It’s really exciting to announce that we have now found our creative practitioners, the experts in our creative fields. Following our search to find the best of the best we were inundated with talent from the Merseyside area. We’re confident we have the right creative and enthusiastic artists who have a passion for their local community, joining the Growing Knowsley project are;
Tony Mallon, our expert for Seeing Pictures
Tony is a Photographic Artist based in Merseyside, who grew up in Kirkby, Knowsley. With nearly 30 years’ experience of producing public realm artwork, gallery based art and socially engaged art, he focuses on people and place (including the spaces they occupy) and how communities define themselves.
“I’m excited about exploring Knowsley’s rich agricultural past with its residents. Through accessing archival photographs to documenting the spaces of where former farms were. Hopefully being part of this worthy project and ‘planting the seeds’ will contribute to creating a better food future in Knowsley.”
Our storytelling experts are Laura Yates and Edwin Pink
Have worked together for over 20 years and bring a wealth of complimentary experience and skills with a working knowledge of the importance of food to communities. Laura, participation specialist, creative project leader and writer, and Edwin, creative producer and digital storyteller, will work with volunteers to authenticity capture Knowsley’s heritage and bring memories to life.
“I am excited to be working on the Feedback ‘Growing Knowsley’s Future – Celebrating Our Agricultural Past’ project, collaborating with local people. We are looking to capture some interesting heritage stories which will hopefully provide a platform for examining the past, present and future of food in Knowsley.”
Our Creative Crafting expert, Kirsty Tanner
Artist, maker and horticulturalist, working across materials and processes from jewellery and print to painting, collage and textiles. With her love of creating opportunities for communities to make, play and grow, Kirsty is well placed to meld artistic direction with honouring Knowsley’s past and future.
“I am really looking forward to delving into Knowsley’s agricultural history and discovering the crafts and skills of current and historical communities. It will be great to work with a wide range of residents, explore materials and processes and create new work and have fun!”
Alison Lockett-Burke is our Eating Knowsley expert
A long-time food obsessive, with deep roots in Liverpool’s food scene, a background in teaching, and owner-operator of the catering collective Fig and the Wild and Burner Street Food. Alison will share her love for food through workshops—bringing people together to collectively cook and celebrate local produce and heritage recipes as we enjoy Eating Knowsley.
“I am really excited to be part of this project, to meet and work alongside a great community and together bring the food traditions and histories of Knowsley back to our tables.”
The experts at Knowsley Archives
And last but absolutely crucial, we have the fabulous experts at Knowsley Archives supporting volunteers to explore local maps, documents, and contemporary accounts to unearth and share the farming and food heritage facts and stories of Knowsley.
All the expert artists will now come together to share ideas and plan how to work together to bring Knowsley’s heritage to life and contribute to our much anticipated exhibition. We’re busy working on the best ways to reach the wider community and how to create a lasting legacy of farming and food. Keep an eye out here and on our social media platforms for opportunities to join in.
We still need you! Volunteers, local groups, college students and schools are invited to join in the project through creative, celebratory and investigative activities, and events led by our expert practitioners. We want to include as many people from across Knowsley to enjoy and play a part in recording the farming heritage and the food future of the borough.
Growing Knowsley’s Future is run by environmental and social justice charity Feedback Global, and made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund with thanks to National Lottery players. The project looks at creating a better food future in Knowsley by using inspiration from the past and celebrating the area’s distinct farming and food heritage from 50+ years ago. With a focus on lost agriculture; how residents grew, produced, and ate local, seasonal food.
