2017: Project Assistant, the Art of Recovery, Bravo 22 Company, Manchester
2013 – 2016: Graduate Teaching Assistant, BA Interactive Arts, Manchester School of Art
2013 – 2015: Co-Director, Black Thumb Growers, Farm Start, Manchester
2013 – 2015: Logistics, Contracting & Accounting, Annex Agency, Manchester
2012: Assistant Curator Intern, Nida Art Colony, Neringa (LT)
2012: Studio and Teaching Assistant, Manchester School of Architecture
2011 – 2014: Workshop Artist & Technician, Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester
2011: Cultural Strategy Assistant, Manchester City Council