POINTS OF LIGHT AWARD

ARTISTS STATEMENT

“As I grow as an artist, I’ve become increasingly aware, concerned and motivated surrounding issues of ethics, human rights, sustainability and political impact through my creative practice. The changing roles and responsibilities of the artist are therefore more relevant today than ever before.”

I am interested in using my conceptual skills and my ability to tune into changes in social trends in order to help change perceptions and create positive social change.  I would like to make art accessible to as many people as possible, including more hard to reach or vulnerable individuals. Through my Master of Arts in Inclusive Arts Practice at the University of Brighton I specialised in creating art interventions in the street for my final arts research project. After investing thousands of hours into this genre, I am beginning to understand how the almost simple act of creating a mural, or using spray paint to engage with people who find it difficult to “join in”, is a powerful communication tool. I have been practising inclusive arts for many years instinctively, but ever since I graduated from the University of Brighton in 2015 my practice has flourished through mixed-medium and street-art methodology.

HOW CAN STREET ART CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE?

1. By continuing it’s message (even after it has been painted over) via social media and on-line sharing & blogs.

2. By reaching individuals who may not have otherwise engaged with the message.

3. By transforming spaces into the type of space that more people would like to see.

4. By engaging marginalised individuals into art-making via workshops which impart a sense of confidence, team work and enable skill sharing and a sense of civic pride.

5. By enabling marginalised groups including women and girls of all backgrounds to make their mark, be heard, and in-turn transform our environment and our perceptions (alongside our male counterparts who are given a disproportionate amount of space in the gallery and museum environment.)

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

THE UK’s FIRST STREET ART CHARITY

WE CAN DO IT

U CAN Spray Charity was set up to use street art to benefit marginalised and disadvantaged people. WE CAN DO IT! Has been our motto since we founded in 2016. U CAN Spray creates fully inclusive arts experiences to positively impact individuals and communities. We especially love to use practical creative tools to re-engage and benefit young people, who have dropped out of education or employment. We want to harness the power of street art to create lasting social change.

Our vision

U CAN Spray is already beginning to be embedded in some of the most deprived areas on the UK’s poverty index map; the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton areas. We have an offer that young people want, and that offer is Street Art. When we talk about spray paint methodology, we talk about community murals, making the high street look better, Arts Award accreditation, up-cycling furniture, and learning all the aspects of professional arts industries. Its not just tIt’s an aspirational but attainable offering for young people who can benefit from an array of arts-based activities, developed to be appealing to a broad section of our target audience.

The big idea is that our methods allow joined up thinking to happen between young people who may be struggling and the towns and organisations who can support them. We work in partnership with councils, community groups, and businesses to improve our towns for everyone.

INCLUSIVE ARTS PRACTITIONER

When a mural is painted in the public space, or a secure space in an institution; it becomes more meaningful when inclusive arts practice comes into play. The artist is no longer dictating or imposing their vision. The artist begins to think about their practice in a different way. Facilitation, working with and not for, and collaboration are all distinctly different things. Powerful creative solutions can be achieved through co creation and consulting with the local and sometimes marginalised community, in order to create a sense of civic pride and joy. #diversity

FEMINISM & STREET ART

It is clear to me that including men into the process of redefining gender equality is an essential part of the mission. Its often been men who have invited women to go out into the street to paint walls under their protection. Things are beginning to change and there is an increase in women who have been forming their own all female groups in order to paint with their friends and, children. The outcome of women artists taking to the streets with their children will play out in 20 years according to Professor Jessica Pabon, who is a specialist in women’s graffiti sub culture. In her TED x talk about this subject, she points out, “…right now we have a generation of women who are teaching their children to paint graffiti, so in effect we have a bunch of kids learning about graffiti sub culture by their mums and her girlfriends. “That’s a fundamental cultural shift, and one that will play itself out in 20 years’ “ She goes on to say…”their actions have broader cultural implications, their public subversive artistic acts provide a model for contemporary feminist movement. I truly believe that they are part of the movement and I want to thank them for that. So thank you all of you fearless women …and on behalf of all the women and girls who have been told that they shouldn’t or couldn’t do something simply because they were women.”*

Professor Jessica Pabon

CURATOR

Through my inclusive art exhibitions which started humbly as an artists’ open house in Brighton, I quickly developed my curating skills into using public spaces Brighton for art exhibitions. I was so interested in the demystifying of art exhibitions and also making it completely accessible too! I devised 13 women, which ran from 2012-2013 and had 42,000 visitors - it was a huge success and the queues for opening night went all around Jubilee Square. My background as a trend forecaster and tapping into the mood of the public, before its happened resulted in a huge positive response to the exhibition. Art by women and giving them a platform where the gallery and museum hardly does… made it very clear that there was a new wave of interest in feminism. I’m delighted that many artists benefitted from the exhibitions I curated, but also a notable few female artists and designers have been given a platform through my shows such as Home is where the ART is, and 13 Women to provide space to show their work in a public often for the first time. I have always been about empowering women creatives, and Tessa Metcalfe and Michelle Mildenhall are two examples; both artists made their debut when I wanted to include their innovative concepts and give space to these ideas, which were very unique. Tessa makes jewellery made from casting pigeon claws and Michelle makes latex art with erotic and playful themes. Some artists’ first steps with me were learning how to display their works, how to write a good biography and all the other elements needed where I gave support, time, exhibition space and mentoring.

From relaunching Le Coq Sportif, designing the corporate identity for a national house builder, to creating the biggest selling children’s footwear collection in Europe for Disney, through to directing the account management for one of the world’s most prestigious luxury villa destinations in the Oman, Sarah has got a very varied creative background.