We Will is a British Art Show 9 engagement programme created and produced by Sophie Mellor and Phil Rushworth, Flock South West. We Will (2022-23) is an exchange of ideas between the artists in the British Art Show and the people of Plymouth. Working with a range of Plymouth communities, We Will blurs the boundary between viewer and maker, with participants working with a variety of techniques, supported by regional artists, to produce their own work in response to BAS9. 

MAKING THE EVERYDAY: WILLIAM LUZ AND FAMILIES FROM BARNARDOS MULTICULTURAL STAY AND PLAY GROUP

For Making the Everyday William Luz invited families from Barnardos Multicultural stay and play group to make a paper patchwork square celebrating an important item from their everyday life. 

William assembled the squares into a giant patchwork quilt for alongside squares made during William’s October Half Term Artist Takeover sessions. The resulting work, ‘Making Everyday Together’, was shown at The Box in November and December 2022.

WALKING THE EVERYDAY: LORNA ROSE AND DEVON AND CORNWALL REFUGEE SERVICE USERS

Artist Lorna Rose and service users from Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support have used street rubbings, gelli plate printing and collage to explore street shapes and textures on a series of walks around Plymouth. Nature and the patterns of the city feature in a range of prints made by the group. Walking and talking, and hanging out together over coffee and cake, whilst learning printing techniques from Lorna, provided a safe space for us for conversation and creativity, and the opportunity to hear about each other’s lives. 

The prints from ‘Walking the Everyday’ were on display at The Box in February – April 2023.

ANIMATING THE EVERYDAY: FAYE, SIMON PAULSON AND FAMILIES FROM DEVON UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION

Filmmaker Faye and artist Simon Poulter worked with families from the Devon Ukrainian Association, making a series of animations inspired by everyday objects.

The sessions created a ‘time out’ moment, where parents and their children, many of whom have just arrived in the UK from Ukraine, could become absorbed in creative making and enjoy the company of other families. The animations were on display at The Box February – April 2023.

RECORDING THE EVERYDAY: JODIE SAUNDERS AND OUTYOUTH, PLYMOUTH

Sound artist and musician Jodie Saunders spent several weeks with OutYouth, thinking about the main exhibition theme of ‘imagining new futures’ and experimenting with sound and sound recording. 

The resulting sound collage, Spoiler Alert: Imagining New Futures was available online or by borrowing a headset from the Arts University Plymouth reception during British Art Show 9 as part of MIRROR’s Give & Takeover programme.

RECORDING THE UNUSUAL DAY: BRITISH ART SHOW 9 ROVING REPORTS

Recording the Unusual Day invited some of the BAS9 Plymouth Ambassadors and art students to become roving reporters, creating short videos and social media reports about aspects of the exhibition and surrounding events from their own perspective.

Charice Bhardwaj was invited to lead them in a workshop exploring storytelling for social media within the context of the themes of the British Art Show.