About Conversations Series I - OutsiderXchanges

OutsiderXchanges was a pioneering visual arts project based on collaboration, reciprocal learning and creative exchange. 

Over 7-months six learning disabled artists and six emerging artists from Manchester and Newcastle collaborated to make new work. Taking parity of ideas and aesthetic approaches as a starting point the resulting works blur the line between art and life, inviting the viewer to challenge their own conceptions of art and what might be considered ‘outsider’ art.

Venture Arts is a Manchester based organisation that works to progress the careers of learning disabled artists.

This project is led by Venture Arts in partnership with Castlefield Gallery, Manchester and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead and CVAN.

OutsiderXchanges is a moveable feast and offers several different happenings and presentations from September to November 2016.

OutsiderXchanges Artists:

Manchester: Juliet Davis, Barry Anthony Finan, Matt Girling, David James, Sarah Lee, Sophie Lee, Horace Lindezey, Rosanne Robertson, Leslie Thompson, Lead Artist Tanya Raabe-Webber and Lead Artist Mentor James Pollitt.

Newcastle – Gateshead: Jane Louise Graham and Simon Raven.

OutsiderXchanges is supported through public funding by Arts Council England.