Chaordic: Portraits of Recovery, Castlefield Gallery & ANEW

The amazing Recoverist month finished and we would like to take this opportunity to present the Art Residency we’ve been working on, in partnership with Portraits of Recovery and ANEW Recovery Community. As part of this residency artists engage with the community, observe service processes, and offer critical reflections that will shape the final exhibition. This is more than just an artistic endeavour—it’s a chance for mutual learning and growth among artists, community members, and service providers.

The residency is part of a wider project called Chaordic. Chaordic is a pioneering initiative, led by Portraits of Recovery, at the forefront of social and cultural change on substance use and recovery. At the heart of Chaordic’s mission lies the concept of Recoverism, a dynamic social art movement that re-writes the narrative by redefining people and communities in recovery and supporting them to reimagine the world they live in.

Over the past year, Castlefield Gallery, ANEW and Portraits of Recovery have explored the vibrant arts scene across the North West, laying the groundwork for this visionary project. The first residency trip was to the Liverpool Biennial in 2023 to see Melanie Manchot’s STEPHEN. On 26 September this year, artists went to Sheffield to explore the art and cultural scene.

The residency aims to produce a compelling new body of work, co-created with the ANEW recovery community. This collaborative art will be showcased in a future exhibition at Castlefield Gallery, offering the public an opportunity to engage with narratives that challenge stereotypes and embrace a holistic view of recovery. Their work will not only resonate with art enthusiasts but also provoke meaningful conversations about substance use and recovery.