The Constellations ° Cohort is a group of artists, curators, producers, and practitioners active and/or interested in the expanded field of public art. The cohort took part in Constellations, a free, nine month learning and development programme, curated and delivered by UP Projects, working in partnership with Flat Time House and Liverpool Biennial. By ‘the expanded field of public art’, we mean the work that happens at the intersection of contemporary art and culture, social practice, and the public realm.
The programme explored issues and best practice in relation to this field and supported a diverse cohort of ten practitioners, selected through an open call, to develop their practice, collaborate with others, access new networks, and contribute to critical debate surrounding the future of public practice. The 2022 cohort were Amina Lawal Agoro, Benedict Rutherford, Jordan Rowe, Kate Mahony, Laura Eldret, Manon Awst, Monica Tolia, Nisha Duggal, Rebecca Moss and Taey Iohe. You can read more about their individual practice here:
The cohort took part in two strands of activity, taking place between March and November 2022:
- Six online Assemblies - events that explore urgent lines of enquiry relating to contemporary public art and social practice, involving a range of UK and international speakers.
- Fifteen in-depth seminars, workshops and mentoring sessions which underpin and unpick the discussions above, devised specifically for a cohort of ten early-mid career practitioners from across the country.
The programme explored several urgent lines of enquiry around the following questions: Is context only half the work? How can socially engaged practice inspire structural change? What is the role of democracy in social practice - can all voices be heard? How can we move beyond sustainability? How can we rethink the memorial? The cohort explored these questions in relation to their own practices and approaches to making work.
All Assemblies took place within UP Projects’ digital participation space, The Hall, along with the majority of the workshops, seminars and mentoring sessions attended by the cohort. However, the cohort meet in person, together with the programme organisers and partners, at the launch and closing of the programme at Liverpool Biennial’s offices and Flat Time House, London, respectively.
Constellations 2022 is generously supported by Art Fund, Arts Council England, The Barrington Hibbert Associates Access Fund, and the Constellations Patrons and UP Supporters. To find out more please visit our Support Us page. Constellations is directed by Emma Underhill, curated by Elisabeth Del Prete and delivered by Jack Newbury at UP Projects. Independent curator and writer Jes Fernie, Gareth Bell Jones and Mary Vettise at Flat Time House, and Sam Lackey, Lily Mellor and Aimee Harrison at Liverpool Biennial are also contributing to the curatorial development of the programme.
Constellations 2022 Schedule
- Workshop led by Kerenza McClaren with invited guest, Michelle Peterkin–Walker, 20 March 2022, held at Granby Winter Garden, Liverpool
- Workshop led by Ruth Beale & Amy Feneck (The Alternative School of Economics) with invited guests, Javiera Sandoval & Ana Clavijo (AMPLA (Association of Latin American parents)), 19 May 2022, held online
- Workshop led by Adam James, 16 June 2022, held online
- Workshop led by Andy Merritt with invited guest, Matt Ponsford, 21 July 2022, held online
- Workshop led by Shuddhabrata Sengupta (Raqs Media Collective), 15 September 2022, held online
- Workshop led by Barby Asante, 5 November 2022, held at Flat Time House, London
The Barrington Hibbert Associates Access Fund
We firmly believe that development opportunities should be provided free of charge. In addition, we offer an Access Fund which covers all travel and accommodation costs to and from Liverpool and London and contributes to any specific access needs.
