The Arts Development Officer has engaged with many community partners across the city over the past few months to discuss ideas for new residencies. Exploring what this would look like, who they would engage and how they will support this creative partnership on the ground.

Many of these conversations raised several key words; for example, ‘building back’ after the pandemic and ‘reconnecting’ in local spaces and shopping areas with our neighbours, small local businesses, and community organisations.

So, after much discussion and thinking on how this could shape up the artist residency 2022/23 programme, the arts team have agreed their focus will be on the places and spaces at the heart of our communities, with a spotlight on the east end of Newcastle, to support building back local communities.

Places and Spaces
Newcastle’s east end has several high streets and shopping areas in and around local neighbourhoods, some not doing as well as others. However, we all know that these high streets and shopping areas are vital resources to local communities and home to many great local businesses, providing goods and services for local people along with much needed support and connection for people.

We would like to focus this year's residences in the following two locations:
2 x artists @ Wretham Place and surrounding areas in the Ouseburn Ward in partnership with Big River Bakery.

2 x artists @ Shields Road/Welbeck Road in partnership with many local community projects and retailers.

Each pair of artists will need to demonstrate they can work together and have good local knowledge.

If you are interested in finding out more, then please email alison.flanaganwood@newcastle.gov.uk for the full artist brief.

Deadline: 2nd September 2022