The Geopark Artist Residency Programme, has been made possible by the Torbay Local Heritage Grant Scheme, allowing us to invite practicing artists to apply their creative practice to reveal a specific Geopark heritage narrative and to produce new bodies of work.

Over a period of six months, the four appointed residency artists will explore their chosen narrative with English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark partners and associate partners, as well as audiences from across Torbay. Throughout the residency, the artists will document their activity for audiences to follow along and engage with online, but in addition, each artist will also participate in a one month in person residency at venues in Torquay, where members of the public will be able to visit as they develop and produce the works. At the end of the Residency Programme, the completed works will be showcased in two celebratory events at Torre Abbey and Artizan Collective Gallery, Fleet Walk.

The four proposals span an exciting range of traditional and contemporary media including painting, photography, videography, textile works and mixed media, with the themes they intend to explore taking audiences on a journey above and below the water, as well as into the fabric of Torre Abbey’s walls and grounds. Artists Rachael Allain and Gill Melling were selected with a remit to look at the Geopark designation broadly, whilst James Murch and Laura Segan were selected to specifically look at Torre Abbey’s place within the Geopark, as it goes through a pivotal moment of restoration.

As part of the project each artist will undertake in-person studio residencies between September 16th and October 16th, with audiences able to visit Rachael Allain and Gill Melling at Artizan Gallery, Lucius Street, and James Murch and Laura Segan in the Learning Lab at Torre Abbey. Both venues are free to access, and full details of these in-person residencies can be found via the links below:

Gill Melling - www.art-hub.co.uk/ex/geoparkgm24
Rachael Allain - www.art-hub.co.uk/ex/geoparkra24
James Murch - www.art-hub.co.uk/ex/geoparkjm24
Laura Segan - www.art-hub.co.uk/ex/geoparkls24

“The Geopark Artist Residency Programme is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase aspects of our globally significant Geopark designation in new and exciting ways. We’re really fortunate to have attracted such strong proposals for this piece of work which will enable the creation of four new collections to help us tell the unique story of Torre Abbey and the English Riviera Geopark for years to come. We’re really looking forward to not just sharing the final creations, but also giving audiences access to studio environments which will show how the works are brought into existence by these phenomenal local creatives.” Jacob Brandon, Director Artizan Collective CIC

“Thanks to the investment from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Torbay’s local heritage grants scheme, it was so exciting to collaborate with Artizan and Torre Abbey to review all the applications for the Geopark Artist Residencies.  Each applicant highlighted and presented so many different perspectives on the Geopark and aspects of our internationally significant heritage, culture and environment recognised by our unique UNESCO Global Geopark designation. The range and quality certainly made it tough to make the selection.   As for now, I’m really looking forward to meeting the successful artists, Rachael Allain, Gill Melling, James Murch and Laura Segan in person, following their journeys and engagement with our Geopark partners and local community, and seeing the end pieces of work.  We will of course be sharing updates from all along the way on the Geopark social media channels so do keep an eye on @rivierageopark Facebook and Instagram.” Melanie Border, Coordinator English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark