Islington Mill - Matteo single page by Islington Mill

A strong independent arts organization, built on principles of inclusion, originality and empowerment

Graphic design and layout Matteo Giri

Texts Kelly Loughlin, Rachel Newsome (A thing of wonder) Islington Mill Arts Club (Introduction, Our work with artists, Collaborations, Residencies) Tenants from Islington Mill Studios (Studios)

A strong independent arts organisation, built on principles of inclusion, originality and empowerment

CONTENTS

Introduction

A thing of wonder

Our work with artists

Residencies

Collaborations

Studios

Introduction

WHAT IS ISLINGTON MILL ?

Islington Mill is a leading independent UK arts organisation based in Salford, in NW England. Structured around an organic network of independent artists, Islington Mill runs innovative inter-disciplinary public arts programmes and artists residencies alongside studio spaces and an artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; B&B. Drawing on the radical and subversive creative energy running through its arts activities, Islington Mill also has a reputation for putting on legendary experimental gatherings, events and parties. Based in the evocative buildings and courtyard of a former Victorian mill, Islington Mill is a unique and inspiring environment where the architecture of Industrial Britain is fused with the creative energy of industrious artists at work and play. Founded by Bill Campbell in 2000, who bought it after spending four years developing the project and raising

Introduction

the initial finance, Islington Mill is the product of a singular dream to form a network of artists around the shared goal of living and working as freely and creatively as possible. Like the Hacienda before it, Islington Mill is organised along similar principles inspired by the Situationist movement, an avant-garde European art movement formed in the fifties and sixties that became a prototype of punk. Picking up where the former left off, Islington Mill has a similar focus of creating an open-source environment outside of conventional structures and art traditions that can act as a catalyst for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the creative actâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in all its many forms and unlock the inner artists in almost anyone. Currently run by designer Bill Campbell, musician Mark Carlin and visual artist Maurice Carlin, Islington Mill is a non-hierarchical organisation that makes no distinction between

work and play, outcome and process chaos and control. Operating outside a commercial, profit-led agenda, it is a genuinely independent arts organisation that puts nurturing, supporting and inspiring creativity, especially new and emerging talent, at the heart of everything it does. Forged in the spirit of D-I-Y, it recognises risk-taking and experimentation in a non-judgemental, non-pressured environmental as integral to art practice and is able to offer artists an unusual level of creative freedom in an increasingly market-led cultural landscape. Although Islington Mill is predominantly focused around the physical space in Salford, it recently organised its first â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mass residencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with thirty artists in Ibiza and now plans to take the spirit of Islington Mill on tour elsewhere, building on existing links, starting next week with an artist and organisational residency with Flux Factory, NYC. Not content with stopping at these achievements, Islington Mill is continuously seeking to progress in its mission to inspire, educate and develop artists in their careers in an ever-changing social and cultural landscape. Islington Mill was very pleased to have received its first ever ACE programme funding in the history of its organisation earlier in 2013, which will be used towards testing new strategies for residencies and developing its marketing and organisational structure. As part of this forward-looking strategy, Islington Mill is excited about the opportunity to develop its existing residency scheme to host even more artists. It hopes to convert its 6th floor space into further B&B style bedrooms and its 5th floor into a dedicated artist residency space. However, further funding is still needed for Islington Mill

to realise its full potential and so it is constantly exploring funding sources and income streams that will allow it to maintain its unique vision for the arts into the future. To this end, Islington Mill has also secured Arts Council Catalyst funding, in consortium with the Chinese Arts Centre, this fund helps arts organisations access private funding by exploring how relationships can be formed with patrons and other independent income sources. Islington Mill is now looking to an exciting future that is global and ambitious. With the right funding in place, it hopes to be responsible for sending local artists out onto international residencies, while receiving incoming international artists in order to fully realise its potential as a dynamic international arts hub and creative interchange.

Islington Mill

Introduction

A thing of wonder

Islington Mill is a thing of wonder. Unpacking what we do and why it works is a challenging task. These points seek to meet that challenge by drawing-out the threads, overlaps and multiple outcomes which characterise our unique creative ecology.

SUSTAINABILITY

Islington Mill is self-financing - it does not receive any public revenue funding. This business model has proved its resilience during harsh economic conditions. Our survival can be attributed to the active cultivation of diverse income streams and a strong community ethos built on principles of Independence, Usefulness and Need. Over the past ten years of organic development, £1.19m has already been invested into developing a range of facilities and resources that have responded to the needs of the region’s creative community with entrepreneurial solutions. IM currently contains 50 artist studios, a multi-purpose performance space, a three-bedroom B&B and 4 live-work spaces. Each contributes crucial elements to our ecology and all of them function as discrete business units that generate their own financial means.

→ Our B&B rooms have been occupied on average 130 nights per year over the previous 3 years by artists and cultural visitors from around the world. → This translates as 1500 artists per year (50% local, 17% national and 33% international) and live audiences of 15,000 per year.

→ We have 50 studios, home to over 50 SME’s. → 100 artists work from the building on a day to day basis. → Over the previous 3 years our multi-use venue has supported 4498 artists and introduced their work to a live audience of 43,909 across 380 public events. → The result is a dynamic ecology, which provides a collection of independent artists with opportunities to develop their practice and forge careers in a healthy community.

A thing of wonder

INDEPENDENCE

Independence is the cornerstone of Islington Mill; it’s fundamental to who we are, what we do and the way we do it. Economic viability is the bed-rock of our independence and guarantees the level of freedom required to pursue our vision: a vibrant and accessible space open to possibilities, a multi-use space fuelled by passion and creativity. IM’s reputation rests on its ability to innovate, experiment and thrive as an independent creative community that challenges accepted notions of what art can be and who can be involved. → Our 24hr performance licence eliminates time-constraints, enabling ambitious events such as Mill 24 and all night ‘filmathons’. → Our ability to commit to creative freedom is a valuable asset, recognised by institutions and organisations who seek to partner with us e.g. Manchester Contemporary, Liverpool Biennial, Flux Factory (NYC), La Escocesa (Barcelona), CFCCA, Man & Eve (London) and Contemporary Art Society. → A community that thrives on independence and freedom is productive - it generates ambition and delivers outcomes. Our tenants go on to do great things, both locally and internationally. → Our spirit attracts emerging artists, enabling them to commit to staying and working in the region.

Islington Mill

TRUST

Trust is a key ingredient of IM, enabling us to foster a diverse and fluid community. It supports forms of self-organisation, responsibility, participation and freedom. Belief is essential to young and early career artists. We nurture self-belief through our willingness to say Yes and take risks. Our dynamic ecology supports a belief in the value of experiment and intangible outcomes as important spurs to development and success. From Chapel St Open in 2000 to Dynamic Death Party in 2012 Islington Mill has a strong history of providing the first showcase opportunities for recent graduates. We recognise that young and early career artists need time and space to freely explore and experiment in order for their work to develop into something which may become of value to wider society. We often work with people who are searching for a way to channel their creativity but haven’t yet formulated a way in which to do this. Islington Mill is driven by belief we believe in people, their abilities and potential. This is a central current running throughout the organisation. It’s evident in our commitment to independence, and in our striving for a community based on trust and participation. This ethos supports the growth of wellbeing and a healthy community, which in turn generates greater selfassurance and ambition for the individual practitioners living and working in and around IM. Having a broad mix of motivations strengthens the ecology, enhancing diversity.

A thing of wonder

→ We respond directly to what people are telling us they would like to do without making premature qualitative judgments which can compromise creativity. → We nurture a supportive environment that helps artists through vulnerable stages in their careers; and take direct measures where necessary, such as offering discounts on studio space, developing patronage and facilitating skill-swaps. → We recognise that creative exploration involves risk and that this can be a difficult path to walk in isolation. → We don’t offer ready-made solutions or prescribed courses of action that guarantee success, rather we work on knitting together a supportive community of interest, providing the ingredients that help creative people realise their own potential and ambitions. → We have an open door principle. We support empowerment through inclusivity and a focus on process. → Self-organisation and a DIY ethos permeate every aspect of IM e.g. Islington Mill Art Academy, an experiment in peer-led education. → We support practices that ‘don’t fit’ into formal criteria.

AMBITION

An economy of trust builds confidence through participation and shared responsibility. Artists are motivated, that’s why they approach us with their ideas and requests. We respond to their needs, supporting them to experiment, hone their craft and achieve goals. Our ecology and extensive network enables people to take opportunities, forge connections and be ambitious. This ambition may translate as refining skills and practice, presenting work, exploring ideas or performing. → We offer flexible spaces that can be adapted for living or working or both, allowing artists the time and economic freedom to develop their ideas. → We offer adaptable spaces and structures which support creative ambition. Industrial sized spaces encourage artists to explore large scale work.

Islington Mill

INTERNATIONALISM

Our reputation at home and abroad rests on our ability to innovate, experiment and thrive. This attracts local, national and international artists to a vibrant, global mix of creative people. As an international venue we provide local audiences with opportunities to experience a range of alternative, marginal and experimental voices from around the world, enriching the region’s cultural landscape and enabling local artists to access the resources of our growing global network. IM is outward facing, we appreciate the value of ideas coming into the ecology and we know that our artists have the potential to thrive through working abroad. Our international network operates as a valuable resource; a dynamic web of reciprocal relationships that reach across the globe.

encourage international exchange, enabling artists to meet and form links with peers working in different ways from around the world. → We provide the opportunity for local artists to live and work alongside high calibre artists from around the world. This experience enriches both parties, and contributes to the ecology of Islington Mill by ensuring a constant flow of new people and ideas.

→ As a resource we support artists to be ambitious and to identify partners in other countries who can facilitate exchanges. → When artists go out from The Mill they become ambassadors, building links that form lasting relationships. These relationships are then carried forward to the benefit of a new generation of artists. → We use digital infrastructures and group residencies to continue active working relationships around the world. → Our residency/B&B model is designed specifically to enhance and

A thing of wonder

COLLABORATION

Encounters with other artists, new experiences and discussion with peers are vehicles that trigger creative development and move practice forward. IM provides artists with a fluid, multi-disciplinary community and international network that thrives on collaboration. It’s unique mix of intimate domestic spaces, studios, galleries and 24 hour events venue generates constant opportunities for connections and productive exchange. → Boundaries between practice are regularly crossed at the mill leading to unexpected directions and outcomes for our artists work. → Our community includes screenprinters, photographers, website designers, sound design and build, 3D printers and other useful skills, providing artists with a huge array of on-site resources and know-how. → Recognising the value of the unexpected – we open minds by placing new and diverse approaches within easy reach i.e. in the same building as they already work or live. → Through situating our fronted gallery/residency studio, directly adjacent to our venue space, our programme constantly aligns live music, visual arts/performance and discussion based events alongside each other meaning that our visitors experience artists and artworks that they hadn’t expected, leading to a richer and more diverse experience of the arts.

Islington Mill

EDUCATION

At Islington Mill education is about more than the transfer of knowledge and skills - it’s about empowering people to discover their potential and realise opportunity. The majority of our relationships and programming develop directly from approaches initiated by artists themselves. Our ability to say Yes, to support the potential of ideas and practices which are not yet fully formed, provides young and early career artists with opportunities to experiment, test ideas and explore their own potential. Artists seeking to progress beyond formal education need access to resources like affordable space and a supportive community. Our flexible, open space policies enable artists to take the first steps, and provide pathways that sustain continuous professional development. We offer a rich resource for opportunity and practicebased learning. Our international, enterprising and multi-disciplinary community opensup possibilities for exploration, collaboration and the benefits of a diverse network. The current economic climate can make it difficult for artists to develop and flourish. We strive to develop flexible solutions that support access and opportunity for all.

→ Our 24hr premises, allow artists to maximise their available time and where necessary immerse themselves in their practice. → We offer studio discounts, encourage skill-swapping and allow short term use of larger spaces when available, to enable artists to continue to develop through lean economic periods.

→ We organise collective residencies where IM artists have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from exposure to new cultures, communities and ideas, such as 2013 collective residency to CANVAS, Ibiza.

A thing of wonder

COMMUNITY

Investing in a healthy community is fundamental to Islington Mill. Peer-learning strengthens the bonds between people; fostering trust and a sense of common endeavour within a fluid, diverse community. IM works on knitting together a supportive community of interests where artists gain the confidence to take risks, fail, and try again. People make art for many reasons. IM has a broad mix of motivations, and this adds to diversity, strengthening our ecology. A supportive and therefore healthy community enhances wellbeing and motivation.

this underscores the importance of believing in our neighbourhood, its potential and ambition. → A strong, supportive and therefore healthy community enhances wellbeing and motivation, which attracts talented people who are vital to the future growth of the region.

→ We believe that young and emerging artists benefit from the sense of community and practical support they find at Islington Mill. → Our emphasis on peer-learning, participation and ‘kitchen table’ gatherings promotes equity and relationship building. → A supportive community, where trust and belief are demonstrated helps to ignite self-belief and the confidence to experiment. For IM, community is the crucible where excellence can flourish. → We provide regular social situations where locals and visitors can meet, to share food, knowledge and ideas. → Relationships and collaborations reach-out into the local neighbourhood, the region and beyond. For us,

Islington Mill

growth

Structures and spaces emerge in response to the needs of our key stakeholders. The ability to respond to evolving needs and embrace the unexpected is a key attraction. Our community of stakeholders develops from the diverse, fluid population of artists and doers associated with IM. This constant flow of artists, entrepreneurs, performers and visitors connect us with a network of local, national and international organisations. Attracted by the uniqueness of what we offer, our associates and partner organisations recognise that IM not only enriches what they do, but makes it possible for them to do more. We deliver essential support to partner organisations across the region; filling crucial gaps in existing provision.

is a better and more connected network for everyone and a positive impression of the city as a whole. We enrich the city as a destination and make it a viable place for artists to stay and develop their work. → Our networked and collaborative atmosphere enables people to form connections and share work and skills, often pitching together for work or making new introductions. → As our tenants’ careers grow we are able to offer them new spaces to develop and expand – we offer studio spaces between 200sqft – 500sqft.

→ IM has a range and combination of resources un-matched in the north; IM is a live building, a 24hour building; as people arrive others are leaving but all are here to do something. It is this culture which is invaluable to all our stakeholders as it cannot be found anywhere else. → IM regularly hosts artists for partner organisation, providing their invited artists with a microcosm of the entire city in one place. In this way we provide a specific role in connecting larger arts organisations with the grassroots across the sector and enable visitors to experience the breadth of the city quickly while also enabling them to achieve the objectives that they came here to realise. The result

A thing of wonder

REGENERATION

We inspire pride in a neighborhood which is searching for a sense of belief in what's possible. The Chapel St area, once the heart of Salford, has been in decline since the 1970s. There have been 2 regeneration strategies which have moved forward parts of the profile but the lack of critical mass has stalled progress. Salford is a stone’s throw from Manchester city centre, but the psychological barriers of the river and ring road, coupled with the burgeoning development opportunities within Manchester means that initiatives and investment have been slower here. However, Salford has a world class university and has received a significant boost by the BBC move to Media City. IM adds to the objective and work of these organisations. We sit strategically between these two spikes of activity and demonstrate their positive spill-over as IM artists and businesses develop projects and working relationships with these hubs in the heart of Chapel St. Communities experiencing the protracted process of regeneration can become destabilised by the sense of constant transition. Developments at IM over the past 14 years signal its commitment to the long-haul; we utilise an existing landmark building and developments have occurred organically, in tandem with the cultural needs of the area. We animate our neighbourhood, drawing significant visitors to the 15th most deprived ward in the UK. Through our unique and strongly international programme we satisfy the ambition of artists and the hunger of audiences.

→ We provide space and opportunities for new graduates to hone their craft and develop their practice. The main demographic of our tenants and audience are young people, aged 18-30. → We are inundated by students wanting to film or photograph at The Mill, or to stage music, performance and film screening events. 50% of our programme showcases local talent. → Many of our residents either studied at or now work within and across the local FE and higher education sector. → IM’s artists generate positive media coverage of Salford, from music listings through to travel, design and niche interest; its local, national and international. Our successful artists with significant international profiles, like the Ting Tings, go out into the world stating that they are from Salford, recognising that the goodwill and uniqueness of Islington Mill adds to their ability to market themselves. → Our events programme attracts, on average, 15,000 visitors to Salford each year. Sounds from the Other City, (SFTOC) started through the support and base of Islington Mill. It is now one of the region’s largest music festivals; attracting 2000 people per year, providing an injection of cash for businesses, projects and venues in the area.

Islington Mill

A thing of wonder

Our work with artists

Through our unique and flexible approach, working with artists and meeting their needs, many have progressed to international acclaim. We support each project and provide the space to be able to realize ambitions.

THE TING TINGS We Started Nothing

Katie White and Jules DeMartino, took up residence in the Engine House at Islington Mill in 2004 utilising it as a live work/space. Jules and Katie immersed themselves in what was going on around them at the Mill, collaborating with other artists, rehearsing and putting on shows in various spaces, coming to the events and going away with an army of ideas. By the start of 2007 they had signed a new deal with Sony BMG records. By the summer of 2008 they scored a number one single and album, "We started nothing". The flexible and usable spaces of the Mill combined with meeting and collaborating with new people, experiencing new ideas and being part of a supportive community had a significant impact on the development of the band. What the Mill offers is not ready made solutions or prescribed courses of action that guarantee success, rather it works on knitting together a supportive community of interest that provides the ingredients that can help

Our work with artists

creative people realise their potential ambitions. The Ting Tings generated a huge amount of international press and were noted for always mentioning the impact Islington Mill had on their career, generating substantial media coverage for the building and its activities. Katie and Jules took part and helped run the Canvas/Islington Mill residency in Ibiza in May 2013. " Back in Salford, naffed off and chippy, Katie and Jules began tinkering with music in their shared flat in Islington Mill – a northern version of Warhol’s factory that houses all manner of arty dreamers. “They had club nights in the basement, where they’d put on all manner of bands that I’d never heard of ” says Katie. A pivotal moment she recalls was seeing Japanese freak rockers Acid Mothers Temple. “It was a performance like I’d never seen before – they had fans crying and I thought, Oh my god you can actually make people do that, I found it so inspiring " Katie White, from 'The Independent'.

MAURICE CARLIN Performance Publishing

Maurice Carlin is a Manchester based artist. His work merges performance, place and publishing to produce dialogues between digital and physical experience. Artworks explore perceptions around the information we receive and send, whether derived from a TV screen, via the internet or through a day to day experience on the street. His work has been featured in publications including Frieze, The Guardian and Art Monthly. In 2007, he cofounded Islington Mill Art Academy, a peer-led experiment into alternative modes of art education. Works include Performance Publishing: Regent Trading Estate, an 8000sq ft warehouse analogue scanned in CMYK relief prints and published live via a webstream in a 3 month long performance and Screenscans, glitch snippets of TV and computer screen content, collected on a handheld digital document scanner, capturing the physical interaction and experience of being in front of a screen. Other works focus on the republishing of discarded or misaligned material, including The Self-Publisher, a bi monthly journal collecting snapshots

of a specific people, place and time via remnants of both personal and mundane detritus left at photocopy shops, and Support the Miners 1983 - 2009, the site of some 26 years old posters from the UK miners strike transformed into a temporary place of pilgrimage. Recent shows include First...Next... Then...Finally, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester (2013), Blanco Blanco, La Escocesa, Barcelona (2012), Self Publisher and Other Works, Banner Repeater, London (2011), How to Stay Awake, MCP, Antwerp (2011) Other Forms of Life (with Bik van der Pol), AND Festival, various locations (2010) and Beyond the Dustheaps, Dickens House Museum, London (2010) " We are self-founded, each person supports themselves through paying for a studio space (if they want or need one) and contributing to research trips and residencies. We have invaluable support from individual artists and organizaitions. Many people have become involved on the basis of taking part in a mutual exchange of learning. " Maurice Carlin

Islington Mill

Our work with artists

JEN WU The Wall

Jen Wu is an american artist and curator that took contact with Islington Mill since 2012. Halfway up Chapel Street, a busy car, bus and pedestrian route which links the city of Salford with Manchester city centre, a motley assortment of old buildings punctuate empty stretches of rubble and high fencing, a familiar sight in many post-industrial cities. The bricked-up pubs, burnt-out office buildings and an old theatre covered with 'danger' signs are suggestive of a time when the street was a busy shopping hub. With details like bell towers, faded signs and curved frontages these buildings capture the imagination, standing out in a landscape dominated by vacant sites and new-build apartment blocks (so much so that it is possible to buy postcards featuring unconventional landmarks such as the derelict Old Nelson pub from Salford Museum and Art Gallery up the road, hoardings and all). Appreciating these buildings aesthetically, though, is ignoring the inevitable: Chapel Street is due to be transformed with extensive residential and commercial development over the next few years, aimed at attracting new

residents into the area. Many of the existing buildings will be demolished. As the demolition crews finally move in this summer, it is hoped that one wall from the Old Bank building, which was used as a community theatre in the 1950s and 1960s, will remain standing as a readymade sculptural artwork, a 'barometer' which will remain constant as the area changes around it. " The Wall is a work shaped in very large part by conversations and experiences I’d had at Islington Mill. Amidst Salford’s rapidly changing landscape, it was a proposition– to move a wall brick by brick as a manual collective action. I never envisioned anyone would even entertain the idea as possible, much less want to help make it exist. Islington Mill said ‘yes.’ It was no less than the beginning of my emergence into my full potential as an artist. Furthermore, from the Mill’s initial commitment I’ve been able to gain the consequent support of CFCCA, Henry Moore Foundation and Arts Council England, as well as from Salford City Council and Urban Vision. " Jen Wu

Islington Mill

Our work with artists

SUSIE MACMURRAY Stratum

Susie MacMurray graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in Fine Arts Sculpture in 2000. During the same time Bill Campbell was establishing a Chapel St wide exhibition, Chapel Street Open. Having visited the local university degree shows Bill invited a selection of artists to develop site-specific work at the Mill using the 5th floor as a studio space throughout the summer months. Susie MacMurray developed the work Stratum installing duck down in the attic of the building in an ambitious immersive installation. Following her installation Susie was commissioned by Manchester City Gallery to create a new work, Flock, the initial opportunity of working at the Mill providing a stepping-stone for the development of her career as a siteresponsive artist. Bill and Susie collaborated on a number of garment sculptures throughout the last ten years that have travelled the world in touring exhibitions from New York to Paris. Susie returned to Islington Mill in 2009 for a 6 week residency. Working with Bill Campbell she produced the new work Widow that subsequently formed the centrepiece of the Aware â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Art Fashion

Identity exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in Dec 2010. Throughout her residency period Susie was in the gallery on a daily basis and the public were invited in to watch and contribute to the task of pushing 100,000 pins aiding in the development of Widow. Having the support and space to develop the work Stratum enabled Susie to create a large-scale installation that became a central work within her portfolio, leading to commissions from established organisations. " I can trace a major proportion of all the subsequent contacts and relationships I have developed with galleries and museums, and the opportunities and projects I have enjoyed directly back to my initial involvement with Islington Mill. The fact that I am now exhibiting in museums and galleries and fulfilling commissions in places like New York, Los Angeles, Venice and currently at the Royal Academy in London, I credit entirely to the start the Mill enabled me to make, I simply would not be where I am now without the doors the Mill opened for me. " Susie MacMurray

Islington Mill

Our work with artists

Residencies

The residences are periods of cultural exchange where artists have the opportunity to be hosted by a foreign organization and be able to collaborate with them to the realization of various projects. Our residencies can start by direct exchanges initiated by local artists, facilitated and supported by Islington Mill, from spontaneous requests that contribute to our program, or to conferences or cultural activities.

IBIZA

In May 2013 27 independent artists associated with Islington Mill participated in a three-week residency on Ibiza organised by Canvas - a not-for-profit art organization of artists and musicians based on the island committed to supporting international emerging artists and curators and engaging the artist community on Ibiza led by Andy Taylor, Jules Demartino and Katie White. The residency was a pilot for the Mill’s organisational exchange in October with Flux Factory New York and an opportunity to explore and research the possibility of future Ibiza artist residencies. The residency acted as an experiment of sorts to see whether the ‘Mill experience’ is one that can be translated overseas. Artists included Jen Wu, Louise Woodcock, the Mill’s homegrown band GNOD, Kim Irwin, Louise Gardner, film and music collective Video Jam, performance art collective Volkov Commanders, Rachel Newsome, New York art collective

Residencies

CHERYL and Islington Mill’s core team. The residency explored and established collaborations and links between artists in Ibiza and Islington Mill through discussions and events. The majority of artists who agreed to participate were not those who had studio space at Islington Mill. " We joined the artists based at the Mill on a two week residency in Ibiza where we curated a programme with solely the artists on the residency and the musicians and filmmakers we met whilst there. Having these two weeks of creative freedom to focus purely on Video Jam was pivotal to our development as a collective. We bounced off the creative and positive energy of the Mill artists on the residency and the relationships and friendships formed whilst in Ibiza have been long lasting and moved us forward in a way we never anticipated. " Sheeren Perera, Video Jam.

FLUX FACTORY

We assisted local artist Tom Watson to make a residency exchange with New York City art space Flux Factory in MayJuly 2011. Tom spent 3 months at Flux Factory developing his practice and meeting the wide range of international artists based there as well as being introduced to the vibrant New York art scene. As a result of this Tom was accepted to undertake a 6 month residency at Flux earlier this year, he also had the opportunity to travel to Denmark for a period of this time as part of the residency programme. As part of the residency exchange, Islington Mill hosted Flux Factory artists, Alison Ward and Shane Heinemeier for a 3 month residency based in our gallery space. The artists produced new work for a gallery show and organised a number of ambitious performance events while here. Whilst at the Mill, Alison and Shane also introduced a monthly dinner event called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Potluck Dinnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which brings together a wide range of emerging creative practitio-

ners from the local area to informally discuss ideas and to network with each other. This is an idea that is a long standing tradition at Flux Factory and is a great example of how residencies help to spread new ideas and stimulate the creative process. Potluck Dinner still continues monthly at Islington Mill. " Potluck is an ideal opportunity for introducing my invited artists to a wider and more diverse group, as it creates a relaxed venue where artists can open up dialogues that are not possible in the hectic environment of a preview or exhibition opening. Another reason why Potluck is very important to me is the democratic nature of the event. Everyone sits together in the space and there is no sense of hierarchy between those who attend. The artists who I bring with me are newcomers, usually not knowing anyone in the local scene and they are made to feel very welcome. " Ju Underwood, Director of Art Funkl.

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GOT NO OBVIOUS DESTINATION

For our very first music residency in July we invited GNOD to welcome a collection of artists and musicians that they have met over the past few years of touring to come to the Mill, collaborate and present new work. GNOD have stayed true to their vision of creating something from nothing since their formation in late 2006. Playing shows around the loose idea of believing in the power of people coming together to create a picture of the truth. Their July residency entitled ‘Got No Obvious Destination,’ consisted of members of their extended Gnetwerk of friends coming to the Mill to stay and work, find like-minded people as well as to create artwork and performances along the way. GNOD have toured extensively throughout Europe and the UK and recently joined us in our residency to Ibiza. They have over 20 releases, have their own tape label, Tesla Tapes and run their own regular clubnight at the Mill in conjunction with Burnt Offerings, Gesamkuntswerk

Residencies

which celebrates the more esoteric and sometimes brutal side of electronic music. As part of its residency at the Islington Mill Art Academy, the band curated "Tangent", an installation by sound artist Callum Higgins: Using the PA system and light sensitive noise creating circuits people were directed into to the room in small groups equipped with only a torch to guide them around. Their very presence and behaviour in the room manipulated and shaped their unique experience. " Whether its 200 people dancing like there’s no tomorrow in the venue, 2 people pondering a piece of contemporary art, heaving installations up the stairs or simply watering the plants in the courtyard, I have been lucky enough to be nourished, and witness the nourishment of others, from all over the world in one of the few places in the UK where prejudice and judgements are but a thing of the past. " Paddy Shine, GNOD.

VOLKOV COMMANDERS

Volkov Commanders began their relationship with Islington Mill when Anna Beam was part of Mill 24, an ambitious 24-hour long art event showcasing a new performance or interactive artwork on the hour for every hour of the exhibition’s duration. The format of the event was repeated on two occasions attracting large audiences of recent graduates. These events positioned Islington Mill as a place of opportunity and freedom to try and ideas with a new generation of emerging artists from the region and beyond. Developing from their work at Sounds From The Other City May 2012 and their work with CHERYL, Islington Mill commissioned Manchester based artist collective ‘Volkov Commanders’ to do a three week residency in October culminating in a collaboration with Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) for a brand new event entitled ‘ORBITA Show in Seven Parts.’ The Commanders are made up of Yolkov (Aliyah Hussain), Epiov (Mari-

el Osborn) and Krashov (Anna Beam). Volkov Commanders used the Mill’s ground floor gallery as their ‘Moon Camp’ for a series of experiments they worked continuously in the space making installations, costumes and props which were viewed by the public at all Mill events. " We had the chance to try out an idea for a show that we had been working on, which were two 24-hour exhibitions featuring approximately 60 artists. Due to the complexities of organising and hosting an event of this type, it is highly unlikely we would have been able to do this show anywhere else. Completing the internship at Islington Mill has given us a lot of experience in curating and organising events and exhibitions, we were fortunate to have been able to do this in a supportive environment that encourages risk taking, which has been absolutely beneficial to our current career paths. " Anna Beam, Volkov Commanders.

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CHERYL

In May-June 2012, Islington Mill Arts Club commissioned Brooklyn based New York artist collective CHERYL to do a month long residency culminating in a CHERYL/Off with Their Heads/ Eggs Collective/ Volkov Commanders finale for the Queen’s Jubilee. CHERYL consists of Destiny Pierce, Stina Puotinen, Nick Shiarizzi and Sarah Van Buren. Known for their video art, outrageous costumes, installations, performances, participatory events, dance parties and over-the-top happenings, CHERYL’s work has been featured in various galleries and museums including recently being part of ‘PopRally’ at the Museum of Modern Art, MoMA PS1 as well as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, The Jewish Museum, the Bruce High Quality Foundation and Eyebeam Art and Technology Centre. During their time at the Mill they collaborated with various collectives in Manchester including performance artists Volkov Commanders, drag per-

Residencies

formance and music collective Tranarchy, the promoters from Manchester’s queer night Bollox, female artists, spoken word artists, actors, musicians and storytellers Eggs Collective as well as Mill favourite Organ Freeman. " Our art collective’s first residency experience took place during a fruitful month at Islington Mill. It was a time of discovery. Joining the Mill’s community open new and unexpected collaborations with other Mill artists that couldn’t have been predicted. Being at the Mill forced us to re-evaluate our process, ultimately allowing us all more freedom and autonomy, and allowed us all to be open to new, exciting possibilities. The unique atmosphere of the Mill naturally facilitates an exchange of ideas. It’s truly a magical place where anything seems possible. It’s also rare – there is nothing like it in New York, or even London. We are very grateful to have been a part of it. " Stina Puotinen, CHERYL.

DAVID WOJTOWYCZ / DIEGO MALLO

David Wojtowycz, Chicago based visual artist was selected from over 250 applicants for our pilot open-call residency programme in Autumn 2011. The residency offer was to provide an artist with time and space required to refine and progress with a particular strand of work, offering the opportunity for a solo exhibition that can mark a culminative point within a developing career. During the one month residency, working with a mix of watercolour, drawing, poster making, sculpture and installation, David constructed a part sculptural â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part architectural structure to contain the works. A series of new drawings based around the imagined 1970s novel American Bodies by Peter Wahowitz were exhibited as part of the show. David returns to Islington Mill as part of "Plan For A Ruin". Diego Mallo was selected from a number of artists based at La Escocesa Studios in Barcelona who were interested in spending time here in Salford. On looking at his work we felt that the-

re was a certain synergy between his work and two of our tenant artists Rachel Goodyear and Alison Erika Forde. Diego specialises in painting, drawing, sculpture, serigraphy and animation he completed an ambitious large scale animation on our 5th floor space. We have continued our relationship with La Escocesa studios and in January 2013 we did an international exchange with artists Joan-Marc Batlle-Vives and Alejandra Alonso. Mill tenant Aliyah Hussain (member of Volkov Commanders) did a month long residency with La Escocesa in April 2013. Local artist Hannah Leighton-Boyce will be doing a month long residency with friend and artist Mary Stark. " The residency at Islington Mill was particularly valuable for me as it enabled me to address the conceptual cohesion of my work and the implications that this will have on its future manifestations. " David Wojtowycz

Islington Mill

Diego Mallo Espacio Infame

Residencies

Collaborations

We provide support, space and opportunities for collaborators and promoters to work with us in the development and execution of their own artistic programme and ideas. Islington Mill is often the first choice for them to place their artists due to our networked supportive and stimulating environment.

CASTEFIELD GALLERY Ingo Gerken

German Artist, Ingo Gerken, arrived at Islington Mill for a month long residency in 2008. This residency was initiated by Islington Mill Art Academy, the self organised art school based at Islington Mill. This residency had a number of outcomes. While in Salford/Manchester, Ingo’s work was introduced to the curators at Castlefield gallery. Subsequently in 2011, Ingo was invited by the gallery to return to Manchester to curate an ambitious exhibition for the Merzman festival ‘Born after 1924’ which included work by major artists such as Gregor Schneider and Tim Noble/Sue Webster. Ingo included the work of Berlin based artist Antonia Low in the exhibition. While in Manchester to install her work, Antonia had the opportunity to meet artists and curators based here. As a following on from Ingo’s residency, members of the Art Academy had the opportunity to go to Berlin to do a residency at ‘Westgermany’ an art space curated by Ingo himself. This in turn led to ‘Berlin Space,’ a project that involved a range of artists and collectives from Manchester taking on the lease of a live-work space in Berlin for one

Collaborations

year. During the year, the space was used for exhibitions and as a direct result of this, she has applied for and has been selected to do an artist residency at Chinese Arts Centre in 2013 and has also taken part in ‘Seven Sites’ a series of specific performance events in Salford organised by local curator, Laura Mansfield.

ABANDON NORMAL DEVICES Plan C

As part of AND Festival 2010, Islington Mill hosted Plan C - a project that was a collaboration of six international artists, Eva and Franco Mattes aka 0100101110101101.ORG and Ryan Doyle, with Jeff Stark, Todd Chandler, Tod Seelie and Steve Valdez. They created an installation â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Liquidatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - a mechanical structure that resembled a fairground ride made from old parts of cars and scrap metal. Many of the elements had been scavenged by the artists as they picked through the irradiated remains of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster during a trip the previous Summer. During August 2012, Islington Mill hosted Todd Chandler and Jeff Stark who created Empire Drive-In (pictured above)- a full scale drive-in movie theatre made from wrecked cars as part of Abandon Normal Devices Festival.

Islington Mill

Collaborations

ASIA TRIENNIAL Enkhbold Togmidshiirev

As part of Asia Triennial Manchester October 2011, Islington Mill hosted Mongolian artist Enkhbold Togmidshiirev on behalf of Manchester Museum and International 3. Enkhbold’s practice involves using his traditional Mongolian tent - a Ger - as the site for performances that reveal and reflect nomadic culture and its traditions. Enkhbold performed in the Mill’s courtyard and the audience were invited to sit inside his Ger and participate in his performance. Islington Mill are confirmed to be a host organization for Asia Triennial 2014. His current work falls somewhere between performance and installation, art and cultural practice. The performance sees the artist set up his selfbuilt ger in the new setting, enact certain rituals (whether traditional or less so) and then deconstruct his construc-

tion. More obviously, Enkhbold’s use of the ger highlights different ways of life that are most often assigned by geography. " Personally, I felt re-charged by Islington Mill’s constant flow of creative energies. There is always something going on. I closed my eyes and pictured myself as one of the workers of the Old Cotton Spinning Mill. Unlike the long hours and harsh conditions the mill workers were subjected to in the past, its present day occupiers and visitors alike enjoy spending time at the Mill and contribute to keep the place alive. I for one, would like to be the worker at this Utopian ‘Factory’ of Creative Energies…along with many other creative individuals the Mill continues to attract. " Enkhbold Togmidshiirev

Islington Mill

Collaborations

WHITWORT ART GALLERY Victoria Udondian

In May-June 2012, Islington Mill hosted Nigerian Artist Victoria Udondian on behalf of Whitworth Art Gallery for their exhibition ‘We Face Forward: Art From West Africa Today.’ Using Nigerian weaving techniques Victoria created ‘Aso Ikele (1948)’ - it’s name means ‘cloth used to protect the home’ in the Yoruba language. For the artist, cloth is an important repository of history and therefore explains the incorporation of some of the iconic and totemic symbols that adorn cloth traditions. It therefore becomes important for the user of African textile to understand that those who make traditional clothes from the Eastern part of Nigeria are some of the most important cultural rites and communal ethos of the people. By taking Whitworth’s textile collection as its starting point, Aso Ikele questions the impact

that second hand clothing has on West African textile industry and cultural identity. Udondian recycled secondhand clothes and different fabrics from to create this hybrid piece. Victoria used different spaces of the site and integrated herself into the culture and community of the Mill. " My work revolves around the theme of cultural contamination and the continuous interaction between contemporary traditions, which is especially visible in the weaving of textiles. I work with used fabrics, paper, plastic bags and other recycled materials which are cut, sewn, tied, glued and re purposed to create sculptures and installations which reference textile and clothing industries in Nigeria. " Victoria Udondian

Islington Mill

Collaborations

FUTURE EVERYTHING

Future Everything is a Manchester based festival that aims to discover and celebrate the latest developments at the intersection of art and technology. Now in its 16th year, it features a central conference programme with an associated art and music programme that happens across the city. Since 2007, Islington Mill has featured as a venue for the art and music programme in 2012 and 2013. Islington Mill director Mark Carlin curated the music programme for both years. These programmes included a stunning array of shows across the city from Amon Tobins sell-out ‘ISAM” live at Academy 1, to Matthew Herbert’s ‘One Pig’ at RNCM as well as shows from Holy Other, Evian Christ, DJ Cheeba, Shabaaz Palaces, Mike Huckaby and more at Islington Mill in 2012. In 2013 the music programme included

Grammy award winner Om’Mas Keith, Brandt Brauer Frick, Lapalux, Andy Stott, Powell, Hieroglyphic Being, Jam City and Space Dimension Controller all at Islington Mill. Mark is working on the Future Everything music programme once again for 2014 where more cutting edge music and art will be presented to the city.

Islington Mill

Collaborations

SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER CITY

Sounds From the Other City festival (SFTOC) is a celebration of new music and performance, uniting the cream of the national and international scene with some of the city’s finest independent promoters, collectives and club nights. Happening regularly on the May Day Bank Holiday each year, SFTOC 2014 takes in a huge array of unusual places and spaces along Chapel Street, the historic centre of Salford and a stones throw from Manchester city centre. The festival was started in 2005 by Islington Mill directors, Mark and Maurice Carlin. It has grown over the last 8 years to be one of the most anticipated music events in the Greater Manchester cultural calendar. Whilst SFTOC now exists as its own identifiable company and brand, it grew from Islington Mill Arts Club’s initial activity and bene-

fits greatly from its base at the Mill and its position as one of flagship events of Mill’s programme. It also provides a useful way of engaging with other organisations in the area from the St. Phillip’s Church to the Angel Centre as well as the other pubs and bars " Great festivals are about the experience as a whole, and by entrusting each promoter with complete control over who they book, Sounds From The Other City allows for complete unpredictability and frequent discovery. SFTOC attracts an international line-up, but crucially it also attracts those who spend the rest of the year living around its temporary home too, making it an all-day event that triumphs in invention, discovery and a hearty dose of community spirit. " The Quietus, music magazine.

Islington Mill

Collaborations

Studios

Islington Mill is a home to artists working from 40 studios on site many of who are at the start of their careers. They work across a range of disciplines including visual arts, sculpture, mixed media, theatre, crafts, textiles and music.

ISLINGTON MILL STUDIOS

Each studio space still possesses a large degree of the character of the building. The walls are whitewashed brick while most of the floors are quarry tiled, with iron columns and vaulted ceilings. The individual studios have been divided using plasterboard walls and all are completely self contained, lockable and heatable. Each studio is also equipped with a 1 hour fire door with a 5 lever mortice lock. Each space provides natural light and has at least one larger window around 150cm x 180cm. The building has a Wi-fi Network which can be accessed from all studios. So the rent includes electricity, water, waste removal, wi-fi and buildings insurance. Due to the nature of the building, the majority of the spaces do not come in standard sizes but they roughly split into three main categories: small (3m x3m), medium (3m x 6m) and large (6m x6m). The contract is a month by month rolling License agreement. This means that there are no fixed terms and the contract runs indefinitely, offering maximum flexibility as you are not held to a minimum term either.

Studios

FIRST FLOOR

Islington Mill

CRACKPOTS

Crockpots is a local potter. Its production takes different forms and is inspired by Cubism. The ceramic is sometimes machined, sometimes left in its natural form. Vases, plates, cups and other functional objects are created on the basis of symmetrical and linear concepts, creating harmony and cohesion.

Studios

DR. ME

DR.ME is a multi-disciplinary art and design studio based in Manchester. Since 2010, the studio founders, Ryan Doyle (DR) b. Perth, Scotland, and Mark 'Eddy' Edwards (ME) b. Portsmouth, United Kingdom have collaborated and worked for clients based across Europe and the USA. The studio relishes the challenge of taking a project from the initial concept to eventual successful realisation.

Islington Mill

STEVE HOCKETT

Working as an artist and graphic designer, S.J.Hockett uses a combination of intuition, analogue and digital techniques. His hands-on practice attempts to create playful, meaningful work which instinctively appeals to human nature.

Studios

DONTBITCHSTICH

Dontbitchstitch is a design led fashion accessory company which designs and manufactures bags,hats and scarves. In the summer collection the design is strongly influenced by bold Scandinavian prints, the winter collection is based around heathery tweeds and leather which are combined to create products with a strong visual appeal and attention to detail.

Islington Mill

HOUSE OF HAYNES FANCY DRESS HIRE

Jackie Haynes has an established costume design and hire business House of Haynes and is currently Studying MA Textiles at MMU, developing an Art Practice. The ‘Walk of Shame’ Exhibition of her work was shown at Islington Mill Gallery, November 2012 featuring balloon-filled costumes, found objects and graffiti art by Box.

Studios

TEXTBOOK STUDIO

Textbook works with artists and culture organizations on a range of projects, from branding and illustration to web and publication design. The work focuses on designing beautiful print for clients of varying sizes. Textbook strives to combine elements that are hand-made, messy, uncontrolled with clean-looking digital artwork, and it likes to produce as much as possible in-house; printmaking, binding, letterpressing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but the work also translates well to other formats. Textbook has a large network of creative colleagues which allows us to keep our studio small and call upon any one of a talented bunch of people whenever a project requires it.

Islington Mill

Studios

SAVWO PRINT AND DESIGN

SAVWO print and design is John Powell-Johns, an eco friendly screen printer and illustrator based in Manchester, England. Currently represented by Column Arts Agency. His practice incorporates illustration with fine art and draws heavily from his knowledge and experience of traditional print processes. The various print processes inform each other and the disciplines cross over; a lino becomes a screen print, accidental marks from an etching plate are then manipulated to form a layer of a print. The visual content of his work takes influence from the historical and the modern. A mixture of ancient texts and imagery of folklore, mythology, alchemy, the occult and witchcraft â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to comics, horror, animation, cartoons and popular culture. He runs his own print studio where he produces his own work as well as commercial screen printing.

Islington Mill

MONO

Mono is a collective of Textbook Studio, SAVWO and Dan Russell. We are not a regular print shop â&#x20AC;&#x201C; rather we want to experiment with the Risograph process and see what is possible, so we are open to ideas and suggestions. We are most interested in unusual combinations of colour, paper, texture and process. We embrace the mixing of disciplines and are happy to risograph screenprints, monoprints, drawings, laser prints and any other paper-based mediums. To get something printed with us have a look at our artwork guides here or to come into the studio and participate in a workshop have a look here.

Studios

SECOND FLOOR

Islington Mill

QUARANTINE

Quarantine creates theatre, performance and other public events about the here and now. In its form, content and process of creation, it examines the world around us. Past projects have included shared meals, family parties and a journey in the dark for one person at a time - as well as performances on stage, watched by audiences in seats.

Studios

LAURIE MAUN

Laurie Maun is essentially a fashion designer but informed by other facts of life. Her core study is clothing but she also partakes in art projects as a duality to her fashion work, her main inspiration taken from her own photography. She cares particularly for surface decoration be it embroidery or knit, she has a huge amount of patience when creating something beautiful. With colour and texture being the main threads that run through each project she attempts to create a collection of unique, high-end fashion garments.

Islington Mill

MARIEL OSBORN

Mariel Osborn is a prop, accessory and image maker. Working on her own collections and custom made commissions, her aesthetic is diverse and has been described as "exciting and innovative". With a degree in embroidery and specialising in surface embellishment and highly tactile pieces, she makes fashion pieces to go alongside garments, or elaborate accessories/ props to enhance other pieces. She is compelled to make by the need for excessive adornment, and she is adaptable and resourceful, often using materials such as laser-cut acrylic and hair extensions in unusual ways, as well as making unconventional pieces with plastic, wood or paper.

Studios

FULBĂ&#x2020;CHOP / ONO TESLA

Fulbaechop is a little record shop Michael Holland started when living in the hills of Rossendale that is now based in Islington Mill. The name comes from the anglo saxon name for Bacup the town in which the original shop was based. Michael Holland is also a working dj and often find himself with more than one copy of many decent records and so he sells the good overflow from my collection. He stocks many new titles from only super cool independent labels based around the north of England and releases from his friends. Ono is his own music label started in 2007 and trickling out weird limited edition artworks of sound from many different artists from around the world from Argentina, New Zealand, England, Russia and many local artists. Currently he is waiting on test pressings back for my first vinyl release in collaboration with Tesla tapes.

Islington Mill

SOUPCOLLECTIVE

The beginnings of Soup Collective were forged from a background of live visuals and film events, acting as a cross-over for musicians and artists. Soup Collectiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s varied output incorporates film with digital technology to inspire concerts, music videos and commercial work. Their film-work has been broadcast nationally and internationally as well as through exclusive screenings, including the National Film Theatre. Their visual work has been seen by tens of thousands of people at sell-out arena tours across the UK. Recent film and audio-visual works include: "Portrait of an athlete" (Arts Council England, Cultural Olympiad), "Elbow" (Wembley Arena), "Transmissions" (Lowry, Arts Council England), "Build the truce" and other Big Picture Show installations (Imperial War Museum North / London), alongside numerous music video, promo and documentary film credits for among others: Doves, Sisters of Transistors, Verve, Editors and Delphic.

Studios

CURATED PLACE

Curated Place is an arts led production company working internationally to connect the best artist with leading galleries, events, festivals and institutions. We have worked in a variety of mediums including film, television, live events, music concerts, art exhibitions, and photography. The company also produces creative commercial projects. At the heart of the business is an ethos of calculated-risk, innovation and continual improvement. Curated Place establishes new artistic channels in and out of the UK, connecting partners in Scandinavia, the Middle East and North Africa. Historically, Curated Place has developed and delivered pilot projects that have been rapidly rolled out to scale. In addition to working with artists, Curated Place has consistently given opportunities and training to emergent cultural producers and managers. The company is now at a stage of progression from a small project-based company into a professional international arts organisation.

Islington Mill

GEMMA PARKER

Gemma Parker is a freelance artist exploring the celebration of femininity through artifice, showmanship and theatrics. Her work tends to be image based focusing on painting but has branched out over the years to embroidery, illustration, performance and installation. She takes inspiration from all kinds of things including everyday life, fashion, history, art, stories and films. She regularly collaborates with other artists, museums and galleries and also take commissions. She loves creating playful accessible art work thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughtful and fun.

Studios

THIRD FLOOR

Islington Mill

MEAT CASSETTE

Meat Cassette are a duo who specialise in creating high quality Live visual displays for events. In addition they also offer video production services in the form of music videos, promotional and viral videos. Meat Cassette was originally conceived as an experimental platform for aspiring Manchester VJs Bad Codec (Dan) and Viral FX (Sean) to produce work together. In recent years the brand has been recognised and grown to cater to artists across Europe. Notable clients have included The Shapeshifters, Pablo Decoder and Elite force.

Studios

ANDREW BROOKS PHOTOGRAPHY

Even on sunny days, a rarity in Manchester, England, photographer, digital artist and film-maker Andrew Brooks spends hours in a darkened studio striving to show us the bigger picture. Weeks, months, sometimes years pass by as he re-touches picture after picture, to create the perfect moment for us, the viewer, to fall headlong into. In recent years his vision has flourished and evolved into large panoramic scenes of nature and forensically detailed cityscapes. This gives his work a timeless and fantastical appeal capturing the imagination of the public and landing high-profile international projects such as the Hidden City Series and commissions by the BBC. In his work with the Hidden projects he explores the unseen sides of cities to create images that make citizens, city planners, councils, captains of industry and magazine editors see their home with fresh eyes.

Islington Mill

Studios

VIDEO JAM

Described as “one of Manchester’s most innovative nights” (Manchester Wire), Video Jam is an ongoing series of unique experimental events that seek to explore and re-examine the relationship between moving image and sound. Since its inception in January 2012, the collective have worked with over 280 artists, completed residencies in Ibiza and Falmouth, collaborated with multiple collectives and organisations including Abandon Normal Devices and Manchester Art Gallery, released an album and worked with international and award winning artists such as Dieter Moebius, Jeremy Deller and Phil Solomon. Their programmes feature a wide variety of short films of all genres, from amateur and professional artists alike. For each of these films they commission a different musical act to compose an original soundtrack of their own interpretation to be performed as a live accompaniment, resulting in what they call a ‘blind collaboration’.

Islington Mill

Baptists & Bootleggers

Baptists & Bootleggers is a non-profit record label that will be releasing/publishing music, art and literature with two main aims behind it. The first is that everything released will be completely free. We are strong believers in the idea of free music and free art and feel its a fair way to give back to the people who support your work. We also believe in producing products of quality. The second main idea behind the label is the way in which each release will be distributed. A number of copies of each release will be given to each person involved in the work for them to hand out, any way they see fit, be it at record shops, galleries, gigs, the rest will be given to other artists on the label, situated in different cities around the country and abroad, to do the same.

Studios

GIZEH RECORS

Gizeh Records is an independent label founded by Richard Knox in Leeds, 2004. Focusing on a fiercely DIY ethic, Gizeh has grown with itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artists over the years to form a strong community of musicians and artists from around the world, most of them collaborating together over the years across various projects, helping the label and those involved progress and evolve in an organic, inspiring and galvanising way. Gizeh Records puts love, care and passion into its records and its artists and continues to push its ideals and its collective as far as it can within the means that it has. It has no care for genres or pigeon-holes - simply the noise of harmony and the harmony of noise and the inspiration and spirit of the people who are making that noise.

Islington Mill

LITTLE RED RABBIT / RED PLATE PRESS

Little Red Rabbit is an artist-run DIY record label specialising in psyche-folk, indie-rock and alt-noir releases. Its artists have been covered in publications such as Mojo, Uncut, The Guardian, Clash and The Sunday Times and been playing on 6Music, Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 Red Plate Press produces bespoke letterpress-printed, hand assembled packaging fo bands and record labels

Studios

DAVID WILLIAMS

David completed his Masters degree in 1990 through a fellowship with Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. David has a fine art background with an international exhibition record. Before relocating to the UK he spent nine years in Paris working with photography in the fashion and advertising industries. At Sheffield Hallam University, he continues to build upon his exhibition record as both an artist and curator. David heads 'The SI Project' (Shifting Image) which is a global project structuring a database aiming to facilitate autonomous selfrepresentation and horizontal dialogue through the use of digital technologies. His current personal research interests include an examination of fastfood culture looking at the power of fast food to cross cultural boundaries in concurrence with the capacity to reinforce colonialist attitudes. He also continues to build upon a longstanding investigation into the photographic sensualisation of unfixed time.

Islington Mill

Studios

PSAPPHA

Psappha, Manchester's pre-eminent new music ensemble and one of the UK's leading contemporary music groups, was formed in 1991 by its Artistic Director Tim Williams and specialises in the performance of music by living composers and that of the 20th and 21st centuries. The group has an extensive and varied repertoire of hundreds of works and a reputation for technical assurance and interpretive flair. Attracting attention from audiences and from the music press internationally, Psappha won the Manchester Evening News Award for Opera in 2000 and has been shortlisted three times for a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society award. Psappha has commissioned and premiered many works by a wide range of composers including the award-winning music-theatre work, Mr Emmet Takes a Walk, by its Patron, Peter Maxwell Davies, also recorded by the original performers.

Islington Mill

AHRKH

Having recorded and toured as musician since 2003, Alex Macarte move to Salford and Islington Mill in autumn 2012 to work, tour and record with the continuous collaborative outfit GNOD. Since then he have also recorded and collaborated with local musicians, as a solo musicians and released output on various labels such as Tombed Visions and Sacred Tapes. He has also been a regular collaborator with the Video Jam project as well as Gesamtkuntswerk (as Gnod) and was part of the Mill’s Ibiza residency. He is also exploring other creative forms such as painting, design, photography and other visual forms and has been working alongside Jen Wu documenting her project “the Wall”.

Studios

WOODWORK MUSIC

Woodwork Music operates as 2 seperate services - music agency and music production. The agency works with existing music and is dedicated to finding the best music from some of the best indie labels and artists to put in commercials, games, TV programmes or films. It is like a brilliant record shop aimed at film makers, directors, producers, computer games developers and anyone else making something to watch that needs something to listen to. The music production side of the business has now become equally exciting and important to us. We have an incredible team of hugely talented composers, producers and musicians ready and waiting to work on a bespoke piece of music for you. Our team is made up of people who work in and with contemporary bands and thus create music with an edge and vitality to it.

Islington Mill

NAOMI KENDRICK

Naomi Kendrick's practice includes drawing, performance, installation, participatory events, workshops and consultancy. She has exhibited and carried out participatory events and performances throughout the U.K. Recent Exhibitions include the solo show "Naomi Kendrick Drawings" at Create@Salford, Salford Quays (2011) and group show/live performance Cara B = Side B at Blank Space, Manchester (2011). Her Participatory music drawing event "Drawn to the Beat", funded by Arts Council England, took place at Band on the Wall in Manchester. And was then commissioned for Fabrica Gallery, Brighton. A review of Drawn to the Beat by Andy Brydon director of Curated Place is published in blankpages issue 32 (2011). She has been artist in residence at Fabrica Gallery (2005) and Salford University (2010-2012).

Studios

fourth floor

Islington Mill

ALISON ERIKA FORDE

Alison Erika Forde paints all sorts of anxiety stricken characters, often awaiting impending peril in their playful scenarios. She creates her daydreaminspired paintings on an eclectic mix of objects. By re-using old, unwanted items including mass-produced second-hand prints, bric-a-brac and household wood, Alison transforms these undesirables with her imagined storybook snippets. Drawing on imagery sourced from high art to the subcultural, she produces misleading twists on reality, with a pinch of mischief and dark humour. Alison is also one third of the artists' collective Yiiikes! Making vibrant multi-dimensional art that incorporates sculpture, paint and performance, aiming to engage and entertain the viewer with escapism into a parallel universe.

Studios

FAT OUT TIL YOU PASS OUT

DIY live music promotion for local, national and international musicians with gigs throughout the year at various venues. Their team works closely with many other promoters, collectives, engineers and artists to produce thoughtful and carefully delivered shows. Fat Out Fest, a three day festival celebrating independent creativity, blurring the boundaries between music, performance, art and film in an interactive and multi-disciplinary experience, is their showcase event at Islington Mill and they are currently in the planning stage for number three to be held in May 2014.

Islington Mill

Studios

MR. PS

Mr.PS started life as a screenprinted t-shirt collection in 2004, a collaboration between Megan Price and Robert Shadbolt. Since then, Megan has taken the label under her wing and branched out into homewares; specialising in screenprinted tea towels, and developing the collection of shopper tote bags, screenprints on paper, hankies and mugs. Megan studied Printed Textiles and Illustration at Middlesex University, London and graduated with first class BA(hons) in Visual Communication Design in 2001. Her work as a freelance designer ranges from small illustrations and screenprints to huge graphic visuals for shop windows and public spaces. Commissions range from bespoke printing for private individuals to illustrations for national newspapers.

Islington Mill

RACHEL GOODYEAR

Rachel Goodyear's drawings present captured moments where characters reside within an existence where social etiquette no longer, or maybe never, applied. Many are seemingly devoid of emotion or stare blankly in resignation. Each physical piece of work and the occurrences and characters they deliver are preoccupied with their own individual existence within the boundaries of the surface they are drawn upon. Therefore, when groups of drawings are shown together, further relationships start to occur, creating an ever-evolving disjointed narrative as pieces are added and taken away. She looks for unlikely relationships in everything she encounters and an idea is just as likely to be sparked by a peculiar happening that interrupts the mundane, as a major event that changes the way she lives, as a few words lifted from an advert for car insurance. From this constant everyday cross-referencing she creates carefully constructed coincidences that are delicate in their nature and unsettling in their content. Rachel Goodyear completed BA Fine Art at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2000 since when she has been practicing art in Manchester. She has exhibited regularly in the UK and abroad. "Cats, Cold, Hunger and the Hostility of Birds", is a book of her drawings published by Aye-Aye Books. Artist led activities have included guest cocurator for Thermo 03 and Thermo 04 for The Lowry Centre, Salford and from 2003 until 2005 she was a co-director of Floating IP gallery, Manchester.

Studios

FIFTH FLOOR

100

Islington Mill

WULF COLLECTIVE / KESTREL MEDIA

Wulf collective and Kestrel media are both independent filmmaking and animation bodies who collaborate on a variety of short films, music videos and promos. Under Wulf I mainly focus on Production Design and Art Department work on live-action films, whilst under Kestrel Media I am an Animation Director and Animator focusing mainly on music videos. I also freelance as a scenic carpenter working mainly on feature films and BBC series.

Studios

101

THE OUTBUILDING

104

Islington Mill

ONE69A

ONE69A is a creative collective composed by Mark Jermyn and Sally Gilford who specialises in screen printing and educational workshops. They design, make and print a variety of products (such as tees, posters, and other bespoke items) at their studio. All of their products are printed by hand using silk screens. They facilitate a range of creative practical projects and workshops with various schools and community groups and run public workshops and courses for adults including team building and corporate events. In addition to this, they run live screen printing sessions at events including festivals, gigs, private hire and corporate hire.

Studios

105

SUPERCRAFTS

Established in 2010 by Mr Hass, SuperCrafts is a studio workshop where both commissions and self initiated projects are carried out across a range of visual media. The purpose of the studio is to build appropriate and expressive communication. Art direction, graphic design and illustration are the main focus of the work at the studio. In recent times the illustrated work of MrHass has become very distinctive, mainly due to his signature use of brush, pen and black indian ink.

106

Islington Mill

Studios

107

THE ENGINE HOUSE

108

Islington Mill

RAW DESIGN

Raw Design is a design studio composed by Rob Watson, Ruth Watson, Steve Longbottom, Jane bowyer, Toby Burkill, Mike Stephens, Steve Taylor and Tom Heaton. They create effective pieces of design and creative communications, with a focus on craftsmanship and collaboration. They take the time to get to know our clients, they do all that they can to understand the people theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to reach, then they take what they know and create memorable, relevant pieces of work. They look after the people they work with and they like to think that they make the creative process enjoyable for everyone involved. The ability to deliver good ideas and strong design transcends sectors but most of their work tends to be within the arts, sports, health, and communications for youthful audiences.

Studios

109

Sitography

Islington Mill

www.islingtonmill.com

Maurice Carlin

www.mauricecarlin.com

Jen Wu

www.theshriekingviolets.blogspot.it

Victoria Udondian

www.vanguardngr.com

Sounds From The Other Citiy

www.soundsfromtheothercity.com

Future Everything

www.futureeverything.org

DR.ME

www.dr-me.com

Steve J. Hockett

www.wonder-room.eu

Dontbitchstich

www.dontbitchstich.co.uk

House Of Haynes

www.houseofhaynes.co.uk

Textbook Studio

www.textbookstudio.co.uk

Savwo Print And Design

www.johnpowell-johns.co.uk

Mono

www.printedbymono.co.uk

Quarantine

www.qtine.com

Laurie Maun

www.lauriemaunphotograph.tumblr.com

Mariel Osborn

www.marielosborn.tumblr.com

Soup Collective

www.soupcollective.co.uk

Curated Place

www.curatedplace.com

Gemma Parker

www.gemmaparker.co.uk

Meat Cassette

www.meatcassette.com

Andrew Brooks

www.andrewbrooksphotography.com

Video Jam

www.videojam.co.uk

Baptists & Bootleggers

www.baptistsandbootleggers.co.uk

Gizeh Records

www.gizehrecords.com

Little Red Rabbit

www.littleredrabbit.co.uk

David Williams

www.shu.ac.uk

PSAPPHA

www.psappha.com

AHRKH

www.ingnodwetrust.tumblr.com

Woodwork Music

www.woodworkmusic.co.uk

Naomi Kendrick

www.naomikendrick.co.uk

Alison Erika Forde

www.alisonerikaforde.com

Fat Out Til You Pass Out

www.fatout.co.uk

MR. PS

www.shop.mr-ps.co.uk

Rachel Goodyear

www.rachelgoodyear.com

Kestrel Media

www.kestrelmedialtd.com

ONE69A

www.one69a.com

SuperCrafts

www.super-crafts.com

RAW Design

www.weareraw.co.uk

photography

The photos posted on the cover, on the introduction, throughout the chapter "A thing of wonder," on p. 31 on the chapter "Our work with artists" and those that show the interior spaces of Islington Mill on page: 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 70, 74, 78, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 92, 94, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 110, were taken with a Canon EOS 600D by Matteo Giri, a student from Accademia di Belle Arti di Macerata, during a period of cultural exchange from the 22nd October 2013 to the 31stJanuary 2014. As for the photos of chapter "Collaborations", chapter "Residencies" and "Studios" Islington Mill Arts Club would like to thank all the tenants and the collaborators for the material supplied. Photos on page 29 and 33 were taken by members of the IMAC.

QUOTES

The Ting Tings, music band Maurice Carlin, visual artist Jen Wu, visual artist Susie MacMurray, fashion designer and sculptress Shereen Perera, Video Jam Ju Underwood, director of Art Funkel. Paddy Shine, GNOD Anna Beam, Volkov Commanders Stina Poutinen, CHERYL David Wojtowycz, visual artist Tsendpurev Tsegmid, artist and curator Victoria Udondian, artist The Quietus, online music magazine

islingtonmill.com twitter.com/islingtonmill islingtonmill.tumblr.com facebook.com/islingtonmill

" Chapel Street, in Salford, doesn’t figure on many tourists’ itineraries. In fact, it may only be a 10-minute walk from Manchester city centre, but it isn’t somewhere that Mancunians tend to linger, either. Salford is (unfairly) seen by many as rough, tough and best avoided, and for years there was little to see here. Look beyond the abandoned buildings and demolition work, however, wander between the tower blocks and into the adjacent industrial estates, and you will find a remarkable network of artists’ studios, workshops and unusual gig venues. Central to all this is Islington Mill. There are all manner of artists working here, day and night, in myriad different spaces. Screenprinting workshop one69a, for instance, is a grimy, inky hive of energy and colour, while upstairs Soup Collective plans out music videos for Elbow and Doves in a relatively serene top-floor office. For creative souls keen to dive in and make connections, Islington Mill’s B&B is a great place to stay. " Tony Naylor, The Guardian.