Call Out for Curious Associates
August 3, 2022
The Cost of Living Impact on Cultural Education
September 2, 2022Celebrating diverse creative role models in our region
Curious Commissions is a new initiative by Curious Minds, designed to improve the diversity of the cultural education workforce in the North West by championing the work of Black, Asian, Ethnically Diverse and Disabled creatives.
The programme has been spearheaded by Saphena Aziz, our Director of Inclusion, and is managed by Creative Producer, Dorcas Sebuyange.
In March this year, we issued a call out for North West based freelance independent creatives and arts organisations. We wanted to hear from people looking to work with children and young people in their neighbourhoods who are often excluded from the mainstream, to inspire and empower them through the arts.
Now, at a point when most of the commissioned work is underway and is engaging curious young minds across the region, we want to highlight the work of these brilliant creatives - role models to the sector and, most importantly, to the young people they are working with.
In March this year, we issued a call out for North West based freelance independent creatives and arts organisations. We wanted to hear from people looking to work with children and young people in their neighbourhoods who are often excluded from the mainstream, to inspire and empower them through the arts.
Now, at a point when most of the commissioned work is underway and is engaging curious young minds across the region, we want to highlight the work of these brilliant creatives - role models to the sector and, most importantly, to the young people they are working with.
If you can see it, you can be it!
Who are the recipients?
Our inspirational Curious Commissionees for 2022 are:Benjamin Amartey (Interstellar Global CIC)
Music making, song writing, recording, performing and promotion in Liverpool.
Brodie Arthur & Nabila Estridge
Using the arts and creativity to focus on mindfulness, mental health and Wellbeing in Liverpool. @BrodieArthur
Bushra Sultana
Focusing on nature, horticulture, and the great outdoors working with Deeplish Community Centre and Touchstones in Rochdale.
Danielle Carbon-Wilson
A creative climate resilience project with Afrocats and Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. @laecwilson
Farrah Imtiaz
Inspiring young people from Muslim backgrounds to connect with nature and the outdoors in creative ways working with young people from Edenfield Girls High School in Nelson.
Hathaikan Kongaunruan
Finding your inner Eco-Warrior and creating sculptures/collages made from household/packaging waste in partnership with Z Arts in Manchester. @byhathaikan
Helena Ascough
Poetry and Well Being with Blaze Arts in both Lancaster and Blackpool. @helena_ascough
Isaac Nixon
Exploring creativity through reading and performing at Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre in Cheshire. @isaacnixon16
Jamie-Lee Wainman
Designing and creating a public mural with neurodivergent young people. Greater Manchester.
@wainman_design
Jen Samani
Transforming used discarded or donated items into completely new usable or decorative objects, working with young people in Stockport.
@SamaniJen
Jennifer Gilmour (Breakdown Bolton CIC)
Printmaking, book binding and zine workshops for Autumn exhibition with local LGBTQ+ young people's group at Bolton Library and Museums.
@BreakdownBolton
Jess Davids
Creating a glass and metal sculpture for display, with students from the Radclyffe School in Oldham.
@jessdavidsglass
Karl Newsam (Melt Dance)
Exploring creativity through dance and theatre in Knowsley.
@meltdance
Nadia Anim
Creating a comic book with original content made by young participants. Liverpool.
@nadiaanim
Natalie Denny (Skywriters)
Creative writing project working with National Museums Liverpool to create a book and online publication.
@Skywriters_
Niparun Nessa
Creative writing with circus and aerial arts giving young people the opportunity to get out of their comfort zones in Oldham.
@aerialnefa
Oliver Cross
An accessible music and visual art group for disabled young people. @PhotoOliC
Sally Lofthouse
Using the art of pantomime to create of new fairy tales for this generation in partnership with the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal.
@SalLofthouse
Venessa Scott
Creating mural designs for The Yard on the Darnhill Estate in Rochdale with Cartwheel Arts. @Venessascott_uk
What's next?
As the year progresses, we hope to be able to bring you further updates from some of these projects and the artists' stories in the own words. Where links to social media profiles are available, we have provided them above. Please do follow and amplify this work where you can.All of the artists in this programme have access to a specially designed training programme that will run through the autumn. This will also be opened up to applicants who weren’t successful in gaining a commission this time around.
Curious to know more?
If you have further questions about our Curious Commission programme, please contact Saphena Aziz, our Director of Inclusion. Click on the envelope button below her photo to send her an email.
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