Elizabeth Wewiora
I am a visual artist, curator-producer and educator, specialising over the past 15 years on socially engaged approaches to practice. I create art projects in this way, as I am interested in work which explores ethics of care and how collective creative experiences can promote positive social change. Regardless of which creative hat I am wearing, I employ participatory and collaborative methods of making with local communities, to ensure multiple voices are represented within the work.
I work mostly in photography but am interested in the expanded notions of what the medium can be, often playing with alternative processes, such as lumen printing, cyanotypes or photo-collage. Often photography is the starting point as I find the medium particularly accessible for others to engage in. Depending on how the collaborative process of making develops, however, works may develop into textiles, installations, text works, moving image or publications.
Often my work takes place outside of the gallery context, working on short and long term residency across a range of settings from health and social care to youth, justice, social housing, learning and environmental settings. Commissions have included projects with organisations such as Allotment Society UK, NHS England, Centre Point, CCA Glasgow, AA2A residency, Open Eye Gallery, Museum of Liverpool, Age UK and Manchester Histories.
I am currently developing more sustainable and regenerative approaches to my photographic arts practice, motivated not only by the climate emergency we find ourselves within, but also since becoming a mother and being hyper aware of what we are leaving behind for the next generation. To support this transition, I have undertaken both the Redeye Photography Network’s Climate Aware Course and Permaculture and Participatory Design Accredited Course but am actively looking to develop this area of my work further.
I am also studying a part time PHD at the University of Salford, exploring the potential of socially engaged approaches to engagement between cultural sectors and higher education where I hope to bring all aspects of my practice together.
EDUCATION
Glasgow School of Art - BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art Photography and Film (June 2008)
Manchester School of Art - Masters by Research (practice based) - Tracing the social contract - the role of photography in socially engaged practice (October 2018)
Currently studying a practice based PHD at the University of Salford, “Crossing sectors - expanding the role of socially engaged practice across the higher education and cultural sectors” (2023 - Current)
CURRENT ROLES
Alongside my artist practice, I am the Head of Social Practice at Open Eye Gallery (Liverpool) and Programme Leader for the MA Art and Design programme at University of Salford, taking the subject specialist lead for Socially Engaged Photography and Art. I also work as freelance curator-producer and researcher as one half of Wewiora and Booth Projects which you can find out more about HERE
COMMISSIONS: EXHIBITIONS & RESIDENCIES
November 2024 - Amoeba Photography Exhibition at PINK studios, Stockport
A group exhibition curated with Stockroom Socials and Hatter Editions
May 2024 - October 2024
The Human Library Project - Artist in Residence with Step Up MCR, collaborating on a project with residents across North Manchester including Many Hands Craft Collective, Ancoats Youth Market and young people from 42nd Street’s Horsfall.
June 2023 - November 2023
An oasis in a concrete jungle - Photographer in Residence and exhibition with Age UK Salford - part of a Developing age-friendly communities in an emergent post pandemic world research programme, funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust and a collaboration between University of Salford, Age UK Salford and Inspiring Communities Together
November 2021 - February 2022
Collaborative Photography commission with young people at Centre Point, Manchester, working with a group of young people from Centre Point, a charity for young people experiencing homelessness, producing work for a permanent display in the Centre Point building, Manchester.
October 2020 - May 2021
Photographer in Residence for The Peoples River Project and exhibitions at 93 Wellness Centre (Harpurhey), Queens Park and Angel Meadows Park, with Manchester Histories and communities across North Manchester
May 2019
Dressing the Space exhibition - part of AA2A artist residency with University of Chester at Chester Contemporary Art Space
Collaboration with textile student Xiaoxue Chen and the FACT’s Digital Ambassadors group, responding to the redevelopment of Chester’s canal side pocket park site
December 2018 - April 2019
209 Women at Portcullis House (Westminster) and Open Eye Gallery (Liverpool)
To mark 100 years since some women achieved the right to vote, Hilary Wood and partners invited female practitioners across the UK to take over parliament with 209 new photographic portraits of all female MPs, shot exclusively by female photographers, and make it free and open to the public. It was a pleasure to work with Leigh Labour MP Jo Platt on this project. The exhibition launched at Portcullis House, Westminster, in December 2018 before touring to Open Eye Gallery from 28 February - 14 April 2019.
October 2018 - May 2019
AA2A artist in residence with University of Chester (re-animating Chester Canal’s pocket park) - The AA2A project provides placements for visual artists and designer makers in Higher and Further Education institutions across England.
November 2018, Tate Exchange Liverpool, ‘Our Mersey - a digital ambassadors day out’, film screening of re-sampled archival work from North West Archive and audio bites with the Digital Ambassadors group, part of the ‘Art of Social Mobility’ programme with Open Eye Gallery and FACT
August 2018
Border Bound residency and open studio
Selected as the 2018 English artist for the Studio Boat project, supported by Arts Council Wales
April 2018
Bathroom Darkroom
Publication and group exhibition at Grosvenor Gallery, Manchester School of Art, Curated by Rachel Burns
January – March 2018
Ferry Folk
Cross site exhibition at Museum of Liverpool & Open Eye Gallery commissioned by Merseytravel and supported by Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England. The work reflected a 9 month residency working in collaboration with the people who make up the Mersey ferries community.
January 2018
Present and Continuous
Collaborative project exhibition with local Over60s group, Many Hands Craft Collective, at Manchester Craft and Design Centre (Manchester), This exhibition is part of a current research project with Manchester School of Art – exploring the role of photography in socially engaged practice.
August – November 2017
Mersey Ferries Residency
Artist in residence with the Mersey ferries and surrounding Pier Head community, Liverpool. Commissioned and in partnership with Mersey travel and Museum of Liverpool.
September 2017
Politics of Paradise
Group exhibition for the inaugural show at Paradise Works Artist studio and gallery space, Salford
July 2017
Nothing Abandoned
Group exhibition at Irwell House (now Paradise Works), as part of Manifest programme 2017
August 2016 – 2019
Digital Ambassadors
Photographer in residence for social history and digital Over60s programme, in collaboration with FACT (Foundation For Art and Creative Technology) and supported by HOP (Happy Older People’s Network), Open Culture Liverpool.
October 2016
Record, Archive, Rewind & With Love from Co-op, Rogue Open Studios, Rogue Artist Studios and project space, Manchester
October 2015
Familiar series, Rogue Open Studios, Rogue Artist Studios and project space, Manchester
June - July 2014, Artist in residence as part of Common Ground Collective garden residency programme with Victoria Square Housing Association (with Claire Tindale and showcased at Northern Art Carbooty 2014)
October 2012, Common Ground Collective, Collaborative residency, Rogue Project Space,
Manchester. This project is supported by Arts Council England, Grants for the Arts.
August - October 2012, Artefacts of Failure, Group exhibition, QUAD gallery, Derby
June 2012, Cultivation Field Group exhibition Curated by Kate Corder, University of Reading, Reading
March - May 2012, Knitterfeed with artist Jenny Steele, programmer Tom Kinniburgh and Cross Acres Community Centre - collaborative residency and live art event, Handmade, Future Everything Festival
Summer 2011 – September 2013 residency and long term UK social documentary project ‘Environmental Hubs/ Allotment Politics’, Exhibition, publication and artist residency on allotment site. This project is supported by Arts Council England, Grants for the Arts.
June – July 2011
User Generated Content, Collaborative project and exhibition with Jenny Steele, MadLab, Manchester, curated by Rose Barraclough and Taneesha Ahmed (Blank media collective).
March 2011, Artist in residence for sound artist and composer Daniele Ledda, responding to “Six memos for the Next Millenium” by Italo Calvanio, various locations in Manchester.
June - July 2009, This Land Is Your Land, Group exhibition, CCA (Centre for Contemporary Art), Glasgow.
Part of artist residency with Drummore Primary School, Drumpchapel
January – June 2009, Artist in residence at Drummore Primary School, working on sensory garden project with SEN group and Hazelwood SEN School developing photography projects for young people with visual impairments.
TRAINING
- Carbon Literacy training - Climate Aware Photography with Redeye Photography Network and Carbon Literacy Trust (2022)
- Equality, Inclusion and Diversity training with Toki Allison (Open Eye Gallery, 2020)
- Self-Care Artist Training programme with Nicola Naismith (Open Eye Gallery, 2020)
- Safeguarding in the Arts training (Tipp at CFCCA 2013, and Open Eye Gallery 2018, 2019)
- PhotoVoice Training (2018)
- SEND Training for Cultural Practitioners and Educators (Curious Minds, 2020, 2022)
VOLUNTARY AND GOVERNANCE
Small Things Creative Projects - Board Member (2023 - Current)
Redeye, The Photography Network - Board Member (2016 – 2024)
Arts Emergency Mentor (2021 – Current) – Mentor for Manchester based young person as part of the Arts Emergency scheme – award-winning mentoring charity supporting young people to flourish in higher education and the cultural industries.
Helping Artists Keep Going
Axis is an artist-led charity supporting contemporary visual artists with resources, connection, and visibility.