Some of my favourite engagement projects, past and present – highlights to take a peek at while I work on rebuilding my site.
Lead Artist for Borough of Joy – Commissioned by Down to Earth Wigan / a borough-wide creative project led by community conversations exploring what joy looks like, feels like and can be! Through 500 conversations a creative programme was developed to support ways into connecting to joy in community through creativty. We’ve made hundreds of ‘joy drops’ – hand held, handmade creations that bring joy to the maker and the recipient. 5 special builds were designed & created as places to share the joy drops – cabinets, desks, benches and cupboards. Ideas and connections have been germinating like popcorn! This is a live project that continues to grow.
Associate Artist with Squash Liverpool / a long-term embodied seasonal approach that creating celebratory and contemplative spaces in our community to be present for the wheel of the year as it turns. Together we explore creativity in our community in collaborating with people, place and plants. We work in harmony with the seasons, the plants we care for in our growing spaces and the energy and dreams of our community members. This includes the Autumn Alchemy Exhibition (2023).
Engagement space creation & design / developing and initiating the Make Space model for National Museums Liverpool at the Walker Art Gallery & International Slavery Museum in collaboration with Curatorial and Exhibitions colleagues. This includes the most expansive version of this concept, FORUM, which was an embedded space in the Coming Out: Gender, Sexuality & Identity exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery. This created an accessible, inclusive and welcoming space for exploring creativity and connecting to artwork and ideas within gallery settings as an integral part of the visitor experience. It also created a space for community and audience voices and experiences to be shared, seen and heard. I also developed engagement spaces and resources for Arts Council Collection’s touring exhibitions, Breaking the Mould and Lubaina Himid: Found Cities, Lost Objects.
Creative Producer – Blackpool community supper clubs developed for LeftCoast / includes developing, initiating, producing and delivering a creative supper club & go see model in collaboration with community members across 6 neighbourhoods in Blackpool for 4 iterations (over 3 years, 2022 – 2025). In 2025 I co-created a community ambassador model and fellowship for community members to collaborate with us in developing and delivering these events as a creative production and delivery team.
Angelica Vanasse / artist, creative engagement consultant, creative producer 