We’re very excited to welcome you to Vital Capacities! Over the past 3 months we’ve been working with the four resident artists – Seecum Cheung, Joey Holder, Daniel Locke and Romily Alice Walden, plus access specialist, Sarah Pickthall and web designer, Oli Pyle to create this new, accessible space for artists and audiences.

Vital Capacities was partly inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, but we mainly took inspiration from seeing the limitations travel (and away from home accommodation) put on traditional residencies. These limits often affect disabled people, people with families, those with less resources, and people who don’t want to or can’t travel / stay away from home for other reasons. So, we thought we’d try and create a virtual space that could offer similar value without the restrictions.

We wanted to develop a site that could provide some of the opportunities a residency can give: space and time to think; exploring and developing ideas; making new connections; receiving advice and support, and the chance to float ideas by a new audience.

Over the next month, the four initial residents will be working, sharing what they’ve been doing, and inviting visitors to comment and feedback. We’re hoping it’s going to be quite lively and be a chance for artists and visitors to gain from opening the residency up to the public, to see and experience the way artists develop ideas into artwork.

We hope you enjoy the first residency programme!

Jamie Wyld, director, videoclub / Vital Capacities

Any thoughts, questions or feedback, feel free to email me at: jamie@videoclub.org.uk

Image credits clockwise from top left: Seecum Cheung, Romily Alice Walden, Joey Holder and Daniel Locke.