Exploring the relationship between art and rehabilitation...
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2011 / Innovating Art Outreach / Essay proposing the innovation of art outreach, based on my own practice-based research and on innovation theory as defined by Argyris and Schön in Theory in Practice, and Spinosa, Flores and Drefus in Disclosing New Worlds. I demonstrate how the current art outreach model can been seen to ultimately restrict social inclusion, and how a re-coordination of art and outreach practices can enhance the achievement of both art and outreach aims. As part of my PGCert in Innovation at Goldsmiths
2011 / Challenging Stigmas / Talk outlining how some inclusion activity may generate new stigmas, depending on how the product of this activity is ultimately used, for example in exhibitions and marketing. The audience for this talk consisted of both outreach practitioners and service users, and the talk was delivered in such a way as to reduce the 'us' and 'them' tendency common within service critique. At Look Ahead, London
2010 / ART vs REHAB / A seminar as part of my practice-based and collaborative research to innovate the relationship between art and rehabilitation. Fifty delegates came together to hear key speakers challenge current preconceptions about the use of the rehabilitative arts, and to discuss potential futures for this diverse field. Supported by LCACE and Goldsmiths, at The Centre for Creative Collaboration, London
2010 / Conceptual Art in Prisons / Developing a conceptual art programme for prisoners. This programme focused largely on de-materialised practice, to promote the sense that art can be made regardless of financial status whilst directly addressing the limited materials provision in prisons. Commissioned by Escape Artists, London
2010 / Stories from Hounslow / Resident artist on a twelve week programme of experimental creative workshops for low literacy and at risk young people from Hounslow. Participants were classed as having severely traumatic life experiences, and were provided with tools and exercises to express their world views in a positive and non-direct way. For PATH (Programme for Arts, Therapy and Health)
2009 / REFRAMED / This project consisted of instigating dialogue between conceptual artists and self-taught artists from vulnerable adult backgrounds, who then produced a series of artworks made in response to this exchange. The project explored the problematics of a relationship between social and artistic inclusion. It was developed to address the lack of conceptual practice present in the art training available as part of rehabilitation schemes. At the Stephen Lawrence Gallery, London
2008 / Open Gallery - Conceptual Art programme for ex-offenders and recovering addicts / A series of conceptual art workshops for Open Book, a project that helps vulnerable adults gain access to Further Education courses at Goldsmiths, University of London. Each participant developed a conceptual artwork in response to an open brief. They directed their own and each others art learning as a group of individuals with collective knowledge. Exhibition held at the Utrophia Project Space, Deptford