Centre for Rural Economy

Artist in Residence

This is a hybrid engagement and research project focusing on ‘socially engaged’ artistic practice organised collaboratively by CRE, Newcastle University’s Institute for Creative Arts Practice and Berwick Visual Arts. The programme is led by Menelaos Gkartzios and James Lowther, with input by CRE researchers based on an open brief that is advertised annually. The residency programme is funded by Arts Council England and the University’s Institute for Creative Arts Practice.

The residency programme aims to provide new perspectives on rural social research, as well as an experimental space for engagement between the local community, artists and academics. Artists are therefore invited to live and work in Berwick-upon-Tweed and respond to what Berwick and the wider region of Northumberland offer in terms of history, geography and social contexts. Artists that have participated in the residency programme include:

The residency programme has resulted in research explorations with artists (see an example here), and follow-up research projects at CRE focusing on artistic practice in rural development (see here).

For any further information, please contact Menelaos Gkartzios and James Lowther.