Rebecca Strain MA

Qualifications, training and professional development
2020 Global Community Development, Level 6, Changemakers, Donegal
2019 Deep Ecology, workshop with Kathryn McCabe and Dr Aine Abbott
2019 Peer Support Day, Artlink Fort Dunree
2019 Horticulture Level 3, ETB Buncrana
2018 Peer Critique with Judith Carlton, CCA Derry
2018 Mentoring with Peter Richards, Mary Cremin, Sara Greavu as part of New Spaces
2016 Creative Media, OCN level 3, Nerve Centre, Derry
2012 MA Fine Art, Arts University College Bournemouth, UK
2009 Making it Happen Training for Art Workers, Pyramid of Arts, Leeds
2008 Community Development, OCN, Level 3, Creative Industries Development Agency, Huddersfield
2008 Creative Facilitation, OCN Level 2, Artworks Bradford
2003 BA (Hons) Textile Craft, University of Huddersfield
2000 BTEC Diploma Certificate in Art and Design, North West Regional College. Limavady

Live/Performance
2020 Splendid Isolation, at home
2019 Among the Trees, Performance Art Bergen, Norway
2019 She is with you, Belfast
2019 Ducking Climate Action, Belfast
2018 Red Chalk on White Paper in Blue Dress, Glassworks, Derry
2018 Wellies for Barnisineilly, Donegal Town, Co.Donegal
2018 Finding Coracramph, Donegal Town, Co.Donegal
2018 Unconfined, Glassworks, Derry
2018 Roots of Disarmament, Fort Dunree, Co. Donegal
2018 Night of the Utopian Bonfire, Fanad, Co. Donegal
2017 Waste, St Columbs Park House, Derry
2016 Chewing over Philosophy in Cultural Theory, Online Performance Art, curated by Sandra Bozic
2016 Cumulator 4, Berlin curated by James King
2015 In a different light, curated by Something Happens
2013-present Beebeedeebee (BBDB) and Bbeyond meetings
2011 Invitation to Shred, Arts University College Bournemouth, UK
2011 Parkstone to Polymer, Global Container, Tallinn Estonia
2011 Take My Time, The BIG Collab, Sherbet Lounge, Bournemouth
2010 Paper Chase, Bournemouth University, Dorset
2008 The BIG Decision, Light Night, Leeds
2008 Gleichzeitig 2, Yorkshire Dance, Leeds choreographed by Kathinka Walter

Residencies
2019 Artist Residency, PS Squared, Belfast
2014 Artist Residency, The Potting Shed, Fort Dunree
2014 Artist Residency, Not Quite, Fengerfors, Sweden
2013 Artist Residency, Cló, Gortahork, Donegal
2013 Artist Residency, Arts at Trinity, Leeds, UK
2011 Artist in Residence, Polymer Culture Factory, Tallinn, Estonia
2010 Artist Residency, Polymer Culture Factory, Tallinn, Estonia
2009 Artist in Residence, The Bolsover School, Chesterfield
2008 AA2A, Leeds College of Art and Design, West Yorkshire
2008 The Fine Art of Rejection, 42 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire

Creative Facilitation
2021 Creative Schools, Fintown, Co.Donegal
2019 Creative Schools, Aranmore Island, Co. Donegal
2019 Without Within, Amazing Grace Festival, Buncrana
2018 The Gathering, The Potting Shed, Fort Dunree
2018 Pages of the Sea, school workshops, DesertegneyNS, Inishowen
2014-present Pushkin Trust, Barronscourt Days, Barroncourt, Co Tyrone
2016 Circle Paper Making, Derry and Akku Zurich, Fort Dunree
2016 Photosynthesis, in response to Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain at CCA Derry
2014 Schools workshops and Weekend Drop-In at Void Derry
2011-12 Set up and delivery of Schools Outreach Program at The Gallery, Arts University Bournemouth
2011 Primitive Photography Cyanotype, Arts University College Bournemouth, UK
2011 Cyanotype workshop, Baltic Film and Media School, Tallinn, Estonia
2010 Poetry Quest, The Princes Trust for Children and the Arts, Yorkshire Sculpture Park
2009 Artist Carousel Project, Artforms, Education Leeds, Horsforth Secondary School
2009 Paper making, for women with learning disabilities, Cottingley Cornerstone Centre
2008 Engage (Health and Wellbeing), Bradford Centre for Deaf People, Bradford
2008 Summer College 2008, Bradford Youth Offending Team, St Peter's House Bradford 

Solo exhibitions
2016 Wrapping Up with Free Starring, Saldanha Gallery, Fort Dunree
2010 VeriHigiPisrad (Blood sweat tears), Pop Up Space, Bradford
2008 Sacred, The Delius Centre for Arts, Bradford

Selected Group exhibitions
2020 Still, Virtual Saldanha Gallery
​2018 Carry, Void Gallery Resource Space, Derry
2017 Border, Void Gallery Resource Space, Derry
2016 Manifold, Saldanha Gallery, Fort Dunree
2015 No Time For Hysteria, The Burren Co.Clare
2014 Welfare, Hive Gallery, Waterford
2012 Evidence is Better, Gallery Soup, Bournemouth
2012 Show and Tell, OSR Projects, Somerset
2011 Angels of the North, Greenbelt Festival, Cheltenham
2011 Home from Home, Leeds Artist Book Fair, Leeds
2010 DIY, bank repossessed Guest House, Bournemouth
2010 The Great Northern Art Show, Workhouse Museum, Ripon
2010 Behold, St John the Baptist Church, Knaresborough
2010 Cabinet of Curiosities, 13th Annual Leeds Artist Book Fair, University of Leeds
2009 Found, with Louise Atkinson and InbalDruval, Temple Works, Leeds
2009 Natural Selection, Yorkshire Sculptors at Arts@Trinity, Boar Lane Leeds
2009 ANTIFREEZE, Contents may vary, Manchester
2009 Born and Bread, Yorkshire Sculptors Group at Chelsea Gallery, London
2009 I’m Sorry…, Leeds College of Art and Design, Leeds
2008 Hatch, Bradford Playhouse, Bradford
2008 Showcase, 42 New Briggate, Leeds
2008 More things (in heaven and earth), Durham Cathedral, Durham
2008 Time and Space, The Bowery, Leeds, West Yorkshire
2007 Immanent, Bradford Cathedral, Bradford

Curated projects
2020 Drawn From Borders Virtual Saldanha Gallery,
2018 New Spaces, VAI and Derry City and Strabane District Council
2015 The Europeans: Damaso Reyes, Fort Dunree, Inishowen.
2012 Sex Lives of the Poor and Unknown, co-curated with Sandra Jogeva, Polymer Cullture Factory, Estonia
2012 BH13 Urban Sculpture Garden, Dorset Art Weeks, Branksome, Poole
2007 Climate, Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford
2007 Art Auction, Adelphi, Leeds

Writing
2017 Coded Perception, VAN, Ireland
2015 The Europeans, Damaso Reyes, Irish Times Online
2013 Making It, VAN, Ireland
2012 Show and Tell Review, OSR Projects
2011 a-n Artist Newsletter, Keep Moving

Awards
2018, 2017 &2016 Donegal County Council Arts Award
2015 Arts Council, Travel and Training Award (Inbound through Artlink)
2012 The Oddfellows Award, The Oddfellows, Poole
2008 Access Grant, Creative Pathways, Bradford
2008 NAN New Collaborations Bursary, Artist’s Newsletter, Networking Artists Networks

Employment
2019 Project Co-ordinator, Artlink Ltd, Fort Dunree (P/T)

• Responsible for community engagement program
• Sourcing and applying for relevant funding
• Co-ordination of artist residency programme

2019 Artist, Walls 400 ‘Games on the Walls’ curated by Declan Sheehan (project)

• Design and production of a set of accessible games to celebrate 400th anniversary of Derry Walls

2019 Project Co-ordinator, Drawn From Borders, Nerve Centre Derry (P/T)

• Recruitment of 30+ creatives to take part in the program
• Facilitating a series of events to include research and production for exhibition
• Liaising with Tower Museum, Nerve Centre and Artlink to deliver the programme
• Adhering to Peace IV Special EU Programmes Body funding guidelines

2018 Curator, New Spaces, Visual Artists Ireland (project)

• Working with artists to deliver a program of exhibitions in public spaces
• Liaising with business
• Installing and documenting exhibitions
• Curating a programme of public engagement events, talks, activities, performances

2018 Artist, Pages of the Sea by Danny Boyle, 14-18 Now (project)

• Training with Sand in Your Eye
• Liaising with Pages of the Sea team
• Recruitment of production team
• Production of world-class international artwork 

2017-present Founder/Coordinator of AmachAnseo Community Garden (P/T)

• Establishment of community garden at The Potting Shed, Fort Dunree
• Awarded LA 21 funding for a series of training and workshops
• Awarded Creative Ireland funding to run participatory events
• Awarded ETB funding to deliver a series of gardening classes

 2017 Artist Assistant to Sue Morris, The Unfamiliar Familiar (project)

• Assisting Sue Morris to deliver a one day only exhibition at Nazareth House, Bishops St, Derry~Londonderry for Culture Night
• Marketing: writing press releases, setting up radio interviews, liaising with Culture Night team
• Recruiting volunteer invigilators
• Co-ordinating event on the night
• Post event write up and publication in VAI Newsletter

2016 Consultant, Arts University Bournemouth (project)

• Research project travelling throughout the UK interviewing AUB graduates on life after graduating
• Conducting interviews, transcribing, reporting to AUB

2016 Technician, Derry Print Workshop (P/T)

• Providing technical assistance to print makers

2015 Gallery Manager, Bennigans Gallery, Derry (P/T)

• Set up of gallery at Bennigans Bar
• Co-ordinating monthly exhibitions on behalf of the bar manager

2014 Tabula Rasa, Participatory Performance, Unlimited, Umea, Sweden (project)

• Collaboration with Sean Aita as part of European Off Network Conference

2014 Audience Development Manager, Artlink (P/T)

• Researching and writing Audience Development Strategy
• Delivering public programme
• Funding and report writing
• Developing website and mailing system

2013 Project Coordinator, Artlink (P/T)

• Co-ordination Resistance and Rebellion residency project
• Set up and delivery of drawing events at Dunree and Derry~Londonderry

2012 Artist Assistant for Marcia Farquar, Arts By the Sea Festival, Bournemouth (project)

• Liaising with artist in all aspects of Open University performance
• Securing site and permissions
• Recruiting participants
• Marketing and copy writing

2012 Project Assistant, ExLab, Dorset (project)

• Liaising with Cultural Olympiad team to deliver exhibition and events

2011 Gallery Education Workshop Leader, Arts University College, Bournemouth (P/T)

• Initiating, setting up and delivering Schools programme
• Working with Outreach team, Marketing and The Gallery to secure funding
• Working with various departments to write and approve procedure and risk assessments

2009 Freelance Artist, Forge, Arts for Health, New Lodge, Barnsley (project)

• Working with residents of Barnsley to develop crafts to raise funds for their community centre

2009 Freelance Artist, Art in The Park, Sheffield (P/T)

• Working in green spaces in Sheffield to activate with creative activities

2009 Freelance Artist, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Education, Wakefield (P/T)

• Delivering tours and workshops with school groups
• Facilitating interpretation of exhibitions
• Lead artist on Poetry Quest funded by The Princes Trust

 2008 Artist Associate, Artworks Creative Communities, Bradford (P/T)

• Creative facilitation in schools, galleries, community groups and team building at workplaces

2006-08 Freelance Artist, Kala Sangam, Bradford (F/T)

• Working mainly with minority groups LGBTQ+, BME, Deaf Community, Adults with learning disabilities, Young people not in education or jobs, Young offenders