APRIL 2024

Co-Lab is our annual summer project that sees us collaborate with local arts organisations and community groups to co-programme activity at Exchange Place. Our partner for Co-Lab 24 is Working Class Creatives Database, an organisation and creative community confronting class-based issues within the arts.

For this Co-Lab, we worked with WCCD to offer up an iteration of our Testing Ground residency programme that was designed to support a working class artist. Together, we selected artist Thomas Griffiths for the opportunity and you can find out more about their residency here.

In addition, we co-produced a networking event to help working class artists in the region to connect and strengthen their professional networks. Seren Metcalfe (WCCD), Chanelle Windas (WCCD), Thomas Griffiths (artist), and Will Hughes (artist) gave a panel discussion around their experiences of being working class in the arts.

Throughout the Co-Lab, we encouraged working class artists in Sheffield to sign up for free WCCD memberships, increasing their ability to access arts opportunities and broadening the reach of the organisation.

Co-Lab 24 was generously supported by Arts Council England.