Introducing the Metal Winter Residency Artists

Throughout the year Metal invites artists from Peterborough and Cambridgeshire to spend dedicated time exploring their creative practice via an artist residency. The residencies provide an exciting opportunity to research and develop ideas and connect with communities in Peterborough.

For our winter 2022-23 residencies we are excited to welcome Alan Seiglow, Lauren Aldington, and Jasmine Kelly-Gobuiwang.

Alan Seiglow is an emerging theatre maker. During lockdown he was invited to join The Outsiders, a writing group that gives voice to those unheard in society. As part of Bournemouth Emerging Arts Festival, Alan was invited to take part in a scratch evening with The Outsiders and spoke his words for the first time in front of an audience. Alan continued developing his writing at The Cambridge Junction, receiving the Cambridge Junction Troop New Ideas Award.

During his residency, Alan is developing a piece of autobiographical theatre, The Resurrection of Joy. The work is a collection of stories, songs and a celebration of his mum and the women who shaped him, told with humour, pathos, poetry and maybe a little bit of dancing.

“A residency means so much for my creative work, having a space to explore and play without restriction, a friendly team to bounce ideas off, as well as receiving guidance about how to grow my practice into a viable profession.”

Laura Aldington is a photographer, independent publisher, and trainee Agroecologist. After gaining a degree in photography at The University of Brighton, she went on to become involved in the world of food sovereignty.

Inspired by humans’ connection to the landscape, Laura has been working on a body of work A Web of Meaning. Laura’s work communicates the voices of those cultivating food justice in small, community food systems. Laura’s practice responds to the political, ecological, and social relationship with land, culture, and place, where the complexity of ingrained systems become more obvious as time passes.

As part of her residency, Laura will be building connections with growers, activists and those working to protect food sovereignty in Peterborough.

“This opportunity will give me valuable space, time, and support to focus on my practice. I look forward to meeting new people, learning new stories and exchanging knowledge.”

Jasmine Kelly-Gobuiwang’s work explores environments that she comes across in day- to-day life.

Her home and routine commutes, as well as her surroundings, offering a supply of objects and materials to work with.

Jasmine brings new life to items that were once overlooked, through a mixture of conventional and non-conventional mediums; she paints, dyes, and reworks these materials to create installations. Through these installations she shares her experience of humankind; the beauty, destruction, choices, and actions taken every day. Her work intends to raise questions and encourage the audience to reassess their view of the world.

Jasmine will be creating installations using natural dyes and reusable fabrics. She will be filming, performing, and photographing in the environments that she comes across in life.

“Metal’s residency has given me the chance to develop my artwork with a welcoming and supportive team!”

We look forward to welcoming our new cohort of artists and seeing how their work develops. Keep up-to-date with their residencies and how you can get involved via our socials @MetalPeterborough or visit metalculture.com

WHAT’S COMING UP @ METAL:

● Future Network, Risograph Printing Workshop – 11 December: Future Network is an alternative event for creatives to network. We’ll be joined by artist Amanda Rigby, running a workshop on Risograph Printing.
● Book Club – 19 January: In collaboration with The Left Book Club, a chosen book is used as a launchpad to discuss the world around us. The reading group is free and open to all.
● Metal New Artist Network, 26 January: A digital programme of support for early-career artists. A free online session to learn a new skill and connect with other early career artists.

● To find out more or to join our events, please visit metalculture.com/whats-on/ or get in touch with