In this episode of the ArtWorks Alliance podcast, Rob Watson is joined by Anna Taylor, co-director at In-Situ Arts, to explore the values, practices, and tensions that shape a long-standing commitment to socially engaged art in Pendle, Lancashire. Their conversation moves beyond familiar labels—community arts, participatory arts, socially engaged practice—to reflect on how creative work unfolds when the emphasis is placed not on definitions, but on attentiveness, process, and the shared experience of place.

Anna begins by describing her own journey into In-Situ, a process marked by a shift from communications work to what she now sees as a more reflective practice of “holding space.” This concept becomes a recurring touchstone throughout the conversation. Rather than directing outcomes or designing projects to fit institutional frameworks, Anna speaks of creating space in which others can bring themselves fully into a process. That space, she explains, is not neutral—it carries the tension of different values, expectations, and lived experiences—but it offers a way of working that invites something meaningful to emerge.

The idea of emergence runs deeply through In-Situ’s practice. Drawing on metaphors of scattering seeds or cultivating soil, Anna talks about making room for the unknown, and recognising that not all growth is predictable or harmonious. The organisation’s embedded approach is not about parachuting in with solutions, nor about producing cultural outputs to meet external agendas. It is grounded instead in long-term presence, reciprocity, and dialogue with the people who live and work in Pendle. For In-Situ, place is not simply a backdrop, but an active participant in shaping what is possible.

This orientation extends to how In-Situ defines itself as an organisation. Eschewing traditional hierarchies, the team describes itself as a group of co-directors with a fluid structure and consensus-based decision-making. Anna reflects on the importance of this approach in ensuring that the work remains connected to the people and context it serves. It also demands a high degree of self-awareness, particularly around power, voice, and representation. In-Situ’s code of ethics, developed early in its history, remains a vital reference point for navigating these complexities.

Rob and Anna also discuss how socially engaged art can resist the dominant narratives of the creative industries. In-Situ’s work is not driven by metrics of success, spectacle, or exportable cultural products. Instead, it values the quiet, sometimes invisible labour of relationships, the incremental shifts in confidence or connection, and the shared acts of making, talking, and thinking together. This includes work with groups like Mums to Mums, a longstanding collective of local women who have come to see their everyday creativity—through food, home-making, and care—as part of a broader artistic life.

Rather than offering a model to be replicated elsewhere, Anna suggests that the work of In-Situ points to the value of unique responses in unique contexts. What might be transferable, however, is the spirit of inquiry, the refusal to settle for easy categories, and the emphasis on cultural democracy as a lived, negotiated process. The conversation often returns to the idea of not knowing—of making space for difference and dissonance without needing to resolve it.

Throughout, Anna resists simplifications. Whether discussing the role of artists, the language of participation, or the legacy of Pendle’s history—including its association with the persecution of women during the witch trials—she brings a nuanced and grounded perspective to how creative practice can both reflect and shape the cultural life of a place. The conversation is not about outcomes or models, but about ongoing processes of listening, adapting, and caring—for one another, for place, and for the possibilities that emerge when we give space to what matters.

To listen to the full conversation with Anna Taylor, visit artworksalliance.uk or subscribe to the podcast via your usual platform.

Source

Episode ID: 1000705439476

GUID: https://artworksalliance.uk/?p=3656

Release Date: 29/04/2025, 23:00:11