CoLAB Artist in Residence at Kettle’s Yard

In the summer of 2022, I was appointed as CoLAB Artist-in-Residence at Kettle’s Yard, leading a project that connected North Cambridge’s local community with researchers from the University of Cambridge. Transforming the Clore Learning Studio into a creative research laboratory, I collaborated with local communities to explore the work of Dr. Louise Hickman at the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy. Dr. Hickman’s research uses ethnographic, archival, and theoretical approaches to examine how access is produced for disabled people

During the residency, we gathered perspectives from people with lived experiences of disability or sensory impairment, their carers, and professionals working in care. In collaboration with a group of Community Collaborators, we explored how these perspectives could inform the Kettle’s Yard collection and the wider community experience. The project brought together contemporary arts practice, research, and local engagement to enhance the accessibility of Kettle’s Yard.

The residency culminated in the creation of a CoLAB Living Archive of Work – Community Toolkit, co-developed with the Community Collaborators. This toolkit includes resources and tools that will support Kettle’s Yard in becoming a more accessible space for audiences with diverse needs.