How it all began
The project was successfully pitched after an Artist Agency programme with Helix Arts last year. Artists' Agency is Helix Art’s artist development programme. It offers a range of support for artists including training opportunities, mentoring and networking events. After the project was pitched it received funding from Creative Central NCL and support from Newcastle Council and The North of Tyne Combined Authority. Artist Sofia Barton teamed up with fellow colleague Lindsay Nicholson on the Artist Agency programme, who wanted to support the project becoming the facilitator. Both Sofia and Lindsay shared the vision of an accessible mural in the Newcastle city centre area which could be open to a range of different communities.
Although the project was initially planned for around the Clayton Street area, it was realised the scope of those who use and work in the area has a great range and impact. When arranging the workshops, after confirming funding in October, meant venues had to be booked fairly quickly and access to venues was considered for the participants. Alisdair Cameron who is the co-director of ReCoCo (Recovery College Collective) offered a space in kind. ReCoCo which is a peer led, peer delivered education and support service where people can learn from each other's insights, skills and lived experience. ReCoCo was ideal, not far from the area of Clayton Street and provided a safe space. The venue also had participants who already used and engaged with the space who were included in the project. Newcastle Arts Centre was also chosen being in the zone, and after contacting Clara Shield at Young Women's Film Academy a workshop was arranged there in the conference room. As a fifth and last workshop location the Baltic Front Room was added. The front room provides a warm space, a food bank and support to many in the area who also utilise the charity shops etc on Clayton Street. After meeting Hayley Duff and Lizi Lampard from Baltic Centre of contemporary art, I thought it was vital to also add this venue due to the communities that use it. All venues were carefully researched to ensure they also had wheelchair access.
Social media posts were created to seperate the venues with their specific times and days across Facebook and Instagram. Emails were also sent out to contacts and outreach to organisations who worked across the area. The workshops were also listed on curatorspace and eventbrite. In addition flyers were handed out in the Newcastle Central:NCL area to places like Dance City, Princes Trust, Newcastle Arts Centre, Enterprise Central and the Grainger Market. Whilst going across Clayton Street a substantial amount of time was spent talking to people in charity shops with the staff who worked in the area. Commercial shops were also visited with flyers including supermarkets, comic book shops, and cafes.
With the budget it was decided that five different workshops be organised with these different venues, at different times for availability, and that they would all take place during February 2024.
