Designs on Heritage is a new Artist in Residence opportunity at D6 inviting play, experimentation and connection between creative practice, people and places.

In recent times, D6 has worked with visual artists and creative partners to explore ideas and narratives around cultural heritage. Across international locations from Hadrian’s Wall (Northumberland, UK) to the mountain village of Argros (Cyprus), artists have researched and produced new work in response to the complex personal and political dimensions of heritage.

See here for examples of D6’s programmes of work.

Residency design and outcomes
The theme Designs on Heritage is open to interpretation with the aim to support the selected artist to test out ideas by engaging with heritage settings and/ or sites of relevance across the North East of England.

D6 has an ongoing partnership with the National Trust to support access to sites and places they conserve and think carefully about the deeper concerns of ownership, authorship, participation and engagement.  This residency provides the opportunity to research the various heritage sites of the North East under the guardianship of the National Trust and other areas that may hold relevance and connections. It may respond to intersectional social and environmental issues and connections that are undervalued or unknown.

To support this process the artist will be invited to a research and development day at D6 before the start of their residency; a studio residency for one month; resources and support to host facilitation activities connected to the residency research (these activities can take place in sites across the region and also outside of the one month studio residency); and access to technicians to develop a digital story of the residency to share with online audiences.

This residency is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Trust, Newcastle Culture Investment Fund and Arts Council England. We hope this rich experience and dialogue may lead to future opportunities to build upon the ideas produced in the residency.