By
Wendy Charlton
Image description: a photo collage with images and string, depicting Broadwater Farm estate. A hand-drawn banner reads ‘Ballot: Yes / No Vote’. Image credit: Wendy Charlton.
Wendy's work in community arts provision spans a 30 year period as an arts practitioner managing projects and facilitating workshops within a culturally diverse area of London. Wendy also taught courses in adult community learning for 8 years. Wendy's arts practice incorporates social and visual methodology examining the value of local histories and lived experience of people through storytelling. Projects often involve an initial extensive research approach and involve collaboration with the public, other disciplines or artists. Dialogue is central to Wendy's working process, realised through attendance at community meetings, volunteering or incidental conversations with individuals. This allows her to identify where artistic activity can be beneficial and develop appropriate creative strategies. Current work is embedded in themes of housing, community activism and critiques of arts-led regeneration.
