I am interesting in unravelling the ‘..loops of creative activity..’
Christine Egan Fowler is an artist-teacher with a history of innovative collaborations that encourage participation, across subjects and with galleries. Christine has 25 years teaching experience and is currently teaching Art at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne. She is committed to her job, her own creative development and to enhancing the learning of others.
In 2013 Christine graduated with Distinction from the MA Fine Art and Education, delivered by Northumbria University in partnership with BALTIC. Christine was awarded the BALTIC Artist Teacher Award 2012/13, selected by Director, Godfrey Worsdale.
Christine’s current work is about memory. She creates and renews connections with forgotten aspects of her past; painting using materials which have a particular significance for her, such as washing powder, bleach and beeswax mixed with pigment. The materials she uses often have a resonant smell that helps instant recall.
Christine is interested in how performance can encourage participation, as a way of involving audiences in building collective memories. Her award winning exhibition at BALTIC in Jan 2013, ‘Memory Folds’, was a participatory show where performances by students from Royal Grammar School, joined members of the public. 80 students performed over a period of a month and the resulting ‘Memory Fold’ works numbered into the hundreds. The exhibition attracted many different age groups of people and they each shared their stories and memories. Many were moved by being able to share and participate. The work was later presented at Momentum, Frieze Art Fair in 2013 and ISADA conference at Sidcot School in 2014.
In 2015 Christine took part in ArtWorks Connecting the Conversation at BALTIC where she discussed her participatory practice in a conversation with artist Selina Thompson chaired by Ilana Mitchell, Artistic Director of Wunderbar. Documentation from this event is accessible on BALTIC+. http://balticplus.uk/artworks-connecting-the-conversation-part-1-christine-egan-fowler-c26654/
In 2015, Christine won an ArtWorks Fellowship funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, supported by Barbican London and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art Gateshead. This blog charts the year starting in September 2015.
The scheme stems from a belief that artists who are given access to training and supported to develop their own practice will provide higher quality arts-led experiences. The overall aim of the ArtWorks initiative was to support the initial education, training and continuing professional development of artists working in participatory settings in order to enhance the quality of people’s engagement in arts-led activity and the arts, and create a more professional and confident sector whose work is validated, valued and seen as important.
The programme had its genesis in an extensive period of research which began in 2008. It was established as a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Special Initiative to run from 2011 to 2015 and encompassed a number of strands. ArtWorks funded five pathfinder partnerships working across different settings and parts of the UK, built a community of practice on and offline, organised events, commissioned research and publications.
In March 2015 ArtWorks launched a series of publications that drew on evidence gathered through the pathfinder projects, research commissioned by the programme and evaluation of the programme’s activities.
These include a call to action to people and organisations throughout the UK arts sector to work together to continue building infrastructure to support artists working in participatory settings. ArtWorks: A call to action sets out actions we believe must be taken if we are to see the changes our sector needs.
From April 2015, ArtWorks entered a new phase. The Paul Hamlyn Foundation trustees and Arts Programme Committee agreed a number of ArtWorks legacy grants to continue aspects of the programme and pass on leadership to the sector to take forward the work the initiative began.
ArtWorks brings together a growing group of organisations and individuals committed the developing practice in participatory settings – to create a stronger voice for the practice.
ArtWorks: Developing Practice in Participatory Settings began in 2011 as a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Special Initiative with funding and support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Creativity, Culture & Education (supported by Arts Council England) and the Cultural Leadership Programme.
ArtWorks Fellowship
ArtWorks London has selected three arts organisations and artist pairings to be part of the ArtWorks Fellowship – The Organisational Perspective. Each pairing has received a grant of £4000 to be part of this pilot programme. The programme runs from October 2015 – October 2016.
• BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts with Christine Egan-Fowler
The ArtWorks Fellowship programme was established in 2013 as an informal bespoke learning pathway for established participatory artists. It was designed collaboratively with an established participatory artist to address their specific professional development needs. This action research project was delivered as part of the national ArtWorks Programme.
The three organisation and artist pairings are now working with ArtWorks London to further test and develop this model. The three selected fellowship pairings will design and deliver their own ‘informal bespoke learning pathway’ supported by ArtWorks London. These three Fellowship programmes are from a range of regions across the UK and a mix of art forms. Programme updates for the ArtWorks Fellowship will be posted on a quarterly basis.
For further information please contact creative.learning@barbican.org.uk and follow @ArtWorksLondon
Funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Open Grants programme.
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