“Timelines,” was made possible with funding from the Arts Council England’s (ACE) Develop Your Creative Practice programme. It evolved from My previous project “The Weather Report” 2020-23, which was supported by ACE and nine other arts organisations across the UK. The goal was to promote cultural change and increase inclusivity in the visual arts and heritage sectors.
As part of the project, I collaborated with artists Jamila Walker Thomas, Emily Wilkinson, and Tanya Raabe-Webber to create a toolkit that shares diverse perspectives on inclusion, drawing from experiences of disability, neurodiversity, non-binary identities, and racial awareness. The toolkit aims to inspire creative dialogue and foster inclusive arts and heritage experiences.
The Inclusion Toolkit includes my visual Timeline exploring intersectional histories from 4.6 billion years ago to the future, along with four workshop resources to support the use of the timeline.
With a focus on play, the aim of the “Timelines” development is to investigate how an inclusive, engaging digital and physical timeline installation can encourage discussions through creative activities. During the development phase, I will work with intersectional artists, wellbeing practitioners, and cultural experts in online and in-person exchange events to explore ways of incorporating their personal experiences into the timeline. For example, collaborating with Indigenous artist Roxane Charles from British Columbia to learn about her views around decolonisation, and with disabled artist Tanya Webber to draw on the social model of disability.
By learning and collaborating with Birmingham Open Media and Media Active, I aim to acquire new skills, understand the potential of immersive technology and animation, establish connections with experts in the field, and apply for additional funding. Engaging with Forest of Imagination will allow for exploration of real-life creative elements co-created by children and university students.
Upon completion of the exploratory phase in May 2025, I will seek project funding to expand audience engagement. My objective is to partner with a producer and collaborate with various artists, arts organisations, universities, and museums to bring the Timeline to life through inclusive and cooperative efforts.