About & Contact

CAROL PARKER 

I’m a socially engaged artist, craftivist, enabler and producer currently living in Lincolnshire.   I have a passion for spontaneous work outside of the gallery space and working with communities, schools and hard to reach groups to challenge their perceptions of what they are capable of and to give them another way to communicate, a visual voice.

I have over 25 years’ experience of working with all ages and abilities. My broad art form skills include: hand rolled felt, paper pulp & papier mache, knit & crochet, sculpture, carnival arts and textiles.

Previous experience:

• in 1995-2001 set up an arts partnership ‘Mish Mash’ exhibiting and selling nationwide, working to private and public commission and delivering workshops. ‘Mish Mash’ were commissioned to write a book for Crowood Press which was published in 2000 (ISBN 1861263120).
• written articles for magazines and journals including Mailout and given presentations to groups and organisations including Arts Development UK and Leeds Metropolitan University Participation and Engagement in the Arts.
• completed many Creative Partnership residencies both locally, regionally and nationally, delivered ‘out of school hours’ art projects for the School Improvement Service and run primary/secondary and playworker INSET.
• lead artist and project manager for a very successful Cultural Olympiad Igniting Ambitions Project for the Lincolnshire Showcase 2011 called ‘knit2getherlincs’ connecting rurally isolated communities through craft.
• set up an artist led, online group for Lincolnshire artists called the ‘Lincs Artist Forum’ which took the artist lead for a successful £2.6m Arts Council Creative People and Places bid.  I was commissioned to coordinate and programme their 2 site empty shops programme.
• 2013 set up artist collaboration ‘Art on the High Street’.  Completed a 3 month self funded residency in an empty shop, bringing artist studio practice onto the high street; encouraging information sharing and networking amongst the local community, artists and organisations. Produced ‘Rats on the Move’ raising awareness of issues faced by many local (hidden and undervalued) artists
• producer, adviser and an artist contributor to ‘Plank 2013’ Market Rasen Arts Festival.  I coordinated a yarnbomb; increasing arts engagement, participation and regenerating the town centre.
• 2015 collaborated on an Arts Council funded project ‘Synergy Lincs’ (£15k), working with the elderly, people with long term ill health and with early stage dementia and their carers
• delivered a series of creative sessions for well-being weekends at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum
• delivered a series of art sessions for people with early stage dementia and their carers ‘Making for Memory’
• delivered weekly creative sessions for those living with dementia and their carers in 4 regions of South Lincolnshire 2016/17 funded by the Dementia Support Fund and Boston Big Local
• Ongoing monthly creative sessions with ‘Memory Lane’ in Boston
• Invited to create public art work for Boston working with Fiona Gurney, mosaic artist and ‘Memory Lane’ Boston art and dementia group  http://www.boston.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10702

Further learning:

NVQ3 Arts Development and Teaching at Wysing Arts, Cambridge 2003/5

Understanding Dementia, Imagine – Arts and Older People, Nottingham 2015

Using iPads Creatively with Older People in Care, We engAGE, Nottingham 2015

Dementia Care by  Dementia Inspired, Lincolnshire 2016

Dementia Care: Staying Connected and Living Well – online course by Newcastle University

Current Work:

‘Lost & Found’ collaborative artist residency in 4 care homes in South Lincolnshire, studio work, training and touring exhibition, supported with funding from the National Lottery and Arts Council England

‘Arts on Prescription’ delivering accessible and inclusive creative sessions to Dementia cafes, GP referral groups and care homes in Louth and Lincoln in partnership with Cultural Solutions and NHS Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust

Following the success of my ‘Visible Mending Exhibition’; I initiated an artist sharing project ‘From Lincolnshire and Back’ to challenge artists’ working practice and encourage artist collaboration.  Both are still touring the UK in arts venues, community venues, private homes and outside spaces. More information on both can be found here:  https://artrovings.wordpress.com/artist-networking/

email: carolparker1@live.co.uk  website: http://www.artrovings.wordpress.com