To view details of the works on exhibition click on the image above
Past Exhibitions:
a-KIN
relationships: competition or cooperation.

Shield Lichen – Artist print by Jill Impey 2021
A ‘live’ exhibition of sculpture, drawing, textile, and video, curated by Participate Contemporary Artspace, challenging the competitive aspect of Darwin’s theories of natural selection, as part of Darwin Festival Shrewsbury 22.
Our theme is ‘kinship’ within and among species – their interdependence and diversity, with a focus on often overlooked plant life. We celebrate their ingenuity in ensuring their survival and if we support them, ultimately that of our planet.
The Unitarian Church, High Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1LR
Monday 7th – Sunday 13th February 2022
11a.m -3.30 pm
Free admission
Sunday 13th February 2022 only, 1 -2 pm
The Unitarian Church, High Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1LR
Please not there is limited availability of live workshop tickets.
Please note there is stairs access only up to the workshop room.
As part of this exhibition there is also an artist lead creative workshop

“This is a time to take a lesson from mosses”
(Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist, academic and award-winning writer)
Mosses have survived 350 million years of catastrophe. They are ecologically important, absorbing huge quantities of water, helping to soak up rainfall and create humidity, offering a home for creatures, like woodlice and nematodes. There are around 1,000 bryophyte species of mosses and liverworts in the UK. Many require microscopes to distinguish between closely related species. How can we get to know and learn from them?
For this free workshop during the a-KIN exhibition, curated by Participate Contemporary Artspace, Jill Impey will introduce brief artist’s guide to discovering and learning from mosses. There will be some fun drawing and mark making, and a sharing of words to make poetry ‘snippets.’
No arts experience necessary, all you will need is a pencil / pen and a few sheets of A4 paper.
Suitable for Adults & Children Aged 8 upwards
No unaccompanied children, all persons attending must book a ticket prior to the event.
Sunday 13th February 2022 only, 1 -2 pm
The Unitarian Church, High Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1LR
WINDOWS OF LIGHT
an exhibition by Participate Studio Artists to be viewed through the windows
SPRING 2021

The Unitarian Church, Shrewsbury and Participate Contemporary Artspace present
Second Sight: light through the trees
A virtual online exhibition ~ 9th – 24th February 2021
Responses to Darwin‘s later ruminations on the interrelationships of all life

The works in the exhibition by selected Participate Studio and other invited Artists respond to Darwin‘s later ruminations on the interrelationships of all life through creative process in relation to Darwin’s thinking path and structural thought forms.


Thinking Paths & Creative Mapping

A short talk about the online exhibition: Second Sight and the mapping project ‘A Tree Walk’, both curated by Participate Studio Artist Jan Hunt.
4pm to 5.30pm 14th February 21
Jan expands on the creative process in relation to Darwin’s thinking path and structural thought forms. The talk is followed by a short creative mapping activity with Participate Studio Artists Jill Impey and Niki Holmes (you will need a biro and 2 sheets of A4 paper to take part.
Light! 10 – 29/8/20
Step out into the Light with a new exhibition from Participate! Coming out of lockdown and moving back into the light, a sense of optimism returning….
Participate artists and invited guests have explored the theme of Light! Showing artwork together for the first time since the Covid19 lockdown in this inaugural virtual gallery exhibition.
This show represents the first foray into producing an on-line exhibition using a 3D-Virtual Platform for the Participates Studios Artist that curated Light! Further Virtual exhibitions will be created by Studio Artists in the coming months.








Testimonials from our visitors:
On the ‘Art Studio 01 – Artists’ Collective’:
The exhibition is fantastic. I think you should all be extremely proud with how well it all looks as a collective body of work – Go Art Studio 01!
Upon visiting the show ‘Lost Horizons’:
’I like the poppies on the gate (painting) because I like poppies and gates – you can explore through gates. The poetry makes me look again at the pictures and reappraise them.
On the 2018 Guest Curator exhibition ‘Lawn and Meadow’:
Interesting diversity and another ‘curated’ experience of quality! Inspiring in so many ways.
Upon visiting Reuben Amarna’s show
‘Null and Void’: Terrific.
On the ‘May Fayne’ show:
Delightful – a giggle for a tired shopper!
The venue gets better every time!
‘Yr Eifl Coastal Plastic’:
Very beautiful & calm exhibition.
On Reg Cooper’s ‘Positively Lazarus’ exhibition:
Positively multi-talented. Some fascinating creative ideas.
Speaking of the ‘Scour:
The hidden landscapes of Forge Mill’ show: Exploration is not dead in this town! Wonderful to be here and see this project. Thank you’’; ‘’The piece using needles to show hills/hammocks entertained me – very clever.
Fantastic!
Really enjoyed the research project – some interesting & exciting results. Well done.
On ‘The Big Draw’:
Nice to get drawing again!
On the Craftinators’ show:
Brilliant work. A lot of hard work must of gone into the items on display. Exquisite knitting…
For the ‘Arts in Health’ exhibition
Fantastic to see such vibrant work by two talented people.
On Andrew Howe’s show ‘In Parallel’
Fantastic, Andrew! There is fascinating depth in each piece, & it all works off the other pieces. I love the layers of representation & the combination of media.
My three year old came to see the biggest polar bear in the world
awestruc
Very interesting
– livened up my Saturday!
During 2018, I had the pleasure of mentoring the artist collective recollect
anticipation of their collaboration exhibition project, An Undertaking, at St Chads Cathedral. Mentoring an arts collective in this manner highlighted the strength there is in collaboration and how it can enable a supportive and nurturing environment to empower change and development. From a curatorial perspective the benefit of being a mentor in this situation enabled a rich exchange of ideas and consideration, giving voice to the individual as well as the group. I find that mentoring artists outside of the exhibition and project programme that I curate for Oriel Davies is liberating in how it enables a sharp focus on developmental aspects of work and practice. It also allows for me to be introduced to a wider pool of artists as well as different organisations that the artists may be affiliated with.
Alex Boyd Jones, Oriel Davies Gallery Curator
Fabulous to see an art centre open & in the middle of town!
Some lovely work.
For the Old Cyprus exhibition:
Thank you for making a dull day sunny 🙂