Two Films, Four Happenings: Celebrating Our People, Place and Practice Residency
UKNA People, Place and Practice: Four Happenings New Artist Collective #3
UK New Artists is pleased to share two new short films developed as part of People, Place and Practice: Four Happenings; an intra-regional, multi-site residency programme designed to explore local context, collaboration, and creative process across the East Midlands.
The Four Happenings residencies took place in Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln, and Worksop, each shaped by distinct themes: the Language of Machines led by artist Raheel Khan, Language of Objects led by UKNA Alumni artist Theo Vasiloudes, Language of People led by spoken word and UKNA Alumni Courtney Conrad, and Language of History led by theatre maker Harry Clayton Wright. Sixteen artists from across the UK took part, exploring themes and place through research, conversation, and creative response.
The films offer insight into how the programme unfolded – from the first day the artists came together in Derby, to a closer look at the Language of Objects residency hosted at Artcore in Derby.
Film One: The First Gathering
The first film captures day one of Four Happenings, where all sixteen participating artists came together in Derby. This gathering, hosted by Artcore and facilitated by Sophie Mak Schram, provided an opportunity for the group to connect, share their practices, and prepare for the residencies ahead.
This day marked the start of a collaborative journey, one that would take each artist into new environments and working relationships over the coming days. The film documents this initial meeting – its energy, conversations, and the informal beginnings of new ideas.
Film Two: Derby Residency – Language of Objects
The second film focuses on the Language of Objects residency in Derby. Led by Theo Vasiloudes and based at Artcore, this residency explored how the things we keep and collect reflect personal and collective narratives.
Artists Maya Rose Edwards, Oliver Getley, Hannaa Hamdache, and Felipe Pineda spent the weekend reflecting on the significance of objects – from everyday items to personal artefacts. Through discussion, writing, and experimentation, they questioned how meaning is made and shared through material things.
This film provides a closer look at the artists’ processes, the questions that emerged during the residency, and how the group worked together to develop a shared response to the theme.
Thoughtfully documented by Maya Saengkrachang, the films offer not only a record of the programme but a reflection of the people, places, and practices at its heart. Maya Saengkrachang is an emerging Derby-based creative with a background in videography, graphic design, and event planning. As a UCL Languages graduate (Spanish and Thai), Maya brings a passion for cultural exchange and a strong commitment to arts and community work. Alongside her work in multi-disciplinary arts programming, she uses her skills in visual storytelling to support projects that celebrate collaboration, place, and creative practice.
‘‘Even through documenting the process, I found that it was impossible to not be creatively inspired by the residency programme. Each individual artist had such different specialisations, and this brought fresh perspectives in discussions. Above anything, I thought it was important to capture the moments where conceptual and collaborative connections had been made.’’ Maya Saengkrachang.
About Four Happenings
Four Happenings was a new iteration of UKNA’s People, Place and Practice model, designed to support collaboration within and across regions. Each residency was shaped by a specific theme:
Language of History
Artists Meriem Jouti, Elaheh Raofi, Sky Suu and Ruby Waage Townsend explored how the past informs the present through movement, storytelling at Creswell Crags and Harley Foundation, Worksop.
Language of People
Artists Koko Brown, Jeremy Chih-Hao Chuang, Kristina Nenova and Angharad Jones-Young responded to the social and sonic fabric of Lincoln through observation, writing and sound working from Lincoln Arts Centre.
Language of Machines
Artists Sarah Al-Sarraj, Alexander Lea, Helen Li Newbold, and John Whall investigated the influence of systems, digital tools and archives on creative practice in a former factory of Backlit, Nottingham.
Language of Objects
Artists Maya Rose Edwards, Oliver Getley, Hannaa Hamdache, and Felipes Pinedas examined the narratives embedded in the things we hold onto and the stories they carry at Artcore,
Derby.
Each micro-residency invited artists to immerse themselves in local contexts, respond through their unique practices, and ultimately come together to reflect on what emerged from these place-based explorations. The programme encouraged experimentation and reflection, while connecting artists to new places, peers, and communities.
Thanks to our partners, Harley Foundation, Lincoln Arts Centre, Artcore, Backlit Gallery and Creswell Crags.
