Curated Place & British Council Creative Producers’ UK Visit

Curated Place's Creative Producer Programme is a dynamic initiative designed to foster international artistic collaborations and innovation in the cultural sector of Wider Europe. A group of 13 participants of the 40 partaking in the programme were selected by local British Council offices to join the Curated Place team on a bespoke matchmaking & study trip to the UK visiting Manchester and Liverpool’s most exciting cultural spaces and places.

MANCHESTER PART 1

Exploring Media and Archives at North West Film Archive

 The journey began with a visit to the North West Film Archive at Manchester Central Library. The participants met with Nick Gladden delving into the rich audiovisual history preserved at the archive. Discussions focused on the importance of archiving in preserving cultural heritage and the potential for integrating archival material into contemporary artistic projects.

Contemporary Composition and Socially Engaged music

We met with the esteemed composer Michael Betteridge. Known for his innovative approach to contemporary music, Betteridge specialises in socially engaged projects that resonate with diverse communities. Betteridge shared his experience and knowledge of how music can be used as a tool for social change and community engagement. He outlined insights into his creative process, which often involves collaborating with non-professional musicians and integrating community narratives into his work.

Hybrid Futures at Salford Art Gallery

Next, the participants visited the Salford Art Gallery to explore the "Hybrid Futures" exhibition. Castlefield Gallery’s Helen Wewiora guided the tour, providing insights into the intersection of technology and art showcased in the exhibition. This visit highlighted the innovative ways artists are using technology to expand the boundaries of traditional art forms as well as techniques for multi-agency collaboration in new media and visual arts practice.

Independent Art Spaces at Paradise Works with Jez Dolan

The group then headed to Paradise Works, an artist-led studio and gallery space in Salford. Jez Dolan hosted the visit, sharing the organisation’s mission to support emerging artists and experimental practices Dolan, is a visual artist renowned for his focus on LGBTQI+ themes he shared his journey and the inspirations behind his art which delves into queer culture, history, and identity.

Cultural Heritage at Manchester Museum

At the Manchester Museum we met with Georgina Young, Head of Collections and Exhibitions. The discussions centered around the museum’s efforts to engage diverse audiences and integrate contemporary art into its programming moving away from didactic messaging into a more engaged conversation with Manchester’s communities and the contemporary complications of collection and display. This visit underscored the role of museums in fostering cultural dialogue and preserving history whilst navigating post-colonialism.

LIVERPOOL

Public Art and Liverpool Biennial

 Lily Mellor welcomed us to Liverpool Biennial, a key figure in the biennial’s curation team, she provided the participants with a comprehensive tour of public realm works across the city. She shared the biennial’s vision for integrating contemporary art into public spaces, emphasizing how such projects can transform urban environments and engage diverse audiences. Discussions highlighted the challenges and rewards of curating large-scale public art installations and the potential for these works to spark dialogue and foster community spirit whilst promoting the City and navigating International Arts value chains. 

Visual Art and Photography at Open Eye Gallery

For those producers engaged in more visual forms their journey continued in Liverpool with a visit to the Open Eye Gallery, where Max Gorbatsky and Sarah Fisher provided an overview of the gallery’s work in contemporary photography. The discussions emphasised the power of visual storytelling and the gallery’s commitment to social issues.

Music and Performance at Future Yard

Meanwhile music and performance focussed visitors headed over the river to Future Yard in Birkenhead. Cath Hurley hosted a tour of the venue, known for its vibrant music scene and innovative business model focused on local skills needs and redevelopment of a borough facing multiple challenges. The participants discussed the role of live music in cultural redevelopment and the potential for international collaborations.

Creative Industries at Sound City

The music group then visited Sound City, where Rob March discussed the festival’s efforts to support emerging artists and foster international music collaborations whilst navigating the music industry.

Media Arts at FACT

Regrouping at FACT everyone met Lesley Taker and Charlotte Horn to explore the FACT STUDIO Lab to see how they are approaching new models of residency, creative development, and knowledge exchange.

MANCHESTER PART 2

Cinema, Theatre and Visual Arts at HOME

Back Manchester, the visit to HOME included a meeting with Lisa Allen Head of Theatre. Participants were pleased to hear about the free reign given to a state owned cultural venue and the breadth of themes Manchester’s best arthouse cinema was able to explore. Allen highlighted the importance of multidisciplinary spaces in fostering artistic innovation in a city and welcomed future partnerships.

Artistic Collaborations at SODA

Long time Curated Place collaborator Chris Paul Daniels welcomed us to the School of Digital Arts (SODA) bringing together a stellar team of artists, researchers and faculty to meet us. A lively networking session enabled all visitors to find future collaborators under one roof and we’re excited about the potential for immediate projects together.

Finally we visited Manchester’s best independent venue SOUP

Chris Bailkoski shared insights into the challenges and rewards of running an independent venue, emphasising the importance of supporting grassroots art initiatives as well as showcasing his work as PROFORMA and at Venice Biennale inspiring all present to realise the possibilities of collaboration outside the institutions if you can find the correct partnerships.

We closed the visit with a morning meeting at the visitors’ hotel – reviewing their learnings, advising on their next steps and opening a series of funds with British Council that they are now eligible to apply for to make the discussions of international collaborations real.

 The connections made during their UK visit will undoubtedly influence their future projects, fostering a global network of artists committed to cultural exchange and innovation and we are hugely thankful to all of our hosts over the four days they were in the UK.

For more information about the Creative Producer Programme, visit creativeproducertraining.com