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Art Gene, Bath Street, Barrow-in-Furness,

Cumbria, LA14 5TY England, UK

Category Archives: News

Community Gardener post (p/t)

Art Gene is recruiting at Allotment Soup – the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space If you’re interested in nurturing plants and people, this role could be for you. We’re seeking a part-time, experienced Community Gardener for a February 2024 start. The postholder will help… Read more

Sarah Hardacre Lost Shops Exhibition Friday 8th December

Join Art Gene on Friday 8th December, 6.30pm – 8.30pm for the opening celebration of visual artist Sarah Hardacre’s newly commissioned Lightbox exhibition, on Duke Street and outside the Forum. Warm coats essential, with free hot soup! Artist in Residence Sarah Hardacre, in collaboration with… Read more

Re:discover Barrow Lost Shops, Artist in Residence Open Call

Artist in Residence – Open Call Re:discover Barrow Lost Shops A High Street Heritage Action Zone project Art Gene and BarrowFull are seeking a visual artist to take up a residency to create artwork in Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Film Still from Re:discover Barrow –… Read more

REAL Barrow Food, futures & biodiversity Artist in Residence Open Call

REAL Barrow Food, futures & biodiversity Artist in Residence Open Call Art Gene invites an artist to take up a six-week residency at our Isle of Walney outdoor project space, Allotment Soup, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, to create an engaged art and environmental commission in the… Read more

Digital U “On Repeat” live screening this evening at 7pm

“ON REPEAT” Live Online Screening 3rd May 2023 @ 7pm On Repeat is Art Gene’s latest digital programme curated by artist Sophie Lindsey. It will run throughout May 2023, sharing work from six artists in a series of online exhibitions, events, and interventions. Repetition is… Read more

Food, futures & biodiversity, artists & events announced

Mapping Methodologies workshop at Allotment Soup, part of Extreme Views: Armchair Walks, Owen Griffiths Extreme Views: Food, futures & biodiversity Art Gene are delighted to announce the artists in residence who will be visiting Barrow-in-Furness for Extreme Views: Food, futures & biodiversity. Lead… Read more

Bug-Out Design & Build

Above: Bug-Out, artwork by Stuart Bastik Bug-Out Low Carbon Barrow Artist’s Design Statement Bug-Out is a touring sculpture concept, designed by Art Gene’s Artist Directors Stuart Bastik & Maddi Nicholson, to engage communities in climate change issues, promote the programme and demystify off-grid… Read more

8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Competition

‘Extreme Views’ at Hollywood Park Roundabout, Barrow-in-Furness, photo Charlie MacKeith 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Inspired by the empty billboards in town, we felt it would be fabulous to add words and thoughts to them, activating a virtual conversation amongst local people reflecting our… Read more

Rediscover Barrow’s Duke Street

Above: Black & white postcard view of Duke Street from Ramsden Square, circa 1900s, courtesy of Barrow Archives & Local Studies Centre Rediscover Barrow’s Duke Street Re:discover Barrow – An Armchair Walk ONLINE How do Sir Malcolm Campbell, the Dutch Masters… Read more

Open Call

Image: Reading Landscape workshop with Owen Griffiths, at Art Gene’s Allotment Soup: the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space, photo Maddi Nicholson Artist in Residence Open Call Extreme Views – Food, futures & biodiversity APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED In this shifting… Read more

Barrow goes to Penrith!

Above: Your smile needn’t be socially distant from me, 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness installation, words by Laura Day. Photo Anna Litchfield 20 prize winners from Barrow go on exhibition in Penrith Barrow’s lockdown artwork celebrated in an exhibition of Cumbrian creativity… Read more

Art Gene’s Spring 2021 Programme

Volcanic Rocks, Rachel Pimm, Artist and Armchair Walks 2 speaker. Image courtesy of the artist Inside & Outside Art Gene’s Spring 2021 Programme Art Gene is pleased to announce an exciting online programme for Spring 2021, with a series of online exhibitions,… Read more

8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Exhibition

Above: 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness, installation outside the Nan Tait centre, photo Anna Litchfield 8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness Exhibition October 2020 Art Gene Corner of Bath Street and Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 5TY During lockdown, we asked for your 8 Words for… Read more

Restorative Futures

Above: Duddon Estuary Guided Walk, part of Art Gene’s Extreme Views programme, 2019, photo Anna Litchfield Restorative Futures Sarah Perks, Writer and Consultant, featured Art Gene in her article in September’s Art Monthly, titled Restorative Futures. In it Perks explores artist-led practices and… Read more

Extreme Views

Duddon Estuary Guided Walk, led by Naturalist Pete Burton Part of Extreme Views Pt. 2 “A fantastic day with good company, great guide and a delicious lunch. I have lived in Askam most of my life, but never done the crossing. Thank you… Read more

Creating positive experiences in Barrow

Above: mouse drawn by Adele, photo Anna Litchfield Creating positive experiences in Barrow This August Art Gene joined local creatives to provide ‘positive experiences for families and young people in Barrow’ with Art & Environment workshops at the Isle of Walney Community… Read more

Art Gene and Oakmere unite to re-wild

Above: Events with kicked off in August with a Hugel Mound workshop, photo Maddi Nicholson Art Gene and Oakmere unite to re-wild We’re excited to announce a new project with locally established house builder Oakmere, that will encourage native wildlife and flora back… Read more

Art & Environment Workshops this Summer

Above: Summer family workshops at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space, 2019, photo Eve Mulholland Art & Environment Workshops this Summer Join artist Maddi Nicholson and Naturalist Pete Burton for family workshops at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space this August,… Read more

Hugel Mound Workshop

Above: Not yet a Hugel Mound at Allotment Soup Make a Hugel Mound at Allotment Soup with Vincent Walsh Saturday 1 August 2020 10am – 4pm Welcome back to Allotment Soup, for our first public workshop since lockdown with Ecological Designer Vincent Walsh. … Read more

Allotment Soup’s Spring

Above: The Isle of Walney Community Growing Space with newly planted Aspen specimen tree. Photo Maddi Nicholson Allotment Soup’s Spring Thanks to the arrival of spring, Allotment Soup community gardeners at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space have been keeping busy using their… Read more

Seldom Seen Maps

The Seldom Seen™ Series of Maps: Morecambe Bay Developed by Art Gene working closely with Morecambe Bay Partnership, together, these 5 maps span from the islands of Barrow to Cockerham; plotting the hidden assets of the spectacular Morecambe Bay area of Cumbria and Lancashire.… Read more

Allotment Soup & COVID-19

ALLOTMENT SOUP & COVID-19 To protect our volunteers, staff and the most vulnerable, please adhere to these changes to the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space during the COVID-19 pandemic. ALLOTMENT HOLDERS ONLY – no visitors until further notice. The gate at the… Read more

‘Extreme Times’, Art Gene’s COVID-19 Response

Art Gene’s COVID-19 Response Dear All These are ‘Extreme Times’. We all have a part to play in limiting the spread of COVID-19. In order to protect our audiences, staff and the most vulnerable, we are postponing all our public events until further notice. These… Read more

Artist in Residence Opportunity: food, futures and biodiversity

Above: Allotment Soup harvest event 2019, photo Maddi Nicholson Artist-in-Residence: food, futures and biodiversity Freelance Part Time, 2.5 days per week (Flexible) One year residency from April 2020 Fee £9,460 Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria Deadline for applications: 12 April 2020 Art Gene is announcing an opportunity for… Read more

BOOM Grows in Barrow

Above: planting Aspen, photo Anna Litchfield BOOM Grows in Barrow! Art Gene are delighted to announce a new community growing partnership as part of the University of Cumbria’s ‘Back on Our Map’ (BOOM) project. BOOM, a £2 million, National Lottery Heritage Funded scheme… Read more

Barra Night Life Comes to Life

If you did not know already, we have an amazing event here at Art Gene on Sat 1st Sept, our Isle of Walney Community Growing Space on Mill Lane from 5pm. Barra Night Life is a great family event and everyone is welcome! See below… Read more

Outdoor adventures at Barra Night Life

Above: ‘A Place for Play’, Barra Night Life 2019 at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space, photo Maddi Nicholson Outdoor adventures at Barra Night Life Saturday 24th – Sunday 25th August 2019 Over the bank holiday weekend our patience was rewarded when… Read more

‘Know Your Wildflowers’, a new Digital Wildflower ID Booklet

Know Your Wildflowers A new Digital Wildflower ID Booklet created by Hannah Brackston Barrow’s natural assets are celebrated through creative workshops with local primary schools and the creation of a Digital Wildflower ID booklet ‘Know Your Wildflowers’ by artist Hannah Brackston. Hannah Brackston, Art… Read more

Hannah’s ‘Last Supper’ and the Allotment Soup Zine

Above: Hannah’s ‘Last Supper’ in the polutunnel at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space, photo Charlie MacKeith Hannah’s ‘Last Supper’ (for 2019) and the Allotment Soup Zine birds, soil, food, walks, weeds, trees, bread, potatoes and land On Saturday 7th December… Read more

Landscape & Outdoors Work Placement Opportunity

Landscape & Outdoors Work Placement Opportunity Art Gene are looking for an enthusiastic and diligent person to work alongside us on the practical and outdoor elements of our programme as a Work Placement Volunteer. The role will be around 1 day per week on… Read more

Extreme Views Artists in Residence and online exhibition series announced

Above: Vetch Veg, Owen Griffiths, 2019 Extreme Views Artists in Residence and online exhibition series announced Extreme Views Pt 2 Artists in Residence announced Art Gene is delighted to announce the Extreme Views Artists in Residence are Owen Griffiths and Katie Anderson, who… Read more

A celebration of people, produce and a compost toilet

“Poo for the future” A celebration at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space will mark the completion of accessibility works including a new compost toilet This Saturday 14thSeptember, Art Gene will host a gathering of volunteers, allotmenteers and friends at the Isle… Read more

Art Gene’s 2019 Summer Programme

Art Gene’s 2019 Summer Programme Art Gene’s Summer programme invites you to further explore the natural and industrial spaces around Barrow and Furness, immerse yourself in this nationally significant location for nature and join us in conversation and learning about your area. Extreme Views… Read more

Open Call: Extreme Views Artist Residency

Open call for Artist in Residence Extreme Views Pt. 2 Art Gene are pleased to offer an opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced visual artist to work alongside us on our current programme ‘Extreme Views’. We welcome applications from artists who can add value to… Read more

Harvest Celebration

Harvest Celebration Saturday 14th August 2019 Join us on the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space to celebrate by bringing in the harvest and planting for the Spring, with Allotment Soup artist in residence Hannah Brackston! 2pm – 5pm : Colossal courgettes… Read more

Digital U: Open Call

Image above: Spruce Pines, North Carolina, Paul Dolan (2018) OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS & CREATIVES Digital U: Extreme Views For this year’s Digital U micro-commission, Art Gene welcomes applications from artists and creatives to exhibit projects that explore the collision of art and the… Read more

Barra Night Life this weekend

Barra Night this weekend from 5pm Saturday 24th – 10am Sunday 25th August The forecast is looking good for this coming weekend (woo hoo) and we’ve got big plans for The Isle of Walney Community Growing Space. If you haven’t already booked, contact… Read more

Barra Culture “we did it!”

Barra Culture Arts Council England Creative People & Places Barrow will be the next UK destination for culture Barra Culture is a brand new programme for Barrow, due to get underway on 1st November this year. The Barra Culture team is made up of local people and… Read more

Barra Night Life returns to Walney Island

Barra Night Life returns to Walney Island *DATE CHANGED DUE TO WILD WEATHER* FINAL DATE!! Saturday 24 August 5pm – Sunday 25 August 10am 2019 Camp out under the stars, wildflower safari, outdoor cinema, moth trapping, campfire feast, night garden, bat walks, and more… Barra Night Life will (finally) be… Read more

Extreme Views Think Tank

Extreme Views Think Tank 4th – 7th April 2019 In association with the Islands and Bays of Barrow and Furness Coastal Team, Art Gene’s Extreme Views Think Tank brought together local people, historians, naturalists and Councillors with international artists, designers and academics from the UK,… Read more

Wild Wednesdays

Wild Wednesdays Join us for free family outdoor nature activities at Allotment Soup Isle of Walney Community Growing Space this summer We’re delighted to be promoting Barrow Borough’s natural assets through family nature activities this summer! Join Eve (Art Gene’s Landscape Working Party) at Allotment Soup,… Read more

Extreme Views Exhibition

Art Gene are pleased to announce the Extreme Views Exhibition 2019. The show will showcase work produced by the Art Gene team and Extreme Views Artists-in-Residence 2018-19. This exhibition brings together film, photography, installation works’ and knowledge achieved through project activity and the Extreme Views… Read more

Extreme Views Day North Scale, Walney

Join us for the last of our Extreme Views event days at North Scale on Walney Island! WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS SPECIAL ABOUT WALNEY, AND HOW COULD IT BE EVEN BETTER? Come along to the Extreme Views event at North Scale in Walney… Read more

Doremi Residency Open Day

Join us for the Open Day and Exhibition of Doremi2018, showcasing artwork by emerging artists from around the country, created whilst in residence at Art Gene in Barrow-in-Furness with the support of Full of Noises and Signal Film & Media. Over 7 days the 14… Read more

THINK TANK

Have you been thinking about applying to the THINK TANK, taking place 4 -7 April? Good news! You’ve now got a bit of extra time to send yours in as we have extended the deadline to THURSDAY 28TH FEBRUARY. Based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, this event… Read more

Feather Your Nest

Top image: Assembled bird boxes awaiting painting. Photo credit: Art Gene, 2018 Extreme Views – Feather Your Nest Art Gene’s Habitat to Habitation project bringing wildlife to Barrow’s backyards is the first phase of a 4 year initiative to further invest in Barrow’s title, ‘The… Read more

Perverse Affordances

For this presentation artist and software developer, Sarah Friend explores the subject of human and computer relationships by focusing on the digital interface through the eyes of a neural net algorithm trained by machine learning technology, or artificial intelligence (AI). Perverse Affordances (2018) takes the… Read more

Extreme Views Day

Header Image: Photo: Cavendish Dock , Stuart Bastick Photo: Earnse Bay, Rachel Capovila Don’t forget to book your place on our upcoming event at Cavendish Dock in Barrow this Sunday 10th February! Explore the natural & industrial spaces around Cavendish Dock on short… Read more

Extreme Views 2019

We invite the people of Barrow to come along and share thoughts, ideas and more! Explore the natural and industrial spaces around Askam ‘Pier’, Barrow’s Cavendish Dock and at North Scale, Walney Island on short guided walks with local speakers. Discuss the important features of… Read more

Walney Loaf Comes To An End!

Header Image: Wheat on the Walney Community Growing Space, Photo: Hannah Brackston This week saw the Walney Loaf project come to an end. North Walney primary school pupils in Year 6 have been working with artist-in-residence Hannah Brackston over the past year on a… Read more

Art Gene goes to Westminster Abbey

Header Image: One For Sorrow by Maddi Nicholson Photo: Maddi Nicholson Art Gene’s Artist Founder Director Maddi Nicholson has been selected to attend the National Service of Thanksgiving to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice in Westminster Abbey on Sunday 11 November 2018. Members of… Read more

Join our team!

Art Gene and the Coastal Team Digital Marketer /Administrator role Art Gene’s Digital Marketer/Administrator will join our growing award winning team. The successful candidate will market a suite of projects across the Islands and Bays of Barrow and Furness – Including Art Gene’s core… Read more

Walney Wader Watch

THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS! Art Gene and Natural England will be hosting a joint event at Earnse Bay, on Saturday 13th October, surrounded by our wonderful variety of waders and sea birds, coastal ecology and shoreline disturbances. A guided… Read more

Micro Residency Opportunity

Art Gene welcomes Doremi to the Art Gene Gallery. 14 emerging artists nominated by partner organisations from all over the country will work together in the Art Gene gallery producing work for an artists open day and 2 week exhibition. Art Gene are offering 2 Micro Residencies for 2 emerging artists to take… Read more

Digital U: Paul Dolan

Dolan uses a combination of video game and visual effects software to explore the points of contact between the natural and simulated world. In previous works such as Floating Point (2016) and Wireframe Valley (remade 2017) Dolan used real-time software to programme slowly degrading scenes of… Read more

Creatures Of The Night

Barra Night Life is a collaborative partnership event part of the ‘Linking the Landscape and Communities’ work between the Islands and Bays of Barrow’s Coastal Communities – ‘Landscape Working Party’ and Art Gene’s Allotment Soup project. Barra Nite life engaged local people with our amazing landscape and… Read more

Barra Night Life

PLEASE NOTE THERE HAS BEEN CHANGES TO THE ADVERTISED TIMES OF THE ACTIVITIES. SEE THE FOLLOWING NEWS POST FOR TIMES. For one night only, Art Gene are hosting Barra Night Life- a free, bespoke night-time event taking place on Walney Island. An event bringing together… Read more

The Big Field Study

Header Image: Allotment Soup Logo: Hannah Brackston Photo: Nicos Nicholaides – Aerial view of the field An amazing event bringing together two of our most popular projects Allotment Soup and the Landscape Working Party. Artist-in-Residence Hannah Brackston and Ecologist Eve Mulholland are working together… Read more

Our Girl in the Paper

Did you manage to see the The Mail last week with a lovely article all about Art Gene’s Landscape Working Party? Missed it? You can see the online version here. The Landscape Working Party is coordinated by Barrovian and Ecologist Eve Mulholland, it is a friends… Read more

July Newsletter

MAILING LIST In June we had to ensure that our mailing list subscribers were happy to continue receiving newsletters due to the new data protection laws. We asked people to OPT IN by re-signing up to our mailing list. Some of you did, which is fabulous, but we lost a few of… Read more

Extreme Views Artists’ Residency Call Out 2018

Extreme Views Artists’ Residency Call out DEADLINE NOW EXTENDED TO FRI 10 AUG 2018 6PM Art Gene are pleased to offer two great opportunities for experienced and enthusiastic visual artists for the Extreme Views Project 2018. The right people will have an understanding of working with… Read more

Landscape Working Party at Barrow Carnival Parade!!

Art Gene’s Landscape Working Party coordinated by Barrovian and Ecologist Eve Mulholland, is a friends and volunteer group dedicated to exploring, enhancing and reinvigorating the green spaces in and around the Barrow Borough. “Barrow is a unique town set amongst an incredible landscape. There’s great… Read more

Call for Artists – Digital U: Extreme Views

Top image: Photo collage featuring a detail of the installation artwork Plain Sight, by Bonnie Craig, Art Gene U-Hang artist, 2014 Digital U: Extreme Views Art Gene are pleased to announce the online exhibition programme, Digital U : Extreme Views, starting Summer 2018. Curated by… Read more

Summer Events for your Diary

Landscape Working Party Summer Programme Art Gene are pleased announce the forthcoming programme of events: We hope to see you there! Want to keep a copy? Download the pdf of the flyer here.… Read more

Student Placement Opportunity

To download the Student Summer Placement brief click here.… Read more

Heritage Lottery Puts Fort Walney in Top 10

Top image: view of the installation (detail), One for Sorrow (gate), a collaborative artwork by Art Gene’s Maddi Nicholson, Stuart Bastik and Charlie MacKeith, 2017 Heritage Lottery puts Fort Walney in top 10 This summer, Heritage Lottery Fund published a list of the top 10 National Lottery… Read more

£444K of Coastal Communities Fund for Barrow

Top image: Going Home from Here, an artwork by Maddi Nicholson, 2009 Photo by Maddi Nicholson Art Gene secures £444K for Coastal Team Projects Our recent successful application to the Coastal Communities Fund was awarded £444K to support a suite of new projects developed by our… Read more

Wonderful News: Arts in Barrow

Top image: exhibition view of the group exhibition Stuff, Art Gene Main Gallery, 2016 (as part of the Fort Walney, Uncovered project) We are delighted! Art Gene is very pleased to announce we are to be awarded Arts Council England funding as a National Portfolio… Read more

Seldom Seen App

Seldom Seen App Seldom Seen is a walking audio tour which explores the hidden assets, stories, histories and nature of the wider area of Morecambe Bay. The walks cover Ulverston Canal Foot, Backbarrow, Hincaster and Heversham, Fort Walney and Sunderland Point. On these walks you… Read more

Art Gene’s Allotment Soup helps make a new woodland for Haverigg Prison

Art Gene’s Allotment Soup helps make a new woodland for Haverigg Prison Art Gene is pleased to donate the first batch of BOOM Aspen trees, cared for by Allotment Soup community growers at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space, to HM Prison Haverigg. As… Read more

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Bath Street,

Barrow-in-Furness,

Cumbria, LA14 5TY England, UK

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