Between Thursday 4th April and Saturday 13th April, NN Contemporary Art will host Artists in Residence @ C2C Social Action, Sol Haven and Northampton Hope Centre and showcase creative works produced through a project developed over 12 months in Northampton. 

From February 2023 to February 2024, Emma Davies, Manager, Curator and Lead Artist for Sol Haven and Hope Centre, together with Lead Artist for C2C Social Action Annabelle Shelton, worked with six other artists on this project. These artists are Priya Chohan-Padia, Stuart Moore, Dylan Fox, Minnie Teckman, Emi Fujisawa, and Carol Jacobs. 

This third iteration of a growing project involved partnering with three organisations across Northampton. The project was founded in 2019 by Sally Sheinman who teamed up with C2C Social Action to commission four artists to make work over a period of three months, with women who accessed the services at C2C. During 2021-2022, the project expanded to cover a year’s programme and then in 2023 partnered with two new organisations and doubled the number of artists.

Annabelle Shelton led Minnie Teckman, Emi Fujisawa and Carol Jacobs to work with women participants from C2C, who are or have been in a variety of vulnerable situations and/or have been referred by their GP for Social Prescription. 

Emma Davies led Priya Chohan-Padia, Dylan Fox and Stuart Moore to work with mixed groups of participants at Sol Haven and Northampton Hope Centre, spending six months with each organisation. Participants from Sol Haven have been referred via a wide range of social prescribers for supporting vulnerable adults with a range of issues such as recovery from trauma, addiction, and support with their mental health; and at Northampton Hope Centre, participants are facing a range of issues such as hardship, hunger or homelessness. 

Across all three organisations, artists have been working and making art with participants in their out and indoor spaces. All venues were unique and offered a variety of approaches, with the differing spaces providing inspiration to the artists: C2C Social Actions joyous allotment, Sol Haven’s nurturing community garden and Hope Centres airy and lively art studio.

Through a series of artist-led workshops and a person-centred approach, the artists create meaningful engagement for every participant. The artists based the workshops on their artistic practice, which covered a multitude of art forms – spoken word, garden design, flag making, film, ceramics, photography, printmaking, drawing (both human and robotic), painting, weaving, fabric dyeing, collage, construction, computer + human generated art and object making. 

Every workshop created a holistic experience and fostered a collaborative approach as artists were inspired by the participants and vice versa. The project thrived on the generosity of all taking part and is a celebration of creative processes and the results of those processes. It offers opportunities that most of us take for granted. Emotions and experiences have been able to be freely expressed through art and for all to improve well-being and explore art in a safe and non-judgemental setting. 

After the exhibition there will be a publication of a book, available online, documenting the whole project.

Artists in Residence @ C2C Social Action, Sol Haven and Northampton Hope Centre is funded and supported by The Arts Council, Kenneth Fund, Sudborough Foundation, Kingsthorpe Parish Council, Northamptonshire Community Foundation, Royal Society of Arts and Manufacturing, together with generous donations from University of Northampton Fine Art Students and Network Arts.

Preview Night, Thursday 4th April 5-7pm. Free to attend, open all.