Between Thursday 26th and Saturday 28th May, NN Project Space hosted Artists in Residence @ C2C Social Action and showcased creative works produced through a project developed over 12 months in Northampton.
In 2021, the Lead Artist and Curator Emma Davies, along with artists Clare Abbatt, Priya Chohan-Padia and Sam Gibson, worked with women who access services at C2C. The women are or have been in a variety of vulnerable situations, and the participating artists have been working and making art with them outdoors, in an allotment garden space.
Through a series of artist-led workshops and an increased person-centred approach, the leading artists created heightened and meaningful engagement for every participant. The artists have based the workshops on their artistic practice, with workshops covering a multitude of art forms, including soundscapes, sculpture, installation, photography, printmaking, drawing, painting, collage, headdresses and assemblage. During the gatherings, they walk around the allotment garden, make art and eat outdoors, creating a unique holistic experience.
Artists inspired the participants and vice versa; the allotment provided the creative impetus for all. Emotions and experiences are able to be freely expressed through art, in a tranquil setting, offering a unique opportunity for the women to improve their well-being and explore art in a safe and non-judgemental setting. Extending this outwards, the participants inspired their friends and key workers back at the C2C centre with stories from their day and photographs they’d taken of the artworks they had made.
This is the second iteration of the project. In 2019, C2C undertook its first residency at NN and showcased the creative work produced through the project.
On 14th June 2022, there will be a seminar about the project at the University of Northampton, organised in collaboration with the RSA, and the publication of a book documenting the whole project.
Artists in Residence @ C2C Social Action is funded by The Arts Council, the Kenneth Fund via Northamptonshire Community Foundation and is supported by the Royal Society of Arts and Manufacturing.
About C2C
C2C’s Social Action Women’s Centre provides support for women within Northamptonshire. Their aim is to support women to improve the quality of their lives; there is always a warm welcome and a listening ear. They provide a safe place where women can relax or participate in various activities or self-improvement courses. The centre gives service users opportunities to learn new skills while also providing one to one support issues such as debt and benefit problems. C2C work with individuals at any stage of the criminal justice system. They support, inspire and motivate them to move forward in their lives, and contribute positively to society







