Creative Citizens

We asked our Creative Citizens to talk about the work that led them to the programme and what they hope to get out of it…

the seven women from creative citizens standing in front of a wall the seven women from creative citizens standing in front of a wall

Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England through the Great Place Scheme, the Barbican and London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF) have launched the Creative Citizen Fellowships, a ten-month programme that supports eight people from the local arts and community sector with mentorship and professional development, helping them build their activities and creative output.

The fellowship is an opportunity to self-reflect, develop new relationships and build networks that will foster personal and professional capacities. The group is divided into two areas of expertise, participatory performance and sustainability and community, over the ten-month period each fellow will contribute towards the planning, programming and delivery of the 2018 Walthamstow Garden Party, drawing from their experiences and skills to ensure that the festival stays grounded in the local community and grows the creative industry within the borough.

We asked the group to talk about the work that led them to the programme and what they hope to get out of it…

'I look forward to exploring
the communities, places and approaches in the area'

Delyth Taylor

Participatory performance fellowship

photo of delyth taylor photo of delyth taylor

Delyth Taylor is a freelance artist who works across a lot of different mediums. She creates interactive art projects for early years and produces pop-up performances, cabaret, comedy, installation and happenings, and regularly collaborates with Original Army in E17.

'In my work, I use playful creativity to engage and help build stronger communities. Much of my work takes place outside Waltham Forest, so I look forward to exploring the communities, places and approaches in the area, as well as developing new approaches to my practice.'

'I wish to see more crazy
creativity by all, for all'

Auntie Maureen

Community and sustainability fellowship

photo of auntie maureen photo of auntie maureen

Auntie Maureen is an artist whose work ranges from heritage performance, music and vintage DJ services to bespoke site- or project specific tailored events planning. Maureen has been a Waltham Forest resident for 20 years and is responsible for curating the Appetite Food Market and Dreamers & Diggers stage at the Walthamstow Garden Party.

'My work is all about sustainably curating and hosting proud, inclusive food, music and market spaces. During this fellowship, I wish to discover, adopt and share new ways to professionally build excellent safe space practise, nurture green event production credentials, and see more crazy creativity by all, for all.'

'I hope to build on my artistic practice, working with untrained dancers to make site-specific work as well as in more traditional settings'

Clare Farrow

Participatory performance fellowship

photo of clare farrow photo of clare farrow

Clare Farrow is a dance artist and founder of MovE17, a dance group for adults of all ages and abilities who want to have fun, learn new dance skills and be creative. The class learn contemporary dance works by major artists, such as Akram Khan and Anne Teresa de Keermaeker, as well as create their own dance works.

'As part of my work, I create opportunities for local residents of all ages and abilities to perform choreographic works of the highest artistic quality.

With this fellowship, I hope to build on my artistic practice, working with untrained dancers to make site-specific work as well as in more traditional settings. I also wish to learn from dance professionals, and hopefully gain new practical business skills such as website building or setting up my own charity.'

'My work? At its heart is unity, community, the environment,
social justice, equality and
of course, creativity'

Jessica Hudsley

Community and sustainability fellowship

photo of jessica hudsley photo of jessica hudsley

Jessica Hudsley is an event and production manager with a deep and dedicated passion for community engagement and the arts. She's also the leader of Temporary Autonomous Art (TAA), an arts collective that create DIY cultural 'happenings' and pirate utopias that aim to empower, inspire and transform spaces.

'How would I describe my work? At its heart is unity, community, the environment, social justice, equality and of course, creativity. I want to see a wider community engagement with the arts that encourages respect for social equality and the environment.

As part of this fellowship, I hope to find new pathways that'll allow me to bring my creative vision into concrete projects. As leader of my arts collective, I'm also looking to gain the ability to set down roots in a dedicated space and develop an arts centre’.

'I’d like to look at different
ways of creating a platform
for a transparent dialogue
between all communities'

Charlotte Major

Community and sustainability fellowship

photo of charlotte major photo of charlotte major

Charlotte Major is a recent graduate of Museum Studies and works in the much-loved community space The Mill, Walthamstow. Charlotte has previously produced The Forest Community Marquee at the Walthamstow Garden Party and her interests lie in creating inclusive opportunities to make culture more accessible and encourage community participation.

' My work is about community, participation, collaboration, creativity, inclusivity, event organising, engagement, education, and facilitation.

In my recent projects in the borough, I have worked on creating opportunities for engagement in the arts for traditionally non-visiting communities. I’d like to look at different ways of creating a platform for a transparent dialogue between the all communities from the borough.'

'I'd like to enable X7eaven to
become a new age arts centre
with old school values'

Sam Francis

Participatory performance fellowship

photo of sam francis photo of sam francis

Sam Francis is a choreographer, director, filmmaker and the CEO and artistic director of X7eaven Academy, a pioneering award winning performing arts school based in East London.

Sam has written and directed original productions commissioned by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, neighbouring boroughs and theatres around London.

'X7eaven is all about providing groundbreaking, quality, and bespoke performances for our communities from all walks of life.

I joined the Creative Citizen Fellowship because I wanted to build greater awareness within the community and beyond, of all the activities and performances that X7eaven provide. The Creative Citizen Fellowship collective will empower me to support the creative and talented community of Waltham Forest.

'I want to consider the links between art and wellbeing'

Layla Rosa

Participatory performance fellowship

photo of layla rose photo of layla rose

Layla Rosa is a co-founder and artistic director of performance collective Shunt. A theatre maker specialising in physical, visual and musical performance, Layla is also an experienced circus director and teacher. She founded the Walthamstow Youth Circus - a local group of gravity-defying young people who love to fly, dance and spin through the air, on trapezes, hoops and silks.

'My work in the neighbourhood is all about creating performance projects, with circus at their heart.

I'm hoping that this fellowship will allow me to make the work of the Walthamstow Youth Circus sustainable, as well as build upon other aspects of my artistic practise in order to make work that I believe in within the borough. I also want to consider the links between art and wellbeing, and the potential structures in which this can take shape.'

' I want to find inventive ways to navigate the challenges of
curating visual arts for
large-scale outdoor events'

Laura Kerry

Community and sustainability fellowship

photo of laura holding a speech bubble photo of laura holding a speech bubble

Laura Kerry is the director of Artillery and founder of the E17 Art Trail, a festival that brings Walthamstow together boasting over 7500 participating artists and 180 partner venues. Laura is an arts manager with over 14 years experience working in East London, specialising in community and artist-led festivals. For the Walthamstow Garden Party Laura devised the Appetite Marquee showcasing local food and art, and commissioned 'Magic Carpet' an animated projection by Zarah Hussain for the William Morris Gallery at dusk.

'I curate artist and resident-led arts festivals and events. My passion is in creating a supportive framework in which artists can be ambitious and inventive and where residents can shape the places they live. During this fellowship, I hope to achieve a few personal goals, including: better articulating my approach, having dedicated time to learn from other festival models, and finding inventive ways to navigate the challenges of curating visual arts for large-scale outdoor events.'

The Creative Citizens will be at Barbican OpenFest with a programme celebrating the head, heart and guts of our communities.

Join them to explore the individual and collective power to make positive change in the places we share, live, love, work and play. Discover how playful creativity can help to build stronger communities.

The Creative Citizen Fellowships have been supported by a grant from Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Find out more