Barnaby Festival launches online arts centre Second Sight

Second Sight is a virtual gallery experience curated to present a programme of visual arts showcasing the work of the creative communities in Macclesfield.

Visitors can explore several galleries within Second Sight, where they will be able to discover more about the artists, the creative processes and take a look behind-the-scenes at artists’ studios as well as discovering new work.

Creatives including painters, sculptors, filmmakers, printmakers and ceramicists will all be represented on Second Sight. The platform aims to support emerging artists alongside presenting work by established artists - creating an online arts centre for people to explore.

Alongside artists’ profiles there will be a curated exhibition programme featuring artists’ work, and interviews with them, in response to a chosen theme.

Second Sight will explore how we can all benefit from changing perspectives. The first three exhibitions will follow the themes: Seeing Differently; Seeing Better and Seeing Further.

Seeing Differently will feature work from painter Sue Asbury and writer Nick Asbury; filmmaker Charles Eades; ceramicist Rachel Ho and visual artists Sabine Kussmaul and Mike Thorpe.

The exhibited artists will feature alongside their work, allowing viewers to get up-close to the thinking and processes behind the artworks. It is a fun and relaxed way to watch, listen and reflect on the arts. Make a drink, sit down and enjoy the experience, as artists talk you through their inspirations and learning.

Abi Gilmore, co-chair of Barnaby Festival, said: “Second Sight is a place for people to visit and enjoy a curated programme of art that has a connection to Macclesfield. There is a really healthy arts scene in Macclesfield and ordinarily there would be opportunities for artists to exhibit and for visitors to see their work in person. Now people can visit from all over the world and enjoy the artwork that has been created here in Macclesfield.”

Irini Papadimitriou, Creative Director at FutureEverything, added: “Macclesfield Barnaby Festival has been an exciting and vital event for the local community transforming spaces across the town with groundbreaking art projects and commissions, but also collaborative activities and creative events bringing together locals, artists and visitors."

“The current pandemic has had an impact on both the festival and local artistic community, so the Second Sight initiative and online space is a brilliant opportunity to not only showcase local artists and enable them to present new work in a series of curated spaces, but also as an invitation to reflect on how art and culture can help us to see and think differently. At FutureEverything we are thrilled to have been involved in this process.” 

The site was funded by Arts council England and built by Cotton Creative and has undergone user experience testing at Sigma in Macclesfield.

Visit the website at https:\\secondsight.barnabyfestival.org.uk