{ flashlight }
Chorlton, Manchester - for Chorlton Arts Festival - 22 May, 2010

Flashlight invites members of a local community to combine forces and illuminate their neighbourhood. It's art by flashmob!

In the run up to the event, 10,000 A3 flyers were distributed locally. Each flyer could be folded to make an origami lantern. Counterfoils on the flyer were be returned to the artists in exchange for a light kit to make the lantern glow.

On the day of the event participants received instructions asking them to assemble their light, put it in their lantern and place it in a specific location at specific time and in a specific way e.g. "place your lanterns in a row along the path through the graveyard by the green. Space them about a metre apart."

Chorlton folded over 400 lanterns folded and many, many more people saw, stopped, looked and chatted about it. Flashlight was acclaimed as one of the highlights of the festival.

A lot of people pulled together to make the event the success it was. So thanks to: the Chorlton Arts Festival Committee and volunteers, Chorlton Arts Radio, everyone who distributed flyers and helped on the night, Axis Graphic Design (and work experience student extraordinaire Kael).

{ wintervention }
Chorlton, Manchester - self commissioned - January 2010

During the course of Ffosfforescence we were struck by the fact that, despite our best efforts, a large proportion of the materials would be used just once and were hard to reuse or recycle - or be lost to the sea but not easily degrade. Wintervention was an exploration of how natural materials could be used in our work to minimise these effects.

We took advantage of the snow and cold snap to use snow and ice to make lanterns. Initially made from snow balls and built outside friends' houses, we subsequently developed the use of a mold to place lanterns throughout Chorlton. Development of later designs made from ice were thwarted by the rise in temperature, however the early concepts show potential and we eagerly await more cold (or the use of a big freezer!)

Although a cold experience, it was fun to talk to passers by about the work and enjoyable to see how others slowed down for a minute to have a look and wonder what it was all about!

{ we are BREAD...

a collaboration formed in November 2009 between Bristol and Manchester based artists Ruth Essex, Kate Moran and David Boultbee.

...and we }

use light and simple technologies with a strong social focus to create works which gently ask you to stop for a moment and take in your surroundings in the hope that you'll notice something new.

{ david boultbee }

David is a recently-moved-to-Manchester-from-Bristol artist and divides his time between the two cities. He has a background in usability, interactive design and electronics and is PRINCE2 qualified.

David has worked extensively with Luke Jerram designing the technology underpinning Luke's work and project managing the development process. Works include Retinal Memory Volume, Tide and Dream Director. David is also a former co-host of Dorkbot Bristol.

Through his work David aims to explore how people can engage with simple technologies to stop, notice and explore their surroundings.

{ ruth essex }

Ruth is a Bristol-based artist, musician and community arts project manager.

She has worked as a community artist on projects in the UK, France, Germany and New Zealand ranging from design and directing carnival parades, stencil street art, piano singalong events and fusing live drum and bass with tap dancing.

At the heart of her work is devising methodologies whereby people can connect to the arts either as participants or audience.

{ kate moran }

Kate is a Manchester-based musician. She currently works as a violin and viola teacher for Manchester Music Service, directs Manchester Youth String Orchestra, is an experienced workshop leader and plays English folk music in Boldwood.

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