Titled Turning Together, this two-day artist development programme lends itself to alternative ways of communicating and working together, while exploring digital tools and culture. The name of the programme borrows from speculative fiction author Ursula K.Le Guin’s understanding of the ‘mother-tongue’ as a way of communicating rooted in listening, experience, exchange and ‘relating’ to one another.

Day 1 takes place at Bidston Observatory, a self-organising, communal study site for research and experimentation, which is primarily directed towards cultural and artistic practice.

In the morning, you’ll enjoy a tour of the site, as well as take part in a workshop led by artist Exodus. The one-hour workshop will explore acts of radical listening, tenderness and affirmation through clay work and instinctive writing.

An all-vegan lunch will be provided by the Liverpool-based caterer Mr Berlin.

We're then joined by multidisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome, who talks about their practice of using collage as a way to construct a new visual, performance, sonic, machine learning, and literary language that highlights the immaterial and material expressivity related to Black American life.

In the afternoon, somatic practitioner Maxine Brown will lead participants through a workshop centring movement, breath and slowness.

Liverpool’s resident non-binary, nudey-rudey poet Day Mattar will also be joining us to discuss the poetry of M Norbese Phillips and Mary Jean Chan, asking how can we harness the fluidity of language and where can we push it to represent and demonstrate our truest narratives.

The day concludes with a mediated dinner provided by queer club caterers, Mr Berlin, followed by an evening sound session in the basement of the Observatory, where North-West based label House of Saturn welcomes you to a series of performances by sound artists Lizala Vi, JC Leisure and more.

→ Find out more about Day 2 here

Artist Biographies

EXODUS is a British-Jamaican artist and educator whose practice centres the relationship with self. Observing the results of fractious domesticity, despair and passion, their art tends to appear as questions of self-actualisation and the role that religion & spirituality play in that journey to enlightenment. Exodus uses formal and informal classrooms as well as queer, radical and transformative methods to open up new ways of teaching and learning.

MAXINE BROWN is an artist, community dance artist, movement educator and somatic practitioner. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire having studied dance and somatic movement education.

DAY MATTAR cheeky queer poet & performer, and the co-director of Queer Bodies poetry collective. They are curious to push language into spaces that help them engage with the world and themselves in fresh ways. Day’s debut pamphlet Springing from the Pews was published with Broken Sleep Books in 2021, and they are working on a solo show exploring poetry’s ability to transform and heal.

RASHAAD NEWSOME is a multidisciplinary artist who blends various practices, including collage, sculpture, film, and performance. They create counter-hegemonic work using improvisation and influences from advertising, the internet, Black and Queer culture, among others.

HOUSE OF SATURN is a slow label and online broadcast space. Publishing short run press editions of artists work and hosting considered performances in considered spaces. It's broadcast space houseofsaturn.net is an ad hoc environment for artist residencies and home to an archive of pirate radio transmissions.

Good to Know

We recommend taking a look at our Good to Know section before making your booking. Still unsure on something? Send us a message via residency@fact.co.uk and a member of the team will get back to you.

Tickets

A day ticket costs £20, including access to workshops, food and refreshments. Find more information on the different ticketing options below. Please book your Day 1 and Day 2 tickets separately.

Day 1 (Sat 15 July)

£20 Ticket → Book here

• Full day of workshops at Bidston Observatory
• Lunch & dinner provided

£40 Ticket → Book here

• All of the above plus an overnight stay in dormitory-style accommodation at Bidston Observatory

Day 1 & Day 2 + Overnight Stay

£50 Ticket → Book here

• Access to both all-day workshops at Bidston (15 Jul) and FACT (29 Jul)
• Meals and refreshments as listed above
• Overnight stay in dormitory-style accommodation at Bidston Observatory
• Priority booking for an online workshop with artist, Melanie Crean
  

Accommodation

Please be aware the overnight stay at Bidston is in dormitory style, non-gendered rooms, and you can find more information here. However, we take different awarenesses into account; if you have particular preferences let’s work out arrangements together. If you are booking an overnight stay, please email residency@fact.co.uk.

Capacity

Each workshop session is limited to 30 places.

Age Limit

Please note that our Turning Together workshops are only suitable for those over 18 years of age.