NewBridge Gallery is currently closed—you can still shop NewBridge Books.
We will reopen Friday 16 October, 5pm for the preview of Form and Display!
Throughout April artist Lady Kitt, in collaboration with their children Ada and Finn, will be working in our gallery. They are inviting people to join them in “Home-rearing”: a series of activities, games and workshops where we are asked to make a ‘home’ which is not just a place, but also a series of cooperative actions.
Each day will offer something slightly different including drop-in activities, bookable workshops, sound baths, drag performances, talks, chats and parties.
Kitt invites people who live locally, studio holders, staff and other curious folk to join them in collaboratively rearing:
Many of the activities, techniques, games and questions Kitt will use during “Home-Rearing” have been developed as part of their:
Lady Kitt, Ada and Finn will be in residence throughout April in our Gallery. Sometimes the Gallery will just be open for you to look round, sometimes there will be programmed activity. See below for dates, times and booking requirements for their collaborative series of ‘Home-rearing’ events and do get in touch if you have any questions!
Some sessions below are for everyone and work on a drop-in basis, some sessions require booking, and some sessions are closed. See below to find out what you can attend!
Wednesday 5 April
10am – 11am
Throughout the residency, Kitt will attend regular NBP staff meetings. This session is for staff members only.
Wednesday 5 April
12pm – 2pm
“Closed” session with invited participants, all disabled artists, to illustrate the NBP access policy with artist Sofia Barton.
Wednesday 12 April
10am – 11am
Throughout the residency, Kitt will attend regular NBP staff meetings. This session is for staff members only.
Wednesday 12 April
11am – 12pm
Closed session led by Kitt with NBP staff building an access obstacle course. You are invited to work together to navigate, dismantle and re-imagine our way(s) around it. We’ll then think of commitments we can make to avoid / navigate access obstacles and ways of sharing these which will appeal to the people who we share our work and spaces with.
Wednesday 12 April
1pm – 4pm
Kitt and Dan will be working with The Collective Studio in the Gallery. This session is just for The Collective Studio members but the Gallery is open to visitors.
Friday 14 April
12pm – 5pm
Join Kitt, their children and artist Sarah Li to craft flower garlands out of old plastic bags and enormous loom band bunting. Chatting and finding out more about who NewBridge’s Kith (friends, family and collaborators) are, who makes NewBridge their home, who wants to but hasn’t yet and who may feel excluded. This session is open to anyone, but may particularly appeal to children and family groups.
Open to all, especially families with children!
Wednesday 19 April (gallery closed till 4pm)
10am – 11am
Throughout the residency, Kitt will attend regular NBP staff meetings. This session is for staff members only.
Friday 21 April
12pm – 2pm
Informal, sound bath drop-in with musicians Bridie Jackson and Debora Nash, who will create an improvised sound bath with singing and talking about what home means to them. Kitt will quietly continue to build our shrine to Kith. You are invited to sit, stand, lay, rest, move softly and gently in the space. Materials will be available for self-led writing and making. Please note: this session will be audio recorded.
Open to all!
Friday 21 April
3pm – 5pm
Kitt quietly continues to build our shrine to Kith with pre-recorded music. You are invited to sit, stand, lay, rest, move softly and gently in the space. Materials will be available for self-led writing and making.
Open to all!
Saturday 22 April
2pm – 5pm
Join SAN North East co-lead artist Sarah Li for a drop-in session sharing and developing idea about making social / social art more environmentally sustainable and less human centric.
Open to all!
Wednesday 26 April
10am – 11am
Throughout the residency, Kitt will attend regular NBP staff meetings. This session is for staff members only.
Wednesday 26 April
12pm – 5pm
Informal drop-in for writing and drawing offerings and commitments to our Kith with Lady Kitt. Write or draw on a small postcard sized piece of card, detailing what you would like to give to NewBridge communities and what you would like NewBridge to offer you!
Open to all!
Thursday 27 April
12pm – 5pm
Durational action / performance where Kitt will work with a paddling pool full of raw clay, adding elements to sections of the shrine. Visitors are invited to drop-in and stay as long as they wish, chairs, bean bags, snacks and drinks will be available.
Open to all!
Friday 28 April
1pm - 3pm
Informal drop-in for chatting and organising with Kitt and DGA Collective to help out prepare for the two closing parties the following day.
Open to all!
Lady Kitt is a disabled artist and drag king, describing their work as “Mess Making as Social Glue”. Kitt works on long term, collaborative projects driven by insatiable curiosity about how art can be useful. Projects are usually punctuated by the creation of large-scale, vibrant installations / sites for exchange made from recycled paper, reused plastics and raw clay, which Kitt calls shrines.
Kitt uses crafting, performance and research to create objects, interactions and events with the wild ambition of dismantling / mischievously re-crafting spaces and systems they find discriminatory, obsolete or just quite dull.
Some stuff that has happened as part of this work is:
Kitt is a trustee for Crafts Council and founding member of “kin collective” (North East Culture Awards “Newcomer of the Year” winner 2022). Kitt’s work has been longlisted for the 2023 Aesthetica Art Prize, shown at Atlanta Contemporary (USA), Saatchi Gallery (UK), National Centre on Restorative Justice (USA) and commissioned by Craftspace (“Drag Declares Emergency” 2022-23), Arts&Heritage (“This, our hive of voices” 2020-22) and BALTIC (‘Open. Bloom. Flourish. Nourish’, 2021).
The NewBridge Project
Shieldfield Centre
4-8 Clarence Walk (off Stoddart Street)
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 1AL
The NewBridge Project is accessible. You can find out more here, or feel free to contact us prior to visiting if you require additional information regarding access and facilities.
The NewBridge Project is a charity, registered charity no. 1173849.
We are grateful to our funders, including Arts Council England, Newcastle City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, Jerwood Foundation, Community Foundation North East, Newcastle University and the The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.
We are proud to be a Gallery of Sanctuary.
