During lockdown, we asked for your ‘8 Words for Barrow-in-Furness’. Now we present 20 of our favourites in a socially distanced outdoor exhibition, outside the Art Gene building in Barrow-in-Furness.

Sarah Perks’ article in September’s Art Monthly explores artist-led practices, featuring Art Gene’s Extreme Views programme and Katie Anderson’s Barrow Tarot.

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 Growing Space.

We’re excited to announce a new project with Oakmere Homes that will encourage native wildlife and flora back to areas around Barrow, through environmental workshops that will create thriving living environments for the community.

Join artist Maddi Nicholson and Naturalist Pete Burton for family workshops at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space this August, and become an eco warrior!  

Welcome back to Allotment Soup, for our first public workshop since lockdown with Ecological Designer Vincent Walsh to create a Hugel Mound, a raised bed which will help to create a highly fertile soil and provide more sustainable growing space at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space.

You are invited to join architects, artists, naturalists, and landscape designers on a tour through Barrow-in-Furness, from the comfort of your own home, hosted by Extreme Views Artist in Residence Owen Griffiths.

Barra Culture is looking to appoint an exceptional and well-connected creative leader to the role of Programme Director, to lead and develop a once in a generation programme of transformative culture and art in Barrow-in-Furness. 

Art Gene is asking you to provide 8 words for Barrow – activating a virtual conversation amongst local people reflecting our current challenges, frustrations and hopes for the future.

Allotment Soup Springs as community gardeners at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space have been keeping busy during their daily exercise.

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.

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.

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.

Art Gene is announcing an opportunity for an experienced artist to work within our team and community of volunteers and participants on the further development of the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space.

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.

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.

On Saturday 7th December, a three course meal served in the poly tunnel at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space marked artist Hannah Brackston last visit for the year, and the completion of the Allotment Soup Zine.

This week begins an exciting season of Artist Residencies and online exhibitions for Art Gene.

Art Gene are seeking an enthusiastic and diligent person to work alongside us on the practical and outdoor elements of our programme as a Work Placement Volunteer.

A celebration at the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space will mark the completion of accessibility works including a new compost toilet

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’.

Join us on the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space to celebrate by bringing in the harvest and planting for the Spring, with artist in residence Hannah Brackston!

Open call for artists and creatives whose work explores the collision of art and environment in the digital age, guest curated by Alejandro Ball.

Adventurous families came out to experience the Isle of Walney Community Growing Space after dark.

from 5pm Saturday 24th – 10am Sunday 25th August

The Barra Culture team have been successful in bringing £1.9million funding over four years to the Borough, through Arts Council England Creative People & Places.

Camp out under the stars, wildflower safari, outdoor cinema, moth trapping, campfire feast, night garden, bat walks, and more…

“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 for coming to Askam and really show casing our village. We all appreciate it’s beauty and quirkiness, it is nice to share it with others.”

Free family outdoor nature activities at Allotment Soup Isle of Walney Community Growing Space this summer

Calling all explorers, speakers, thinkers, dreamers, artists, activists, ecologists, historians, dog walkers, builders, bus drivers, foodies, families, visitors, locals and lovers of nature and this amazing place… This is an opportunity to express your views in places of untold potential!

Local people, historians, naturalists and Councillors join international artists, designers and academics to examine Barrow and Furness’s challenges and explore its strengths.

Discursive provocations in the landscape    

Join us for the last of our Extreme Views event days at North Scale on Walney Island! Sunday 17th March, 11am – 3pm

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.      

The Digital U is pleased to announce the second artist for its Extreme Views online exhibition programme, Sarah Friend.

Get on Your Soapbox! Outdoor events in local places of untold potential!

One for the Rook…

Art Gene and the Coastal Team Digital Marketer /Administrator role.

    See our NEW schedule for activities on the field this weekend!  COME AND JOIN US!

We need you to help us survey what mini beasts live on our field!

Find out here about Art Gene’s Landscape Working Party Summer Programme, 2018. With mini-beast hunts, bread-baking, winkles and dens – there’s fun and facts for everyone. All activities are free but booking is essential!

Feather Your Nest Workshops: Find out about when we designed archetypal models of bird boxes to look like the three housing types found in Barrow, and invited locals to help build them.

We are currently searching for 2 innovative digital artists to complete our 2018/19 online exhibition programme. Digital U : Extreme Views will examine the radical nature of artistic activities in digital space.

Art Gene’s Fort Walney, Uncovered is in the top 10 places to visit in a list published by Heritage lottery. Find out more…

Arts Council England announce £1m for Barrow groups, including £440,000 for Art Gene  (2018 – 2022). “These organisations will be able to deliver great arts and cultural experiences for audiences and participants across the whole area” – Arts Council

The Islands and Bays of Barrow and Furness Coastal Team has been awarded £444K from the Coastal Communities Fund to begin to act on the aspirations of our team’s Economic Place Plan, written by Charlie MacKeith and Maddi Nicholson of Art Gene.  

There are 5 new ‘Seldom Seen Apps’. These are guided Walking Audio/Video Tours which explore small parts of the areas covered in the 5 Seldom Seen Maps, through historic photographs and video clips, featuring local people as your guides.