British Art Show | Art Agent Project | Queering the Whitworth
As part of British Art Show 9 (BAS9) in Manchester, a group of local creative people have created projects to make change in their city. The Art Agents worked with BAS9’s art, people, spaces and resources to explore questions inspired by BAS9’s cultural framework: ‘Whose voice can be heard? Who is able to act? Who gains from such actions? The Art Agents were recruited in spring 2022 and have developed their projects working closely with one of Manchester’s BAS9 venues - Manchester Art Gallery, the Whitworth, HOME and Castlefield Gallery.
The programme provided paid employment, including skills development for the Art Agents, who delivered a project that they proposed and developed.
Community-led, to drive change both for the community and organisations.
Learning together, by drawing strengths and expertise of all involved and becoming more interconnected.
Legacy of change, through widening access to those who may not have accessed galleries or contemporary art before.
Building skills and relationships, to support future employment opportunities within the cultural sector beyond BAS9.
About the project – Creating Safe / Brave Spaces
During the Summer of 2022, alongside the opening of the British Art Show 9 (BAS9) in Manchester, artist MATT N has been working with the Whitworth to bring together a group of Queer & Neurodivergent individuals, exploring the concept of Safe Space(s) as a tactic for Care & Togetherness.
Since July, the group has been meeting weekly for sessions, both online & in-person at the Whitworth. The group has taken part in a series of conversations and creative workshops developed a shared ‘Safe Space Agreement’, and produced insightful responses to the project's themes.
The final outcome of the work on this project has resulted in the creation of a zine publication (Creating Safe / Brave Spaces), which aims to highlight the journey and findings of our group whilst also acting as a toolkit for other arts organisations. The zine shares the approaches and methodologies our facilitators have used on this project and intends to demonstrate how other organisations can develop ‘Safe Spaces’ for Queer and Neurodivergent identities in their own establishments and engagement practices.
Download your free copy of the zine, Creating Safe / Brave Spaces
About the Art Agent
MATT N (they/he) is a Visual Artist based in Manchester. They work primarily as a writer/director for live & recorded performances exploring the boundaries of linear and non-linear narrative forms. MATT is interested in the ever-blurring lines between popular culture and contemporary art and finding new ways to ingratiate Queer and diverse identities into institutional Art Spaces.
MATT is currently working with British Art Show 9 and The Whitworth Gallery, connecting with a group of Queer & Neurodivergent Individuals to explore the concept of Safe Space(s) as a tactic for Care & Togetherness.
MATT currently works for Young Manchester, a youth-led organisation working to unite, uplift, and champion the youth-work sector in the city. They are a Neurodiversity Champion for Starling CIO and part of a yearlong mentoring scheme with the BBC and Contact Theatre. MATT was the Project Assistant Director for DIS:Play - a living museum of Disabled History at Contact Theatre (with GMCDP and Archives+) and they have recently completed a Directing course with Sheffield Theatres, Leeds Playhouse, and Ramps on the Moon.
Image: Anne Hardy, Liquid Landscape, 2018. © Anne Hardy. Courtesy Maureen Paley, London.
Commissioned by Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam.
Collection of Tate: Presented by the artist 2020
