Andrew Harrington & Craig Churchill

The Swap involves two photographers photographing each other on two separate days; creating two portraits.

Marco Biancucci & Mauro Corinti

The idea of being in front of the camera is unnerving to a lot of photographers but for those who are willing to take part, it is an opportunity to collaborate with another photographer.

The photographers are encouraged to be creative with their images. They can be as simple or as elaborate as they want, as literal or as abstract as they wish.

Kirk Allen Mastin & Shawn Gust

Laura Pannack & Rob Ball

Both images are then published on the The Swap website. Each set of images is features on the homepage before being archived here.

If you would like to take part in The Swap, please read this.

More: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Bread Collective is a creative collective based in East London, made up of illustrators, graphic designers, art directors, set designers, photographers and filmmakers. We have four core members: Luke James, Owen Phillips, Victoria Walmsley and Jo Lee, regularly collaborating with a wider network of creatives.

The Walls Have Ears Murals

The Walls Have Ears Murals

Having worked with each other in the past, we began as a group of friends discussing how we could stretch ourselves creatively and work on more ambitious projects by combining our different skills. We chose the name Bread, as we liked the idea ‘to break bread’, meaning the idea of a friendly social interaction where something is shared.

Golden Moments Art Direction

Bread was officially established in 2012 after we were awarded funding by the London Legacy Development Corporation for a community project to improve the area where we all live in Hackney Wick, just outside the Olympic park. The project was enthusiastically received by local residents and attracted media attention by the Guardian, the BBC and a list of top design magazines and blogs, such as Creative Review.

Carhartt Installation

As the year has progressed, we have been extremely lucky to work with a variety of great clients, including: Carhartt, Maharishi, Monkstone Knitwear, Samsung, Beck’s, Lovebox Festival and Cnwd.

Monkstone AW12 Video Lookbook

Where possible, we strive to work on worthy projects that we believe in, and we’ve enjoyed running workshops with the public. This has led us to work on inspirational projects such as the Do Lectures, and Kaleidoscope Festival which launches at the Barbican in November.

Monkstone AW12 Video Lookbook

We’re always keen to hear from people who would like to collaborate with or commission us, so please feel free to give us a shout at:
Website | Blog | Vimeo | Facebook | Twitter

//////

See more arts collectives we’ve featured on the site. Think we should feature your collective? Get in touch.

Louise Emslie

Located in a windowless subterranean city-centre warren that operated previously as rehearsal space and recording studios, 26 was formed in 2009 by a group of six NE-Scotland based visual artists, initially to meet the need for low-cost, independent studio space.

Mark Rennie – Devout Fanatacism

26 Collective studio is now managed by Stray Dog and provides communal space, a b+w darkroom, permanent accommodation for seven visual artists and two bands, and supports the wider creative community with regular collaborative projects and events, including exhibitions, installations and screenings (Stray Dog Project Room), The Mural Project (a season of collaborative live-mural club nights curated by Jon Reid), Tuff Wax/Dolfinz single launch, and ongoing podcast/video series POST.

Stephen – The Mural Project

Our current aims are: to continue supporting and retaining emerging talent in Aberdeen by providing independent, low-cost studio space and developing opportunities to showcase new work; to provide a creative, social space for the exchange of ideas and strengthening of networks; and to make connections beyond our local region, building new collaborations and bringing creative talent to the city.

Kuba Markowski in the darkroom

We have more events planned this autumn/winter and will continue to document our activity. You can contact us and find out more via our Facebook page, and listen or watch podcasts via our Vimeo and Mixcloud pages. We’re always keen to hear from potential collaborators and anyone who wants to get involved.

Find Out More:
Facebook | Blog | Mixcloud | Tumblr | Vimeo | Twitter

//////

See here for more Collectives featured on Central Station.
Contact us to talk about a feature for your Collective.

Brothers of the Stripe are a collective of image-makers working across the UK who work on a mixture of art, graphic design, and illustration projects. The group were shepherded together by the foresight of Joel Millerchip, illustrator and unofficially, the illustrious leader.

Rainbow Kelly by Mr Millerchip

Joel went from city to city, getting full UK coverage by selecting some of his favourite illustrators to represent their area of the country, to bring what they do to the ‘Stripe’, and to play host once their time comes.

Expo by Mr Millerchip

Sampler by Mr the Beef

Some say our name comes from Joel’s obsession with the Newcastle United Football strip design, and that he has it tattooed on his underarm… annually.  Other rumours involve Stephen Chan once hypnotizing himself by staring at a barbershop pole too long, and the collectives shared loved of a striped Jamaican beer. Whatever it is, these boys are brothers in arms and industry.

Kyoto 1 by Stephen Chan

Kyoto 2 by Stephen Chan

So far, shows have included a spot at Get a Grip Studios at the Custard Factory, Birmingham and a day long take over of Design Museum, London. Next up, the collective find themselves in residence at the Soup Kitchen in Manchester sometime in October.

The Hunt (detail) by Will Scobie

Before long, Brothers of the Stripe will have reached the four corners of the UK, with representation in Scotland, Wales and England. Expect shows in Glasgow, Nottingham Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle and London in due course.

Clouds by Cloud Commission

One by Kristian Jones

More: Website | Facebook | Twitter

//////

See here for more Collectives featured on Central Station.
Contact us to talk about a feature for your Collective.

And Sew for Today is a daily project by Emma Ruth.

Each morning, Emma uses an internet based random word generator to choose a word then she hand stitches it onto a piece of fabric. Without using patterns or pre-planning, Emma grabs some fabric and thread and stitches the first thing that comes into her head. It’s an experiment in typography, embroidery and fun.

This is just a small selection of her work here, see her Tumblr for more.

Visit the And Sew for Today website.
Follow And Sew for Today on Twitter.
Find out more about Emma here.
Follow Emma on Twitter here.

/////

For more creative delights we’ve Spotted on the web take a look here.

Traveling Voices is a multimedia project produced by Andrew Smillie. Taking historic images of Glasgow’s Central and providing a commentary of the station throughout the years.

The aim of the project is to demonstrate that audio and images, specific to a location, can be delivered through a QR Code interface and consumed via a mobile device.

The project is part of Andrew’s submission to his BA (Hons) Broadcast Production degree course of the University of the West of Scotland.

Narrated by Paul Lyons, Customer Services Assistant at Central Station (as in the railway station…not us..we don’t have a Customer Services Assistant…), the audio acts as a guide through the station as well as giving insightful stories & facts.

Listen and browse – you’ll never take Glasgow Central Station for granted again (nor us, we hope).

visit the Travelling Voices project.
Follow Traveling Voices on Twitter.
Find Traveling Voices on Facebook.

/////

For more creative delights we’ve Spotted on the web take a look here.

Are you an Artist? Writer? Musician? Critic? Has the recession and past year of cultural, social and political unrest affected you or your practice? Or what you or your work now explores, engages, and deals with? The aim of this project is to challenge the notion that art and artists must passively engage with politics. Why aren’t we on the front line – Or more appropriately the front bench?

I feel passionately about this project as I am a part of the 99%.  – A young artist, a woman and a human being. It is so important that a strong and equal relationship is cultivated between those in power and those affected by the decisions made by the government, universities or the police force for example. Our generation must care about politics. We need to engage, challenge and construct a future for ourselves we feel comfortable and empowered in. We need to have a voice – A voice that does not necessarily have to shout, demonstrate and riot. There is a huge and justified frustration within my generation but we need to have a clear direction and ultimate goal that is driven by the youth of today.

On a personal level I am developing this project as I feel my engagement with politics is too basic; I want to challenge and refine my political and intellectual knowledge and become more involved with politics. And within my practice I want challenge myself conceptually and aesthetically – How do you convey a movement, a frustration, a collapsing society? I want to use my practice to push my creativity and political voice. I have always been interested in politics but am only starting to find my own point of view and position both as an artist and person. I also think it is important that this struggle is kept in the newspapers, minds and convocations of the public. The Occupy movement is brilliant as it has highlighted and raised awareness of the issues we face globally but there needs to be a considered and direct approach within the UK surrounding issues such as the enforcement of university fees, the dismantlement of the NHS and unemployment.

I am looking to work with and document people who feel they have something to express. If the ideas I have talked about engage your mind, values or political voice I would like to explore you ideas visually and also take your portrait.  I have already had some great responses to my photographic social documentary. Painters. Students. Photographers.  Friends. Business owners. Gallery workers…

This is an ongoing project and I would like it to reach as wider breadth of people as possible. I want to represent people from the 99%…

Where can art go next?

This is the way the artist’s world ends. This is the way the art world ends. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.

If you would like to get involved please don’t hesitate to contact me on stellaheathkeir@aol.com or you can reach me by phone on 07733320110.

/////

Find out what other creatives are up to, browse through our featured blogs.

1.  CHCH 220212 Type Branding Poster Project
Behance
Peter Godkin

Both a call for collaboration & a creative response to a natural disaster, the aim of this project is to bring the World’s attention to the continuing problems of the People of Christchurch. The intention is to show support not only to the general public, but to fellow creatives in Christchurch as well. See updates on the project here.

2. Papergirl Zagreb
Twitter – @PapergirlZagreb
Ivana Rezek

If you aren’t familiar with Papergirl, it is a project that seeks to bring art to the community in a new, exciting and participatory way; directly and freely by bicycle. It happens in cities all over the work. Papergirl Zabreb are currently looking for your art to spread around the streets of Croatia’s capital.

3. Sketch a Day
Facebook
Artist

Hoping to inspire a year of drawing, the artist is on a mission to create a sketch a day throughout 2012 and is encouraging input from the public.

4. Smile Project
Behance
Marek Wysoczynski

Originated in Poland, this project is calling for your smiles. The idea is that people from all over the world submit their “autograph” in the form of an image of their smile, the smiles will then be exhibited in Children’s hospitals globally.

5. 28 Drawings Later: February Drawing Challenge
Facebook
Victoria Evans

This is a drawing challenge and social networking project created by Visual Artist Victoria Evans. The result iss an evolving, month-long, participatory online gallery which encourages everyone, artists and non-artists alike, to see what might happen if they made time to draw every day for a month.

Do you have a project that needs creative input? Let us know in the comments below.

/////

See more Top 5′s selected from the network here.

Ian Anderson is a film/video creative who has worked on a broad range of projects from TV commercials and music videos, to short films and fashion pieces. We came across his “My Cool Campervan Project” on our Cargo network and were intrigued.

Here is what Ian has to say about the project:
“My Cool Campervan is a lifestyle book that celebrates those who have made exceptional use of their motorhomes, and one of the authors, Jane Field-Lewis, asked me to make a film about some of the participants…The result was a short documentary about a couple who had a Volkswagen Microbus, that looked every inch the same vehicle as when it rolled out of the Hamburg factory in 1965.”

See a trailer for the film here, and find out more about the project.

There are just 4 days left – get yourself featured in our 50×50 promotion and in the running for cash prizes. Find out how here.