A collective of seven practice-based post-graduate researchers developing a series of residencies and workshops in artist venues across Manchester and Salford. These events are an enquiry into the spatial and social elements of practice as research, and aim to demonstrate to audiences within and beyond academia, practice as research processes, methodologies and outcomes.

As a collective, we worked in participation with several organisations in Manchester and Salford and developed a series of residencies and workshops. The residencies showed exploratory work in progress which was not finished or polished, but instead presented aims and questions. Collaboration with three external art venues provided us with different audiences, allowing wider engagement, beyond a university context. On a practical note, the residencies provided us with the much needed time and space to make and present work, in a stimulating and social environment. From a networking and professional point of view, the collaborative nature of this project benefited our individual research and career-development outside of our studies.

As seven practice-based students, each coming from different disciplines and with alternative methods of research, we recognised the importance of interdisciplinary activity. As part of the residency, we each delivered a ‘skills share’ workshop to the rest of the post-graduate collective, with the aim of offering training and sharing knowledge and processes, specific to our own research practices. We also delivered two workshops per week for public engagement. Each of the residencies and workshops revealed to ourselves and to visiting audiences, the varying strategies, processes, opportunities and methodologies involved with practice-as-research. Through collaborative residencies, we investigated and made visible what practice as research is and what it can be.

Project funded by: