Test Space: Speak Up #2
About the Speakers
Dr Susan Jones
An independent arts researcher and writer, Dr Susan Jones provides specialist knowledge and insight about the social and political environment for artists and the contemporary visual arts.
Her major research programmes are Measuring the experience: the scope and value of artist-led organisations (1994-96); Artists in arts policy (2015-2023), Artists in the pandemic: a study of artists' conditions in a time of great social and economic upheaval (2021-23) and Artists' lives: ecologies of resilience (2024-25).
Writing and opinion has been published by Arts Professional, Art Monthly, Art Review, Corridor 8, Sluice, Cultural Trends, Engage Journal, The Guardian, The Double Negative, TransArtists, a-n The Artists Information Company and Thames and Hudson.
She has advised and contributed to artists’ research and to development programmes across the UK and contributes to national and international peer networks and discourse through conferences, symposia and think-tank presentations.
www.padwickjonesarts.co.uk
New government, new deal? MIAAW policy review podcast; A new deal.....? - arts policy review in Art Monthly; Do artists' livelihoods matter? - Arts Professional; Artists' livelihoods: my essential reading - Centre for Cultural Value; The impossible arts infrastructure for artists - Miaaw.net podcast; Is artists' exploitation inevitable? Axis publication; "Impossible arts infrastructure" - Art Monthly podcast 2023; Grassroots call for radical change - Arts Professional; Artists' precarity cuts three ways - Arts Professional
Corinne Kilvington
Corinne is the founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Space North East.
TSNE is built on the belief that theatre is for everyone and shouldn’t be trapped inside the walls of a venue. Corinne feels that it can, and should, happen anywhere there are people, whether that’s a park, a classroom, a pub or a church yard. This means most of her time is spent working with community groups to help them explore their world, skills, passions and interests, through drama, performance and even craft. She also serves as a trustee for several local charities all doing great things in Sunderland. She’s run radio stations, put theatre on in parks and help build giant kaleidoscope from bits of left over bridge materials. She also does work for national organisations like the RSC and the National Theatre and is currently a participant on the CLORE Social Leadership course
More about Theatre Space North East:
https://www.theatrespace.org.uk/
More about Corinne Kilvington:
About the discussion leads
Chantal Herbert
Chantal is an audio producer, community organiser, DJ, director, public speaker, and Black rights feminist whose work centres around social inclusion and changemaking.
She is the founder and director of Sister Shack CIC, and she organises several events in the North East of England that focus on community inclusion and diverse and accessible spaces safer spaces, particularly for Global Majority people and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Photo by Oana Clarke-Wills
More information:
Dan Russell
Dan Russell is the Artist Development Programmer at The NewBridge Project who oversees the Collective Studio and Practice Makes Practice programmes.
Dan's art/life practice consists of doing interesting things with people, including projects that span art, architecture, graphic design, self-publishing, writing, illustration, music, education and artist development. His favourite topics are bringing people together and dealing with the future.
He has been involved in running several artist-led collectives, project spaces and studios in Manchester and is most interested in longer-term, process-led ways of working. He is also works on freelance community-based projects and moonlights in the Fine Art department at Newcastle University.
More about The NewBridge Project:
Michael McKnight
Michael McKnight is the co-founder and director of Pop Recs, which was established in 2013 with Dan Shannon and the late Dave Harper.
Image and quote from: https://weallmake.mysunderland.co.uk/stories/how-michaels-making-sunderland-unmissable/
Whether it’s aspiring young bands needing a rehearsal room, big names like Futureheads playing sold-out gigs, or a myriad of knitting groups, book clubs and makers – all are welcome. As Director, Michael, says, “We want to be a place that people want to come back to, somewhere that’s welcoming to different groups of people.” work.
More about Pop Recs: