The programme was developed to address some of the challenges around socially-engaged practice and the barriers that exist for artists seeking to collaborate with communities to create new artworks in public spaces.

 

 

Engage/ Create was part of Storying Barnsley, Barnsley Council’s 3-year Cultural Development Fund (CDF) engagement programme which aims to celebrate the stories and heritage of Barnsley and its people through creative and cultural activities.  

CDF2 funding was awarded to Barnsley Council in 2022, with Storying Barnsley aims being to boost Barnsley’s cultural and creative sectors through partnerships and connectivity and offer unique cultural experiences for people living in and visiting the area. 

 

Overview

The Engage/ Create programme, delivered by Beam, aimed to support early to mid career artists wishing to diversify their practice. A cohort of 6 dynamic Barnsley based artists were recruited for this opportunity following an open call out over summer 2024.

Spread over 6 months (October 2024 – March 25), the programme offered the opportunity for the cohort to be matched with one of six principal towns in Barnsley, and to explore the community in their areas before collaborating on a project with them.

The cohort also had the opportunity to be mentored by an experienced artist already working in socially engaged practice, alongside a mix of in person and virtual workshops and guest speaker sessions. 

 

Artistic practices within the cohort included sculpture, mural art, theatre and performance, film, textiles and illustration.

 

The Cohort

Appointed artists who participated in the programme were –

Jayde Bell 

Jayde Marie Bell works under the artist name Eye Violet and is an impassioned muralist who works to explore intersections of culture and community through vibrantly coloured large scale paintings. Her works are storytelling tapestries that captivate the imagination, each mural telling a unique story of people and places encountered throughout its creation. Eye Violet’s portfolio reflects a commitment to social commentary, participation, cultural celebration and grass roots philosophy. Jayde has produced over 40 internal murals across Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool transforming spaces such as restaurants, bars, yoga studios, cafes, industrial warehouse spaces, factories and housing co-operatives in subsequent years. 

Jayde was matched with Cudworth. 

 

Lucy Burns

Lucy Burns practice is rooted in collaboration, participation, and storytelling, with a focus on co-creating work that reflects the voices and experiences of the people she works with. She is passionate about the power of art to bring people together, spark meaningful conversations, and foster a sense of community pride. In her work under LJayBee Illustrations Lucy blends her love for Yorkshire’s cultural heritage with her creative vision, producing work that resonates with both individuals and communities.

Lucy was matched with Penistone.

 

Izzy Dabiri

Izzy Dabiri’s practice in textiles stems from her background in theatre as a bespoke tailor. Collaboration and respect for makers is key to her work as she also draws on collective textile traditions such as quilting and weaving. The idea that ‘many hands make one thing’ is central to Izzy’s practice. Izzy works with a research informed method which she believes to include all the ways one engages with life, so not just sitting in a library or archive. Collaboration is also an essential to her research and  practice and again she recognises collaboration in a broad, expansive way; sharing skills and knowledge and co-creating work with different groups and often learning from them in return. 

Izzy was matched with Wombwell. 

 

Thomas Palmer

Thomas Palmer’s art practice is based around the ideas of society, reality, marketing, and being the change that you want to see in the world. Thomas works primarily as a sculptor and enhances his  work with digital images and video. Thomas works part time as an Art Technician whilst also developing his own pottery business, making plant pots for small plants, such as bryophytes, ferns, and ‘air’ plants.

Thomas was matched with Hoyland.

 

Jack Riley

Jack Riley is a theatre practitioner and film-maker who graduated in 2023 having studied Applied Theatre and Community Drama at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Jack now runs Barnsley Youth Theatre. 

Jack was matched with Royston. 

 

Tahir Shah

Tahir Shah is a writer and director who has always centred around creating platforms for stories that challenge the status quo. Tahir works extensively with communities that face various forms of marginalisation, including racial, economic, and social exclusion. His  approach is rooted in the belief that storytelling, particularly through the lens of those who have lived through adversity. Tahir’s achievements include a series of short community theatre productions (Listen To Our Story) that have been showcased in community showings across the UK, each one tackling complex issues such as immigration, racial inequality, mental health, and social justice. 

Tahir was matched with Goldthorpe. 

 

The Mentors

Natalie Bellingham 

Natalie studied Theatre and Performance at Leeds University (Bretton Hall) graduating with a First Class Honours in 2008. She is now a successful freelance theatre-maker, performer, clown, physical comedian and creative arts facilitator, currently touring her own solo show that featured at the Edinburgh festival in 2024.  Natalie makes performance work that embraces the honesty of clown performance and the complexity of being human. Beautifully researched, with a balance of storytelling, absurdity & powerful visual moments. Natalie uses small ideas to shine a light on the more unwieldy ones. It can be autobiographical, although not always. Sometimes it’s about the pain of losing a parent, sometimes it’s about tiny little birds and often it can be about both.

 

Natasha Clarke

Natasha is a formally trained painter whose work bridges the worlds of identity, culture, and natural beauty. As a mixed race female artist, her practice is a celebration of resilience, empowerment, and the quiet elegance of life. Over the years, Natasha’s art has evolved, combining figurative and abstract styles while exploring themes of identity, resilience, and beauty. Her ability to weave stories and aesthetics together has made her work both deeply impactful and widely appreciated. Alongside her artistic practice is her passion for community led arts. This can be evidenced in her Master’s Thesis and projects which followed. She believes that arts and culture should be made accessible for everyone, often working with a range of communities to use art as a vehicle for social change.

 

Dan Jones

Dan Jones is a sculptor living and working in Yorkshire. Since graduating in  1998 with a First Class BA Honours  in Fine Art, Sculpture, Dan has developed a career creating sculpture for public spaces, rural environments and private collections. Dan’s work is directly inspired by the landscape around him and he takes delight in objects and artefacts that he finds within it. Dan works in partnership with numerous local authorities and regeneration agencies on schemes of work that have attracted national awards. 

 

The Programme

A series of workshops, talks and tailored support was offered to the cohort as they developed project delivery plans working closely with their mentors and Beam. The artists taking part have had the chance to reflect on their progress individually and with their mentors and peers, informing their future practice.  

 

 

Outcomes

As well as enabling the creatives to enhance their skills, the programme resulted in some remarkable new artwork. Artwork produced for this project spans a broad range of art forms, including:

• Izzy’s textile display reflecting on the story of Wombwell in three parts 
• Spray paint artworks created by Jayde in collaboration with young people in Cudworth 
• Jack’s film, titled Royston In Our Eyes, which features reflections and memories from people in the town. 
• Lucy’s “sharing shelf” at Penistone Leisure Centre, where people in Penistone are encouraged to share artwork, books and other materials. 
• A Place Called Home, a series of interviews recorded by Tahir in Goldthorpe. 
• Thomas Palmer’s “time capsule” of pottery created by people at workshops in Hoyland, which are on display at Hoyland Library. 

More details about each artists commission can be viewed on the Storying Barnsley webpages.

 

Feedback

We’ve had some wonderful feedback from the artists supported by this project who welcomed the opportunity to learn from experienced mentors and boost their confidence in working with diverse communities. 

Izzy Dabiri said: “I have loved working on this project and have learned so much. Having time to really get to know community members was wonderful and I feel very grateful that they shared so many of their stories with me. Thank you to the Storying Barnsley and Beam teams for trusting and supporting me throughout this commission.” 

 

Potter Thomas Palmer said: “I had a great time working with everyone that came to my workshops. Engage/ Create has given me the opportunity to pass on sculpting techniques and I have learned so much.” 

 

The project has also opened up new opportunities, with artists having secured new commissions in Barnsley since being involved in Engage/ Create.

 

Cllr Robin Franklin, Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said: “I’m so pleased we’ve been able to offer talented South Yorkshire creatives this unique opportunity to explore and develop socially-engaged practice by working closely with our local communities. 

“Not only has this supported them to grow as artists, it’s also given people living across Barnsley the chance to connect with their neighbours and get in touch with their creative side. 

“It’s very encouraging to receive such positive feedback from those involved in the project and I look forward to seeing some of the new artwork they have produced.” 

 

 

Frances Smith, principal consultant for Beam, said: “We’ve really enjoyed working with the Storying Barnsley team and building on their impressive earlier work with artists and communities across Barnsley. 

“The cohort have drawn on the support of their mentors and really made the most of this exciting chance to develop new approaches to working with communities as part of their artistic practice.” 

 

Images © the artists, Barnsley Council + Beam.