Selected Clients
We work with public, private and cultural sector partners to develop progressive public art strategies, commission new work and activate public places and spaces across the UK. Here is a flavour of our past clients and partners:
Activating Public Space
Through creative commissions and events we bring places to life and allow them to be animated and discovered in new and different ways.
Commissioning Artists
We commission extraordinary art for public places. We guide the commissioning process by shaping exciting and relevant briefs, developing artist selection processes, and carefully managing the delivery of artworks.
Engaging Communities
We empower communities to have a voice in the changes within their neighbourhoods. By embedding artists in this process, we go beyond consultation, enabling people to proactively and creatively contribute to the development of new places.
Developing Strategies
We unpick the unique character of place, understand local need and offer meaningful artist-led solutions through the development of progressive arts and cultural strategies.
Encouraging Learning
We create bespoke learning and development programmes for grassroots community, arts and cultural organisations, produce educational resources and develop dedicated schools packs relating to our commissions.
Our Approach
One size fits all is definitely not how UP Projects works. We invest time to understand our clients individual needs and respond in bespoke and context-specific ways. We embed ourselves within the places in which we work and build a nuanced picture of place. This is done through fieldwork, on the ground conversations and in-depth mapping that is guided by the principle of the five capitals (human, social, cultural, natural and financial) framework. This means our strategies and commissions are solution driven and respond directly to the local context. We are 100% community focused. Our commissions, strategies and projects put people at their heart and look at ways that communities can be empowered and involved. We believe in the power of creativity and involve artists from the outset, embedding them within our team from the start. Artists play a role not only in creating truly inspiring public artworks but also in telling stories and engaging with communities. Ultimately, we believe that art and artists have the power to bring about lasting social change when the process is considered just as important as the outcome.
Our Team
UP Projects has an expert team of strategic thinkers, curators, producers and project managers, who work collaboratively to deliver our projects. We are supported by an esteemed Board of Trustees and a network of Critical Friends and UP Associates with complimentary skills including urban design, architecture, environmental sustainability, social value, evaluation, graphic design and communications. You can read more about our team and associates here.
Contact Us
We would love to hear from you. Should you wish to discuss a potential collaboration please email workwith@upprojects.com or call +44 (0)20 7377 9677.
Testimonials
“Working with UP Projects allowed us to connect with communities in Leytonstone in a more meaningful way that was greatly appreciated by The London Borough Waltham Forest. Their contribution to our wider engagement strategy enabled an effective dialogue with local people, not only letting them know about the future plans for the site but also engaging them in thinking about ideas for how community and culture could become integral to the creation of this new neighbourhood." – Dan Brady, Development Director, Bellway Homes
"Working with UP Projects made engagement enjoyable and allowed us to form positive relationships with communities in a short space of time. The local authority was extremely receptive to the engagement work we presented and the process that we undertook with UP Projects. This project made us see that this is how we should be working across all our sites." - Katie Hales, Senior Planning Manager, Telford Homes
"It's been refreshing to work with UP Projects on the Crossrail Wall Trackside Art Commission in Custom House, as their approach to community engagement has ensured that the full diversity of residents have had an opportunity to be meaningfully involved. What's been particularly impressive is their willingness to listen to different ideas so that a variety of creative methods are used to maximise community participation." - Cllr Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham
"In navigating the process - from selection of artist, through planning conversations, to community consultation and more - I was fortunate to have the support of Emma Underhill and UP Projects. Emma's vast experience, her calm professionalism, her artistic sensibility, her good humour and her ability to move effortlessly between local authority, artist and large scale institution were fundamental to the success of the project." - Deborah Bull, Former Creative Director, Royal Opera House
"UP Projects brough a wealth of experience to the development of the Artlands strategy and helped us to develop a clear and ambitious vision, which could address multiple needs and audiences. As curators, producers and enablers of artists, they have a superb understanding of the complexities of delivery, which brough the project to the life." - Emma Wilcox, Arts and Regeneration Officer, Kent County Council