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FESTIVAL OF LOVE RESIDENCY As artist in residence at Southbank Centre's busy summer Festival of Love celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela, engaged with hundreds of visitors via activity such as designing and making a planet, stencilling bags with words of wisdom, and making pom pom Love Bugs for children living in difficult circumstances. |
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PROCESSIONS Produced by Artichoke and commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, PROCESSIONS commemorated 100 years since some women in the UK were granted the Vote. A Hastings banner was created for Jerwood Gallery - one of 100 arts organisations in the country selected to participate. On 10th June 2018, thousands of women and girls, those who identify as women and non-binary individuals, made up four epic PROCESSIONS in the four political capitals of our country – Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. Given green, white or violet to wear, representing the colours of the suffrage movement which stood for “Give Women Votes”, they came together to create waves of colour through our cities, commemorating 100 years since the first success of the suffrage movement. I was commissioned to help a group of amazing women from Hastings make a banner to carry at the procession in London, and I kept a diary of the project: www.janeymoffatt.com/processions---a-diary The women in the group were today’s campaigners. The ones who don’t let things lie, for whom justice and fairness matters. They contribute to our community giving time generously, really caring for the people whose lives they touch. They can be effective today because of the fairness and equality women fought for in the Suffragist movement 100 years ago. |
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SKELETONS OUT OF THE CLOSET
'Skeletons Out Of The Closet' was a series of arts activities and events inspired by a Mexican art residency during the Day of the Dead celebrations. During this famous festival, death is treated as a subject to be celebrated rather than ignored. As part of this project these principles were applied to the subject of mental health, currently a huge taboo in our society. Using art to bring fears about our mental health into the light, we worked with participants via The Seaview Project and Recovery College to create exhibition pieces including clay puppets and concertina books. The project included making skull mobiles at Jerwood Gallery, a pop up exhibition and event at De La Warr Pavilion, and a mini tour of our Creative Caravan which saw us visiting housing estates in order to help residents screen print their own skull themed T shirts. Funded by The People's Project and featured on ITV. 'Everyone's got a skeleton in their closet; we're helping people to make friends with theirs.' Watch more of the activity at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtQFkxQidVc&feature=youtu.be |
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FRAMES OF MIND As part of the Frames of Mind project funded by Arts Council, a 'crazy living room' was created to help explain life with a mental health condition. The installation was exhibited at Towner Gallery before embarking on a short tour during which the work changed to fit with each new venue. The installation used UV elements that were hidden under normal light conditions and only revealed to audiences when explored with a UV torch; reflecting the fact that so much of mental health is hidden due to the stigma that surrounds it. The exhibition also featured puppets and animated work made at mental health hubs in the South East as part of a six month project that explored how creativity can promote wellbeing. Watch more of the activity during the exhibition at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyWZPI0Sz2w Watch a documentary about the project at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBdtHSd12Fc |
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RESOLUTIONS An award winning project that looked at how young people can use art to help them deal with conflict in their lives, working with Hastings Academy and Sussex Discovery College. Showcase event at The Electric Palace cinema, and exhibition trail in a variety of venues, as part of Coastal Currents arts festival. Watch a moving film produced from the written word of participants here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg4il83kWjw |
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KNIT YOUR MEMORIES TOGETHER Working with a group of other textile artists, sessions were carried out to facilitate bringing memory and reminiscence to life in textile work. Final pieces included garments adorned with pictures of loved ones, brought together in an exhibition funded by Hastings Borough Council. |
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FOLLOW THE HERRING A life sized knitted fish and chip shop on wheels was created as part of the nationwide touring project 'Follow The Herring', which was commissioned as part of a larger exhibition and choral performance. The fish and chip shop was admired by thousands of visitors as it sat in a key area of the seafront over the busy summer period. Sixty local children took part by earning an Arts Award and creating work that was included in the exhibition. Winner of the SPARK Award 2014. |
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HASTINGS PIER YARN BOMB Commissioned to lead a community yarn bomb of the award winning Hastings Pier, working with more than 40 schools, Scouts & Brownies groups, local knitting groups, and other adults in day care settings and with complex needs. As part of the project Arts Award was delivered to 90 children. |
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SHOW YOUR INNER GLOW
A project that involved the exploration of secret and hidden parts of the self in order to create a paper theatre that revealed important issues via the use of UV elements including paints, pens and yarn. Led to an exhibition at The Electric Palace Cinema, Hastings and an installation at Southbank Centre. In association with artist Lee Shearman. |
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CREATIVE CARAVAN TOUR
An old caravan was rescued and lovingly restored to become 'Frida' the touring Creative Caravan visiting housing estates in the Hastings and St Leonards area during school holidays. The need for Frida was identified after research showed that many children who live on housing estates rarely leave them except to go to school, and many of them do not have a holiday or even a day out during holiday periods. Winner of the Aviva Community Award. |