Arts Lab Experimental visual arts for social change

Taking stock – Arts Lab director heads to Africa

Arts Lab will effectively be ‘on ice’ from now until next summer. Founding director Sara Downham-Lotto is off to Senegal for 6 months’ research, including artist residencies in Saint-Louis and Dakar. This will be a rare opportunity to take stock, learn from the Lab’s successes achieved over the last 5 busy years and evaluate next steps.

Needless to say, we are not ‘abandoning ship’. Whilst our What’s On programme and online Shop will be closed, Sara will keep everyone in the loop with regular journal and social media posts – continuing Arts Lab’s journey exploring and celebrating art and artists that make make a difference to people’s lives – from Africa.

We have also made sure that our hard work these past few months helping to build a network of artist changemakers in Devon continues to have impact. Working closely with MakeTank in Exeter, our role has been as essential generator, contributor and consultant, bringing a vibrant community of socially-engaged artists to the region. Many of these artists you may recognise as playing active roles within the Arts Lab team; some from existing contacts at Arts University Plymouth; and some from an open call in Exeter.

Myself and the Arts Lab team wish MakeTank, MT director Olya Petrakova and MT artists* every success in work, play and creative practice. We look forward to watching (from afar) Exeter evolve into a dynamic city of culture and connected communities whilst we step out to new shores.

*Annabelle Tom Hogben, Val Jones, Caroline Mawdsley, Nigel Moores, Annie Murdoch, Ralph Nell, Matthew O’Halloran, Abigail Schaefer, Stella Tripp.