Ben Rowen On Friday 15th & Saturday 16th August 2025, Ben Rowen will make his postgraduate artistic debut at ArtBomb’25, re-presenting his final degree performance, Wind Whisper . Wind Whisper  is a participatory, improvisational performance which loops different instruments together to captivate the audience into a sonic ritual of escapism, calmness and human-nature kinship. Adorned in headdress and costume inspired by pagan folklore, Ben invites audiences to “ whisper a word" into the microphone, looping their vocal contribution into the composition. During this ritualistic process of becoming Ben’s co-composers, the audience is held in an enchanted, relaxed state. Tune out of the chaos of inner city life and into the calming rhythms of the drums, flutes, strings and chimes of a mythical past and a possible future.

Inari Wishiki I Walked Here  is a concept for a new kind of informal eco-certificate that celebrates walking as a legitimate and superior form of sustainable transportation. Inspired by the ubiquitous “100% Electric/0 Emissions” labels on electric vehicles, this initiative reclaims environmental pride for those who choose to move on foot. Despite the growing urgency of climate crises, our culture still tends to equate speed and convenience with status—even in the green tech sector. I Walked Here  challenges that mindset by offering a fresh, human-centered alternative: a way for people to feel equally, if not more, proud of walking instead of driving.

Futures Past and Present is a mural by Hayley Garner (Aylo) and Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx) who form the Nomad Clan. It has b een supported by the Art of Protest Gallery and assisted by Natasha Clark and Street Art Atlas. The mural can be found opposite the train station on Trafford Way along the side of the Frenchgate centre. T he mural in Doncaster contains lots of references to the town. The name ‘Futures Past and Present’ also reflects this sense of history whilst also using it as a launch pad to see the future. “Our intention with this mural was to celebrate Doncaster’s remarkable historic past in industry whilst manifesting a future of creativity and diversity” says the Nomad Clan’s  Cbloxx . ​Both artists are proudly northern. Indeed their murals can be found across the north of England. “Many a Northern town contributed to the shape of the world as we know it” says Cbloxx. “Be it through coal, steel, steam, canals. These industries that were once a sturdy backbone to Britain are not crumbling columns of eras gone by”. ​ Mining History Much of Doncaster's development lays particularly within its coal mining past. Cbloxx’s own Grandfather was a miner. Working at the nearby Bentley Colliery, the Futures Past and Present mural pays a particular homage to him and his beloved pit pony ‘Winter’. Travelling down to work each day he would descend 1750ft into the pitch darkness of the pit. The pit ponies would spend their lives down there. Hauling coal in tubs from the coal face to the haulage road and then back again. It’s a relationship which is now immortalised on the giant wall. Windrush Other imagery Futures Past and Present pays tribute to is the Windrush Generation. A Caribbean nurse features prominently. A nod to the important role this generation played in building the NHS and supporting the development of the region after the Second World War. Between the miner and the nurse, galloping horses reference Doncaster’s equestrian history. The towns racecourse is of course one of the most famous in the UK. Flying Scotsman Representing the rail industry on the mural is the Flying Scotsman. Perhaps one of the most famous steam trains of all time it was built at the Doncaster Works in 1923. The train with it’s number 4472 became the standard bearer in terms of what modern day locomotion looked like at the time. Running mainly along the east coast line from London to Edinburgh it become a famous sight. Even now, albeit much restored it is still running and is part of the National Railway Museum in York. Doncaster’s history with rail was a key factor in the areas growth and in the powering of the industrial revolution. ​ ​Read more:  https://inspiringcity.com/2021/11/03/futures-past-and-present-mural-in-doncaster/

Art of Protest (AOP) Projects , in partnership with Doncaster Creates , Doncaster Council and with support from the Arts Council and external grant funding, is excited to announce the reimagination of Baxter Park in Doncaster through the use of urban art, sustainable oak structures and finished with naturalisation and grassing of the surrounding space. A park in Doncaster is the latest canvas for street artists Craig Evans and Tom Jackson, who work together under the name Static  the Scarborough duo are working with Doncaster Creates and AOP Projects on their first major paint project in the north of England. This follows exhibitions in Asia and the U.S. as well as a high profile presence on the London street art scene. ​ The project,  has seen the creative pair undertake phase one of an ambitious scheme, starting with an end gable paint which forms part of a wider scheme next year, devised through engagement sessions with the public including local school children, about how best to uplift this park and imagery. Static write: Like many of the locations we have been invited to paint in the last few years, Baxter Park is a communal space somehow missing a community - a shadow of what it might have been in the past. From what we learnt by speaking with some of the local residents from Baxter Avenue during our stage #1 paint on the end gable, many people no longer feel connected to the park area, which has become a meeting place and hang-out for drunks and drug dealers, resulting in a space that has been lost and perceived as neglected by the local community and the council. What we have discovered from working on this project with Doncaster Council, Doncaster Creates and Art of Protest Projects, is that there is a desire to see change and foster a new vision of how spaces like this can be reclaimed. Combined with the integration of re-landscaping and the introduction of growing schemes in collaboration with sculptor Lewis Morgan, a sense of positivity can already be felt about the future of the area.From the school children who participated in the workshops to the parents and adults that stopped to talk to us and ask about the project - it was apparent that given the chance to reconnect with this space, people of all ages will respond and engage with ideas, inspirations and aspirations regarding the changes they want and need. By simply ‘painting some walls' , we have noticed on many occasions that it triggers a response. It demonstrates that there are people (artists like us working with collectives and individuals, councils and places of education) who care and are willing to spend time and energy on transforming places. In turn this may inspire and nurture others with a positive attitude engendering a sense of pride in the places we live and share, with our neighbours and the community as a whole.

‘Rendition’ exposes the deportation of unmarried Irish women and their infants from Britain to Ireland for incarceration in mother and baby institutions. Doncaster artist Fiona Cahill draws on her grandmother’s, her mother’s and her own experience. The term ‘rendition’ refers to informally/covertly transferring or deporting a person from one jurisdiction to another with less regulation for their humane treatment. Rendition exists outside of the usual legal processes. Fiona says, “The British State refuses to apologise for its historic treatment of unmarried mothers.”  Through the exhibition she aims to interrupt the harms of separation and extraction they suffered, that are seen in the colonised experience and in the commodification of the natural world. Fiona explains, “A ritualised meditative process allows me to transmute my grief and trauma. Community grieving rituals such as funerals remain unavailable for the vast majority of infants -sons, daughters, siblings -still hidden behind the walls of institutions in the UK and in Ireland. I hope that by recognising ongoing harms we can facilitate the UK apology my mum asked for and the sharing of our communal grief.” Fiona’s mother and grandmother, Maria and Philomena. They never saw each other again after this photo was taken. Artbomb is delighted to have secured this groundbreaking exhibition in partnership with Doncaster Unitarians, with assistance from Arts Council England and Doncaster Council.  Artbomb co-curator Jennie Gilman says, “Rendition is a raw, poetically detailed ode to Fiona’s matriarchal ancestors and a call for justice for stolen people and populations everywhere.”   Jennie feels that the exhibition is particularly timely as the delayed pre-excavation work at the Tuam sewers finally begins and the scandal resurfaces within the media. She describes Fiona’s exhibition as “a timely reclaim of the narrative told from the perspective of those still suffering from the intergenerational trauma today,”  and adds, “Through projects like Fiona’s Rendition and Spelling Mistakes Costs Lives’ Apartheid Apartments, ArtBomb is proudly evolving into a high street space which champions the art of protest and nurtures artistic freedom of expression. We’re grateful to Fiona for the warmth, passion and the gently galvanising energy she has brought to this project and are extremely proud to be exhibiting this work.”   Rev Stephanie Bisby, minister with Doncaster Unitarians, says, “This powerful and personal exhibition has implications not just for those directly affected by rendition, but for everyone impacted by generational trauma or complex family situations. We share Fiona’s interest in the power of ritual and look forward to a successful collaboration which includes Fiona’s involvement in the church’s annual flower service on Saturday 12 July, a celebration of the natural world and of the symbolism of flowers representing renewal and growth, a chance for beauty to be born out of pain, much like this exhibition.” Rendition opens at Artbomb in Doncaster at 4.30pm 10 July and will be on display until mid-August, visible from the street and open regularly from 11am-4pm on Wednesdays, as well as by arrangement at other times. The exhibition will then tour community spaces and galleries before landing at the planned site at the former Magdalene laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin. Fiona Cahill, Artist tcup@ymail.com Jennie Gilman, Artbomb Co-curator jennie@artbombuk.com

Live Performance & Residency 13—26 May 2024 When the ArtBomb and the Unitarian Church approached me about a collaboration focused on women's mental health and voices, it was an immediate “ yes!" As a woman of colour — who is also neurodivergent — and from a working-class background, I understand the struggles women face on so many levels. This was a profound opportunity to use my art to serve my community and spark crucial conversations.   For this mini-residency, I created a spin machine named Florence , designed to bring a more meditative approach to my process. It allows me to release control and pour pure energy onto the canvas. During the residency, I had the privilege of listening to incredible poetry as women came together to share their stories. I wove some of their powerful words directly into my immersive performance, blending art, poetry, and sound to create a truly unique experience.   To elevate the atmosphere, I collaborated with the sound artist Jackhno . We created a soundscape where they transformed my voice reading poetry into incredible synth-techno music. In my studio, I always let music guide my mark-making, and this collaboration took that process to a whole new level.   This was my first experience with live performance and residency on this scale, and it was deeply moving. It was a privilege to connect with people who dropped in and shared their stories. One woman shared how her grandson, who has ADHD, struggles to see a future for himself. I was so touched to be able to offer him a message of hope through my work. Other observers saw swirling synapses and galactic energy spirals in the artwork. It was a beautiful reminder that art connects us, bringing peace and a sense of shared community. Instagram

Chris Dobrowolski A rickshaw made from recycled bicycles. The load carrying section of the rickshaw will be filled with materials collected with the help of Don Catchment Rivers Trust and the local recycling centre. The selection of this material will have an emphasis on red and gold coloured objects—traditional Chinese colours of good luck. The aim is to highlight the negative environmental excesses of relying on consumer goods brought to the UK from the other side of the world.

Bioni Samp My performance attempts to create a symbiotic frequency relationship, like pollination and nectar exchanges, beekeeper and bees. The idea is to create an audio journey which explores the sounds and frequencies inside the honey bee’s home, the beehive. In each honey bee colony there are three types of bee. The drone, worker and queen bees, each of these have their own individual frequencies in the ranges of; low-200Hz or less, mid: 200-400Hz and high: 400+Hz, just like the earth has its own special frequency of approximately 7-9Hz. As an electronic music producer and seasonal beekeeper. I was inspired to learn more about bee frequencies and make a creative work that incorporated these bee frequencies in the hope of raising awareness about bees and their increasingly fragile ecology system.

Joane Chicau A WebPage in Three Acts  is an assemblage of live coded visual experiments performed in the web browser. The computer screen is divided in two stages: the ‘frontstage’, the interface a user normally accesses, and the ‘backstage’ or the web console in which programming languages can be run. In the web console Joana Chicau calls, juxtaposes and manipulates different web programming actions which are named after choreographic concepts. The page originally filled with information, will be deconstructed and set into motion. At HNI Rotterdam, credit: Marco De Swart A WebPage in Three Acts by Joane Chicau

Rev Tom Cready of the Unitarian Church on Hall Gate who generously hosted ArtBomb'21 The great Soviet film director Andrei Tarkovsky has said: “The artist exists because the world is not perfect. Art would be useless if the world were perfect, as we wouldn't look for harmony but simply live in it. Art is born out of an ill-designed world. Maybe we are here to enhance ourselves spiritually. If our life tends to this spiritual enrichment, then art is a means to get there. Art should help us in this process. Art enriches our own spiritual capabilities," I would say the same about religion. Religion enriches our spiritual capabilities; religion addresses our incomplete, unfinished state while giving us a voice to express our longing for completion; for release from the restless searching for affirmation in that moment of self-acceptance; that moment of self-transcendent joy that C. S. Lewis defined as “an unsatisfied desire that is itself more satisfying than any other desire”. And in religion, as in art, the understanding conveyed by the literal and the factual can be both limited and manipulated, and the abstract and the atmospheric, the symbolic and the suggestive can be more evocative and more inclusive, and can invite a more active and fulfilling engagement. Religion is not about creed or dogma, ritual or ceremony, practice or observance. All those things are culturally specific, and they may be wonderful and beautiful in themselves; but they are not essential. The heart of religion, the living breathing, universal heart of religion is the capacity to provide food for the mind, medicine for the soul, and fuel for our creative fire. This is what religion has in common with art; religious ideas, religious images and religious language can do what the literary, visual and dramatic arts can do: what stories, songs, painting, poetry; including the poetry of performance as well as the poetry of words can do. Which is not simply to convey information but provide an insight into what life is like for people whose circumstances are very different; not an explanation of what it means; and not a description of how it looks but an evocation of how it feels - an invitation to enter into an imaginative sympathy with an experience of life that is not our own. I am careful how I use the word ‘religion’. The word is often used to refer to a system of social and personal conformity determined by the dominant culture and to a set of sanctions intended to enforce that conformity. I use the word ‘religion’ to challenge social and cultural conformity; to reach out for ways of living that are more generous, honest and tolerant, where we are not condemned to compete against each other for pride of possession or pride of position in a constant pantomime of judging and being judged. I use the word ‘religion’ refer to the process of exploration and expression of all the possibilities of a relationship between the personal and the universal; between the intimate and the ultimate. A religious sensibility that does not seek to perpetuate a set of mythologies but to respond to changing human needs and growing human knowledge has something else in common with art. I do not speak of great art, fine art, high art or any other category of art except one: honest art. Art as so powerfully and beautifully exemplified by Lorna Collins and Lucy Taylor during Artbomb. Art and religion can find the lost, lift up the fallen and heal the wounded. I absolutely loved the comment made during a discussion of the ‘Urban Art Forum’; a project that uses arts and culture to regenerate deprived areas were looking for a base Anfield in Liverpool, and found somewhere they thought was ideal: a large corner shop that had previously been a bakery. So they moved in and every single day they had people coming into the office wanting to buy bread. They had a meeting to decide what to do about this, and somebody said: “Well, we’d better start learning how to bake bread then.” The building had been a bakery for over a hundred years and had been run by the same family for the last fifty years, and three family members, all in their seventies, kept it going until it sold its last loaf and closed its doors. So the team bought some ovens; the old ones being completely derelict. Two of the members went off to bread making classes and learned how to bake bread, and they came back and taught everyone else; and they began each day by baking bread. And everyone who came looking for bread, got bread. And everyone, without being asked, without being pressed, stayed to talk. And the team got people’s memories, feelings and opinions far more effectively than they would ever have done going around knocking on doors with a clipboard. I found that story impressive and even inspiring for a couple of reasons. One is that it was such an effective refutation of an obvious cliché: the educated professionals, the sophisticated intellectuals going out among the common people but maintaining their cultural superiority and keeping their emotional distance from the common people. If that was the case then they would have reacted differently when people kept knocking on their door asking for bread; they would have sent them away: “We have no bread. We’re serious, highly qualified people doing serious work trying to revitalise a dying community we don’t want the community pestering us for bread while we’re trying to work out what’s best for the community!”   They didn’t. They didn’t do anything like that. They said: “Well, we’d better start learning how to bake bread then.” And what about the view from the other side? Consider the people who kept knocking on the door of what was obviously no longer a bakery, looking for bread. How do we regard them? A bit lost? A bit foolish? Not very perceptive? The remnants of a dying community, hapless victims of urban redevelopment? The last stragglers of a stranded community clinging on to memory and looking for familiarity? The people who kept the factories going, the trams running and the canals flowing? Are we going to patronise them, are we going to criticise them, are we going to sympathise with them, but basically not do anything for them, or with them? No. we’re going to learning how to bake bread for them.                                                 And consider this too: why do people still go to church when formal religious allegiance and a belief in the social utility and even necessity of being seen to be a ‘churchgoer’ and belonging to a ‘religion’; which was once almost universal, has gone the way of the mills and the mines and the habits and practices of a working life that once was central to the experience of most of the people of these islands? What are people looking for in churches these days? Are they looking for God? Or are they looking for bread? Food for the spirit and medicine for the soul; or are they looking for company? Which is a perfectly good reason for going to church; The root meaning of the word ‘companion’ is ‘One who shares bread.’  There is a line in a commentary on the spiritual classic ‘The Wounded Healer’ by Henri Nouwen, which goes: “The message of faith is no more than one starving person telling another where bread is to be found.” Rev Tom