Open Eye Gallery is working with a growing number of (over 60) communities, researchers, creatives and agencies locally, nationally and internationally to champion the agency people have in addressing the climate crisis and social justice. We are very proud to have recognition of all the work we do together with our partners!
Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance Awards
Open Eye Gallery was shortlisted for the #CHWAAwards2022 Climate Award for the LOOK Climate Labs – LOOK Photo Biennial. Here’s what the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance said about the shortlist: Each application told its own story of how creativity, imagination and kindness can be radical. Each showed a different way to rise to meet the interconnected crisis we face. Together, they amplified the collective strength of the creative health movement – powered by people, committed to making change and better conditions for people, place and planet to thrive. The judges mentioned that LOOK Climate Labs and LOOK Photo Biennial build connections with a wide range of community partners from across the region and the world, drive collective action and creativity, and draw attention to well-being and system thinking.
From January to March 2022 our gallery spaces became everchanging LOOK Climate Labs featuring diverse projects: from Kenyian Rainforest to Scouse Flowerhouse; from WaterAid to Liverpool Network of Growers; from Energy House (EU retrofitting housing lab) to Climate Café, to name a few. The public actively engaged, from an up-cycling clothing workshop to cycling with Peleton group, to walks with B4Bio-diversity, to contributing to international research (designing environments, visualising air pollution, mapping industrial history sharing fossil fuel memories). LOOK Climate Lab developed into LOOK Photo Biennial – Climate which from July 2022 to Feb 2023, is showcasing work co-created with photographers, community and agency partners, in exhibitions which share insights across 8 locations in the North West of England.
Held annually by leading care-sector publication, Care Management Matters, the awards recognise the hard work, dedication, innovation and excellence of everyone working in the not-for-profit sector, making a positive difference to people’s lives.
Photography Club at the Watch Factory in Prescot, created and delivered by Open Eye Gallery together with Community Integrated Care, was recognised for the Creative Arts Award. Artists Sam Batley and Marge Bradshaw worked as photographers in residence with local residents from the Watch Factory for 9 months throughout 2022. The artists and residents looked into the area’s past, their personal connections to it and also their role as ‘watch factory custodians’ of the space today, all through experimenting with different photographic styles and techniques including creative writing, film and digital photography, and mixed media collage. By sharing stories and leading the process, the group asserted their identity, made new social connections and gained photography skills, resulting in a sense of community.
Arts & Creativity Community Impact Award
The community impact awards recognise inspiring people, organisations and groups who have used arts and creative methods to have a positive impact on their community. Shortlisted organisations carry out work that is sustainable and driven by social purpose, and have a collaborative approach which means that a company has worked with people from different backgrounds to have a positive impact on society.
Since its first days OEG’s work has been a mix of art and activism. Alongside its exhibitions programme the gallery has been publishing magazines, running workshops, organising community projects, and being one of Liverpool City Region’s creative and social hubs. Only 40% of what we do is actually in the gallery. 60% is our community projects in the Liverpool City Region. We believe strongly that when we bring together the expertise of a photographer and the experience of the community we can push for social change.
We’re taking a lead on socially engaged photography nationally, which means projects where photographers and communities come together to co-author visual representations of the world around us. The process behind this work is as important as the final photographic product, and reflects multiple voices about a particular social, political, economical or environmental issue. We deliver these community projects together with the partner organisations for vulnerable groups in the areas where they don’t always have access to art galleries and creative workshops.
We believe that photography is a powerful way of bringing different communities into conversation together, and we will continue to facilitate these conversations.
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