Bluecoat and Castlefield Gallery announce inaugural PIVOT artists for new artist development programme in the North West of England

Posted on 21 October 2020

Bluecoat and Castlefield Gallery are delighted to announce the five inaugural PIVOT artists: Pat Flynn (Manchester), Garth Gratrix (Blackpool), Bridget O’Gorman (Manchester), Salma Noor (Liverpool) and Chester Tenneson (Manchester). The artists selected range from early mid-career to over 20 years in the field of visual arts and their practices include rendered photography, installation and sculpture, painting performance and digital collage.

Find out more about the artists HERE

PIVOT is a new scheme delivered in partnership by Bluecoat and Castlefield Gallery. Both organisations share the vision that the North West of England is a place where artists are able to live and work whilst experiencing national and international success. With over five years experience and a strong track record in the field of contemporary visual art, each artist has been awarded a £5000 bursary and access to a programme that supports their practice over an 18 month period, starting in November 2020.

Over 120 artists applied to PIVOT from across the North West of England. The breadth and quality of applications was outstanding. The inaugural PIVOT artists have been selected by a panel comprising artists Simeon Barclay and Chara Lewis with curators at Bluecoat and Castlefield Gallery, and a representative from the scheme’s core funder, Brian Mercer Trust. For Bluecoat and Castlefield Gallery the process has reinforced a strongly held belief in the quality and ambition of visual art being produced in the region. PIVOT will deepen and extend both organisations’ longstanding commitment to the development of artists in the North West at a challenging time for so many creatives across the UK.

www.bridgetgorman.com

www.chestertenneson.com

www.garthgratrix.com

www.patflynn.co.uk

www.behance.net/Salma_Noor

PIVOT is supported by Brian Mercer Trust, The Fenton Arts Trust, The Granada Foundation, Estate of Fanchon Fröhlich, Castlefield Gallery Commissioning Patrons