For the next 4 months I will be working on Place and Memory, a professional development project lead by mentors Emma Bolland, Judit Bodor and Tom Rodgers. I am part of a group of 8 Leeds based artists coming together to create a film, a publication and an exhibition which will be shown as part of Love Arts Leeds festival. The main exhibition will be held in Trinity Church, a fascinating space to use in that it is huge, central to the city and a beautiful building, however it is far from the usual white walled gallery. The point of a plain bare walled gallery is that it is meant to be devoid of distraction, without the usual cultural codes of every day surroundings. The work that we make must not only fill the space suitably but fit within the context of the church. Whatever art we make will undeniably be affected by the religious paraphernalia and historical resonance that surrounds it.

The theme of place and memory is still very open to interpretation and the group is still very much in the research stage. One of the first tasks has been to create a small art work every day, it might only take five minutes. Keeping the theme of place and memory in mind I have revisited every house that I have lived in in Leeds. I have lived within the Hyde Park area for the past 8 years. It is popular with students and throughout the many houses that I have lived in, somehow I never really strayed far from this little community. Consequently the area is full of memories of old  parties, housemates, good times and bad for me. Doing my own mini tour will certainly provide some inspiration.