Meet the WOTFEST SIX Creative Commission artists
To celebrate our sixth year we have once again funded 6 exciting creative commissions, which will be released and showcased as part of the 6th annual Women On Tap Festival in May 2022.
The idea behind this strand is to support the creation of brand new work, to highlight and celebrate great beer things, and to pay talented creators to do something they love.
This year, we were looking for creative responses to just one of two themes: NORTHERN BEER WOMEN or SAFE BEER SPACES.
Here are the artists with a summary of the pieces we will be releasing on social media and on this website:
Laura Crompton
Laura is a Harrogate-based independent designer and illustrator, and created the stunning artwork for WOTFEST SIX.
Name of Commission: Northern Beer Women.
Format: Digital images and prints.
Description: A visual celebration of northern women in the beer industry.
Release info: Tuesday 3rd May, 8pm. An exhibition of Laura’s work will also run at Harrogate Brewing Co taproom from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th May.
Visit www.lauracrompton.design
2. Zoë Andersen
Zoë is a podcast and audio documentary producer from Whitley Bay, Tyneside. She is a proud feminist who advocates on behalf of the Young Women's Trust, an economic justice charity for 18-30 women and non-binary people in England and Wales.
Name of Commission: Lasses, Raise Your Glasses.
Format: Audio (MP3).
Description: Part drinking song, part audio documentary, Lasses, Raise Your Glasses celebrates northern women who drink, make and pour beer.
Release info: Wednesday 4th May, 10am.
Visit www.zoeandersonsound.com
3. Cheryl McGregor
Cheryl is an analogue collage artist who enjoys tearing through the yellow spines of the National Geographic to create surrealist worlds that tend to feature women and beer (as all good fantasy worlds should!).
Name of Commission: A Vindication of the Pints of Woman.
Format: Analogue collage.
Description: These ladies are kicking back, enjoying some of their favourite Belgian numbers & each other’s company.
Release info: Thursday 5th May, 10am.
Follow Cheryl on Instagram
4. Jem Henderson and Chris Cambell
Jem Henderson (she/they) is a genderqueer poet from Harrogate. They have recently won a Creative Future award for underrepresented writers. an othered mother, their first pamphlet, is due out in July 2022 from Nine Pens. Another collaborative book, Genderfux, is out now with Nine Pens.
Chris Cambell (he/they) is a mixed-race Native American immigrant with ADHD, is the Co-Founder of Fight Evil With Poetry Press, and is an award winning poet, editor, and slam champion. His debut collection is forthcoming so keep your eyes peeled!
Name of Commission: Last Orders.
Format: Poem.
Description: A collaborative poem exploring the community and history of beer and bars, alongside our own experiencing in them - good and bad.
Release info: Friday 6th May, 10am.
Follow Jem on Twitter
Visit www.chriscambellpoetry.com
5. Christina Crook
Christina is a designer/illustrator who loves creating in lots of different mediums but primarily paints digitally.
Name of Commission: Safe and Found.
Format: Digital Artwork.
Description: A magical rainbow land where the beer flows in beautiful colours and everyone feels safe and welcome.
Release info: Saturday 7th May, 10am.
Follow Christina on Instagram
6. Sally Cooper
Sally has worked in local and community radio, in PR and communications, and has taught English language. In recent years the desire to take a leap into a more creative way of living has grown.
In 2021 she began an MA in Creative Writing at Leeds Trinity University, forcing the ageing brain cogs to turn again, and now she is enjoying learning more about the craft and profession of writing.
Sally loves a good pint and a chance to sit in quiet contemplation amongst people. She also runs and reads with enthusiasm, but not usually simultaneously.
Name of Commission: A Pint of Solitude.
Format: A series of short written pieces, each accompanied by a photo.
Description: An exploration of what it feels, sounds, smells and tastes like to sit and drink beer alone as a woman in and around Sally’s local area in Leeds.
Release info: Sunday 6th May, 10am.
Follow Sally on Twitter.