How do art and design come together with other sectors to create quality and meaningful practice?

This question was asked by Convergence, this year’s edition of the annual symposium organised by the University of Salford’s MA Pathways courses in partnership with Open Eye Gallery. This public event explores the most relevant discourse around contemporary culture in society today. Rather than the staff dictating the themes, students from last year’s programme pitch for the subject matters they’d most like to explore, and the new cohort then vote for their favourite topic, and we programme the event in response to this. The event acts like a gift from one year’s student cohort to the next – echoing the democratic and collaborative approach to the MA programmes. 

The MA symposium-2025 showcased speakers who actively seek out collaborations and co-commissioning of art and design practice, beyond the traditional cultural sector. We heard from a range of speakers from across the art and design sector, but also those actively collaborating with and working within areas of archives, health, environmental settings, criminal justice and front-line services as alternative spaces for their creative practice.

Here are some insights from the symposium speakers.

Pivoting the project due to specific discoveries: Almost nothing but blue ground (Matthew Bennington and Tom Pope)

Almost Nothing But Blue Ground is a collaboration between Matthew Benington and Tom Pope that takes the format of a research-led project focusing on the life of Anna Atkins, her collaborative work with Anne Dixon’s on the photographic book Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Ferns, 1853.

The project started out intending to celebrate the work of Atkins, who was the first person to publish a book of photographs, Cyanotypes of British Algae 1843, but over the course of the research, the participants discovered that Atkins and Dixon’s book Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Ferns contains many ferns from Jamaica; this led to the discovery that Atkins’ husband and father-in-law both owned at least 8 plantations in Jamaica. These findings show Atkins, both directly and indirectly, benefited from the slave trade and colonial project. The discovery has led the project to focus on areas of, decolonising the garden, the Victorian fern craze, land ownership, capitalism, the use of boundaries, the colonial project, in particular, its links with botany, planation’s, plundering of foreign lands and plant hunters.

The results of the research have been compiled to form a performative lecture combining storytelling, archival material, research and cyanotype prints. 

“Cross sector collaboration is an opportunity to share knowledge, skills and thinking with people in different sectors, – says Tom Pope. – It’s the chance to create work that couldn’t be created outside of collaboration. In terms of Almost Nothing but Blue Ground, the pivoting of the project in the early stages due to specific discoveries allowed for the project to be opened up to a wide range of research areas outside of our own specialisms. It’s on this terrain that we learned a great deal through working with others. It’s this ground that I find most fertile for illumination, experimentation and inspiration.”

Tom Pope also has advice for the emerging artists who would like to try working with cross sector collaborations: “Have the parameters of the collaboration set out as early as possible, while also going into the project with openness. Things often don’t go to plan, with unforeseen discoveries and tangents taking the work on different paths. It’s important to be flexible and willing to embrace the unknown and differing perspectives from your own. All the while ensuring there are structures/scaffolding in place to support all the stakeholders in the project for whatever situation occurs. And be honest; being truthful with your collaborators is the only way to build a foundation of trust for continued working together.”

Collaborating to explore fire setting behaviour: Stephen King and Merseyside Fire services

Stephen King is a UK social documentary and portrait photographer. His work often focuses upon our relationships to physical and social space along with notions of ownership and belonging. Much of Stephen’s work is collaborative and co-authored with the participants of his projects as well as with other artists, musicians, writers and academics. He has over 20 years experience of working across cultural, educational and community sectors.

His practice is varied but always involves collaborations with people and how they navigate society as individuals or part of a community. He has collaborated on projects with industrial workers, miners, prisoners, LGBTQ communities, veterans, retail workers, universities, people with dementia, homeless, young people, travellers, sporting clubs, medical institutions, artists, writers & academics.

Stephen is currently developing the Firehawks project. Firehawks are an Australian bird who create bushfires by carrying burning sticks to enable them to direct and capture prey fleeing the blaze. They actively transform their landscapes to ensure their nourishment. Stephen will explore the correlation of this phenomenon to child and adult fire setters in the UK.

Stephen has lived experience of fire setting behaviour due to childhood trauma and he wishes to collaborate with others who have had similar experiences of fire setting. Firehawks is a research project (in collaboration with Merseyside Fire Services) to explore parallels of the firehawk phenomenon to children who set fires. A substantial proportion of deliberately set fires are started by children and young people. Research has identified the main causes of fire setting behaviour, often not uncovered until adulthood: play, peer pressure, a cry for help (due to stress), or being affected by traumatic experiences. Children use the power of fire due to feelings of helplessness. King wishes to reflect his personal experience alongside the experience of others about this use of natural element as a form of control.

The project will culminate in an exhibition at Open Eye Gallery in September 2025.

Unlocking the transformative power of the arts in the Criminal Justice Sector: Sarah Harley (Novus / HMP education)

Sarah has worked in prison education for the past 18 years, using her experience in the arts, to help unlock the transformative power of the arts in the Criminal Justice Sector. As the National Lead for Creative Strategies at Novus (a prison education provider), she is passionate about using artistic practices to drive meaningful change and inspire growth. Novus helps adults and young offenders develop skills and confidence that improve employability post-release from prison and ultimately reduce re-offending.

Additionally, as Co-Chair of the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA), Sarah is a dedicated advocate for the transformative role of the arts in rehabilitation. Through her work, Sarah is committed to ensuring the arts remain a powerful catalyst for inspiration and empowerment, driving lasting change in the lives of learners.

“For me, cross-sector collaboration means bringing together diverse expertise to create richer, more impactful artistic work, – says Sarah. – It challenges my perspective, introduces new creative approaches, and pushes me to adapt and innovate. Ultimately, it deepens my understanding of how art can thrive beyond traditional spaces.

“The planning and development of work takes time (you’re working with people who don’t necessarily have the same creative vision and approach as you) you need to allow time to collaborate (build strong relationships) and build trust to allow the creative process to evolve and develop. I would also say that communication is essential to identify how creative aligns with the non-arts goals.”  

Designing content to engage new audiences in growing and nature: Holly Temple, graphic designer and content and resource developer for RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)

Holly Temple is a designer based in Manchester, with an interest in our relationships with our food and environments. Alongside her freelance work for clients in arts and culture, food and charity sectors, she is Creative Engagement Producer at The Royal Horticultural Society, developing and designing content to engage new audiences in growing and nature.

She recently worked on a collaboration between The RHS and the Socially Engaged Photography Network to create resources that support community gardening groups in visual storytelling practices.

Here are some of her insights from designing for engagement with nature:

• user research and testing
• designing for behaviour and mindset change
• evidence based
• meeting unmet needs
• improving what organisation is already doing
• testing new ways of engaging
• reaching new audiences
• nature connection and belonging

An example of unmet need is the community gardening groups’ need to share and promote the work they are doing. They might feel unconfident in this or lack time, capacity and resources. The goal would be for community groups to develop skills in storytelling and communicating their work, using this to build new connections, attract new members or strengthen funding and support applications. This goal can be achieved through utilising experts in this field, creating resources built with and for community groups, creating a longer lasting resource for wider use and promoting groups’ work through different platforms.

Here’s what Holly says about her current design process in her presentation for the symposium: 

• User experience design and testing

• Workshopping solutions with experts in different fields

• Developing projects right from initial need, to an outcome reaching audiences

• Prioritising what people want and need

• Co-designing with audiences

• Breaking down and communicating complex concepts

• Commissioning other artists and practitioners.

Check out Tips for zine-making and Photography Activity Pack created through collaboration between The RHS and Socially Engaged Photography Network.

Developing inter-disciplinary practice: Daksha Patel, artist

Daksha Patel is a multi-disciplinary artist who works across a wide range of media, materials and technologies.

Her inter-disciplinary practice has engaged with Biophysics, Biomedicine, Applied Mathematics, Environmental Modelling & Justice, Linguistics and Neuroscience.

Her ongoing interest in processes of mapping, measurement and visualisation has led her to explore technologies such as Lidar scanning, photogrammetry, GIS (geographical information systems), bio-sensors and creative coding. She particularly enjoys being immersed in long-term residencies, where her process can typically involve delivering trans-disciplinary workshops, presenting at conferences, writing papers, as well as creating artworks that engage with the materials, methods and research of the host institution.

Check out her works at dakshapatel.co.uk.

As part of the day students also had the opportunity to undertake a cyanotype workshop as part of the Almost nothing but blue ground project, and one-one portfolio reviews with the speakers and additional industry guests Designer Tommy Morrison, artist Lizzie King, artist and producer Eda Emirdag and creative technology artist Matt Mullins. 

Discover more about MA Socially Engaged Photography Practice course with University of Salford and Open Eye Gallery.

Text: Liz Wewiora, Maria Gulina