Residencies 2023

Tom Peel with Fox Hollies School: Sound exploration for non-verbal students with severe learning disabilities

Tom Peel is a performer, producer and educator qualified with a BSc in Music Technology, with over a decade of experience working in SEN and with Autistic adults. His workshops have been commissioned by various Arts Groups such as Midland Arts Centre, Sense, BE Festival and many more.

Website: tompeel.co.uk

See the work Tom did with Fox Hollies in the video below.

Nessa Grimes and Katie Hess with Fox Hollies School: Exploring ceramics with artists from Sundragon Pottery

Sundragon Pottery is a “not for profit” Community Association, run as a members club. It began life in late 2013, when Becky Belcher, Fiona Scanlan, and other refugees from the seven potteries that closed down in Birmingham, set up the studio to have somewhere to “play with clay”.

Website: sundragonpottery.co.uk

See the work Nessa and Katie did with Fox Hollies in the video below

Claire Cotterill with Baskerville School: Mosaic design and installation for secondary students with autism

Claire is an artist based in Birmingham with a great love for all things creative.

After studying Fine Art, Claire went on to use her skills to support communities and people of all ages. This included working with play schemes and youth groups, bringing as many creative experiences as she could – despite incredibly low budgets!

“What I love about mosaic is its accessibility for all, and the collaboration and teamwork it brings. As a process I enjoy watching people’s confidence grow, the relationships built along the way …”

Website: clairecotterill.com

See the work Claire did with Baskerville in the video below.

Anna Palmer with Dame Ellen Pinsent School: Soundscape experiences for primary students with learning disabilities

Experimental songwriter, alt-rocker, pyscho-performer & sound artist Anna Palmer is a Woman of many guises, best known for her bewitching tones as vocalist & multi-instrumentalist in Birmingham’s beloved weirdo-pop band Dorcha. Not one to be pigeon-holed, over the last 13yrs in the Brum music scene Palmer has shape-shifted between many musical offerings, playing in a number of local bands, creating music under different alias’, as well as collaborative commission works as a professional composer and producer.

Website: annapalmermusic.wixsite.com/mysite

See the work Anna did with Dame Ellen in the video below.

Ildiko Nagy with Hamilton School: Felt making with primary-age autistic children

Ildiko Nagy is a Hungarian born, UK based interdisciplinary artist working with a focus on nature, creative self-expression and sustainability. Her practice has ranged broadly over the years, through illustration, painting and sculpture to functional interior, graphic and furniture design, certain mediums and methods became more frequent and important such as willow weaving, welding and up-cycling. 

 She has been working throughout the Midlands, designing and leading an array of art and craft projects with community groups and schools. With her Hungarian heritage, she feels passionate about preserving ancient crafts, such as willow weaving, felt-making and needle-crafts, always exploring new territories of visual arts.

Website: ildikonagyart.com

See the work Ildiko did with Hamilton in the video below.

Bhulla Beghal with Longwill School: Film making to explore student deaf identity

Bhulla is an independent film maker and writer and Director for Bluebell Films. He makes short films and documentaries that often focus on mental health and well being, the deaf community and the experiences of British Asians. His work has a sense of fragility to it, and is grounded in empathy.

Website: bhullabeghal.com

See the work Bhulla did with Longwill in the video below.

Sophie Handy with The Pines School: Sensory sculptures with natural materials for autistic secondary-age students

Sophie specialises in sculpture and installation art. Her passions have always been in making art accessible to everyone and she soon found herself with an early career in youth work, Sophie began to recognise the benefits of creative interaction to help empower and excite people.

Website: sophiehandy.com

See the work Sophie did with The Pines in the video below.

Layla Tutt with Wilson Stuart School: Sensory UV textiles for students with physical and medical disabilities 

Layla is a musicians and batik artist based in Birmingham.

Instagram: Laylatutt_art

See the work Layla did with Wilson Stuart in the video below.