Salford Residency — mapping the city
Julia & Carolien along the River Irwell
What happens when you take 3 artists from Salford (United Kingdom), Rijeka (Croatia) and Leeuwarden (the Netherlands) and put them together to explore, create and devise?
Ben Turner, ambassador to the Creative Embassy of Salford, tells you all about it.
For the first Creative Embassies residency in September 2022 we found out — it included mapping the city with stories and experiences, a made-up narrative and a printed board game map.
Niels and Thillie (Netherlands) and Marin and Tanya (Croatia) also joined as creative ambassadors and for our welcoming meal we were joined by colleagues from Walk the Plank, artists who'll be involved in the subsequent residencies and individuals from Salford who are interested in the programme and becoming an ambassador (of course we had Ferrero Rocher).
The next day we explored the city and then, like a prophecy by the Smiths, the Queen is dead. Which meant that the We Invented the Weekend festival we were going to be part of was postponed.
So our amended plans for the weekend allowed for more time at Repercussion, Cobden Works (Walk the Planks base in East Salford), Salford Quays as well as conversations and discussions.
At a time when the world can seem very disparate and fractured (particularly in Europe), projects that are about crossing borders (creative / imagined ones as well as actual ones) and keeping connected have a particular resonance and importance. No man is an island! It was great to see and re-view the place where I am in a different light and through the eyes of visitors and guests. Together we are unified, with commonalities in our differences. Julia (Salford), Mara (Rejika) and Carolien (Leeuwarden) had the following reflections on their experience
JULIA:
“Through sharing my cityscape with others, I saw it anew, I remember to not take my surroundings for granted, there's always magic in the mundane!”
MARA:
"The Creative Embassies residency throws you straight into the heart of the coolest culture scene - and you become part of it!"
CAROLIEN:
“Meeting all these different artists and getting to know their practice, came at the perfect time for me and has inspired and motivated me to work hard and think about my vision for my own practice.”
I might live in Salford, but European adventures (and adventures with Europeans) very much feel like home. A map that was created as part of the residency will follow, but there's a clear direction here about being open and the free movement of great ideas
