Wild Vision Collective

Wild Vision Collective

Wild Vision Collective is a collaborative group of 4 artists, Claire Harrison, Beth Johnson, Mandy Dixon and Nethanja DeLeeuw Kent. It was born at the start of the Global pandemic in April 2020 and together, we have curated 2 exhibitions, in empty shops in Stockton on Tees and have been awarded funding from The National Lottery for a third project.

Unlocked in Lockdown

Our first project was to take over an empty shop and convert it into a temporary Gallery for 3 months from October 2020 to January 2021, in which we curated an exhibition of Art that people had created in lockdown, called ‘Unlocked in Lockdown’. The exhibition featured a wide range of work, from hobbyists to Art students and professional artists. We wanted to create a sense of community, during a time when isolation was the predominant narrative and artists’ studios and Galleries were forced to close and artists had to adapt to working from ho

LIGHT:space

We wanted to create a COVID-safe Art Trail that people could view as they walked around Stockton for their essential shopping, or their daily exercise. In a time of so much fear, isolation and threat for the Country, we wanted to promote a message of hope, to bring people cheer and positivity during the darkest months of the year, in a National lockdown. We pitched the idea at ARC’s Pizza and Pitches event and won £1000 funding to realise our vision. The exhibition was an open call via Curatorspace for artworks using light, video and movement. The 13 successful artists installed work in 7 shop windows of Wellington Square and the windows of ARC, in Stockton town centre. A £200 prize was awarded to one artist, as voted for by the people of Stockton.

You can view the virtual exhibition here:

https://app.cloudpano.com/tours/JSOR7loHeD

In These Shoes

We have recently received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund for our newest project ‘In These Shoes’. This is a collaborative project with ARC Stockton, RocGroup Supported Housing and Nightlight Theatre CIC. We will be delivering a series of art workshops with women from Roc Solid housing, who have a range of vulnerabilities, including care leavers, poor mental health, prison leavers and those recovering from drug addiction. The workshops are based around the theme of shoes, as a vehicle to help the women tell their stories, giving them a voice, building their confidence and sense of self-worth. The project will culminate in an exhibition where we will create a ‘Shoe Shop’ in an empty shop in Stockton on Tees.