Whitworth Art Gallery. The content of the project posed questions about women’s identity within social and cultural constructs. Charlotte Newson facilitated the project over a period of six months, through workshops and photography. The group explored identity through gender, fantasy, aging, scarring and celebrities.

Whitworth Gallery contacted The Pankhurst Centre with information about ‘Relocation’ a project to house an artwork from their collections: ‘relocating’ them out in the community.

Charlotte Newson was asked to work with women from the centre’s ‘Drop in Group’ to facilitate the discussion and selection of an artwork. The group selected a contemporary artist that would reflect contemporary images of women. A series of Tracey’s Ermin’s life drawings interested the group with their simplicity and emotive use of line and materials. The tiny figures that sprawled across an expanse of paper emphasized a sense of vulnerability and insignificance which resonated with some women in the group; opening up discussions around individual experiences and issues.

The final choice however was Lynn Hershman Leeson’s piece “Roberta Breitmore – “Roberta Construction Chart No.1”. Their were several reasons for this: the artwork itself reflected a strong bold image of a woman’s face; a disturbing portrait with demarcation lines drawn onto areas of the face, almost as thought this women had been stitched together; which immediately drew women over to the portrait to ask questions.

The content of the piece also posed questions: about women’s identity within social and cultural constructs with the use of make-up emphasizing the falseness and pliability of women’s identity. The whole notion of forming another identity fired the imagination of the women and they began to explore the many ways in which they modified themselves to cope with, survive and flourish in the multiple roles they all had. The discussion widened into a debate that focused on the moral code women felt they were under pressure to adhere to, that this code is devised by a paternal hierarchy and creates roles for women that would seem to be at odds with other; e.g. a mother and a person with sexual needs, a carer with a career, an independent ambitious woman : a person who must conform to ideas of beauty and worth that are applied to them, a sense of worthlessness with age and overall a sense of judgment and disempowerment whilst continuing to perform all these roles.

‘Each workshop aimed to build layers of a new identity for the women, planning and exploring their ideas around restrictions, disempowerment and empowerment; this was process was enabled through my extensive experience of working with vulnerable women.’

Charlotte Newson supported the women over a period of six months, through workshops and photography. The group explored identity through gender, fantasy, aging, scarring and celebrities. Charlotte Newson led and delivered the workshops and photographed the women. ‘Wigs up North’ delivered the make-up.

There are some very disturbing images which developed in the final workshop – Charlotte Newson asked the women to locate a place in their bodies that had been hurt – they worked together to visualize and record this.

There is a full evaluation report written by Charlotte Newson, available to clients she works with on request. Click on the link below to download the report as a PDF:

Evaluation Report: Whitworth Art Gallery

Links

• http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/

Charlotte Newson worked with Manchester Rape Crisis and Women’s Aid initially to facilitate women who have experienced domestic abuse and rape. A sad fact that emerged is most women are harmed by someone they know and often in their own home. The project began with a question – a technique she often employs which also offered a title to the group.

ME & MY HOUSE

• Is this the house you have come from?
• Is this the house you live in now?
• Is this the house you are going too?

Charlotte Newson provided a template for the house and a series of materials. Using her skills she enabled the group to build their house.

Charlotte Newson was asked to develop this work with women from The Pankhurst Centre who had requested that they became involved; all three organisations are based in the Centre and the houses had gained their interest.

The project developed into a street rather than individual houses – with gardens and alternative road signs. © In November 2009 they engaged with the international campaign “16 Days of Action against Violence against Women”

The project is currently being filmed by M.A. students from Salford University.

Charlotte Newson has written an evaluation report which will be available to organisations she works with on request.

Links

• http://www.manchesterrapecrisis.co.uk/
• http://www.womensaid.org.uk/

2008 marked two important anniversaries in the history of women’s suffrage; 1918 saw the introduction of limited suffrage (90th anniversary) and 1928 saw the introduction of full voting rights for women (80th anniversary).

Manchester City Council was keen to recognise these important anniversaries as part of its ongoing work to promote gender equality and women’s involvement in public life. Charlotte Newson was commissioned to manage and deliver the exhibition. She worked with 14 women’s groups.

The exhibition

The exhibition was entitled “What Manchester Women Want” and aimed to recognize the struggles and achievements of Manchester’s women, past, present and future. The exhibition was planned and influenced by local women working with a professional and made comparisons between what mattered to Manchester’s suffragette women of the past and to the women that live and work in Manchester today. The result was a unique record of women’s achievements, thoughts and comments on working and living in this vibrant city. The work was described as:

“…Charlotte’s way of working to produce the art exhibition What Manchester Women Want for International Women’s Day inspired the women who use the Centre to produce something exceptional and educational. She went on to repeat this process with every group she worked with. What Women Want are more opportunities to be involved in such exciting, visual, accessible and inclusive projects.”

Norma Turner, Chair of the Pankhurst Centre Management Committee.

The above is an excerpt from the Evaluation Report prepared by C. Newson©

Click on the following link to download the report as a PDF: Evaluation Report: What Manchester Women Want

Charlotte Newson began by asking:

“Who Are You?” ©

“When you put your head on your pillow do you become someone else?” ©

Each participant was given a pillow to work with and a wide range of approaches developed: reminiscence, sexuality, sensuality, identity and political viewpoints were explored, collectively forming the final installation which rested on ‘glass beds,’ lit with vibrant magenta and violet filters.

Photographic images of the women generated throughout the project are on permanent display at the centre and feature on the publicity material.

Working in partnership with a variety of agencies, such as Sure Start and Local Authority education & youth services, community events were held, with workshops and performances at Spring Hill High School and Rochdale carnival. Green spaces and community centres were also utilised.

The programme culminated in an exhibition at Touchstones Gallery in the city centre and was attended by the Mayor, local councillors, partners of the programme, artists and community members.

The images are a small selection of the overall programme.

Workshop Gallery

A sports and arts skateboard project based on Urban art forms, with young people. Workshop sessions over a 3 month period offered the young people an opportunity to design their own unique “Mug-shot” (the term for the design on the underside of a skateboard).

When the project was complete the expectation was that the group would go skateboarding, – instead they took the boards home to put on their bedroom walls as a trophy of their achievements!

A sports and arts skateboard project based on visual & Urban art forms, with young people.

Supported by

• Salford City Council

Artists

• Charlotte Newson – Project Manager and Lead Artist
• Fiona Smith – Visual Arts
• Graffiti Artist – name to follow

Young people explored oral history traditions and beliefs: focusing on a Native American tribe who believed humans had originally emerged from shells. Their fascination with this idea developed into a large scale installation exhibited at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, during Black History Month. The group created and recorded their own stories: heard as a whispered audio track emanating from inside the illuminated shells.

Artists

Charlotte Newson – Lead Artist & Project Manager

Fiona Smith – Visual Artist

Charlotte Newson was commissioned to work with 5 primary schools for the Partington Summer Festival. They explored the logo for Partington Regeneration programme as the starting point because the children were familiar with it from local advertisements, hoardings and newsletters. Their designs explored ideas around housing, accessibility, sports and environment. The final colourful and bold designs were printed as postcards and banners which hung outside the schools contributing to the summer festival and including the children and their schools. The banners were professionally printed in order to be weather proof and durable.

Charlotte Newson’s role: liaise with all partners, develop creative direction, design and deliver workshops, prepare final designs for printing, and carry out evaluation.

Supported by

• Trafford Borough Council
• Partington and Carrington Regeneration programme

Celebrating the local community, Charlotte Newson was commissioned to work with family groups to design a unique portrait that would enhance their environment and mark the Millennium. Through a series of workshops they developed the idea of a permanent Mosaic, for an external wall in the community, portraying young people from local families: to reflect growth, change and future at the beginning of a new millennium. A real sense of ownership is shown in the care and maintenance of this mosaic by the community, which has not to date been vandalised or neglected.

The panel is 12ft x 3ft (3.6 m x 1 m).

Organisations

• Partington & Regeneration Programme
• Partington Housing Association
• Trafford Borough Council