Networked Narrative

Networked Narrative was a four-year partnership programme (2014-2017) that aimed to empower young people with art and technology.

Networked Narrative was a successful partnership programme that empowered young people from across Burnley, Wigan and Hull to have an influence over the decisions involving two art commissions by artists Re-Dock and Mark Titchner for both online and public spaces.

The project took place within a drastically changing, political landscape, where our partners including; libraries, youth services and local authorities faced huge redundancies, restructures and drastic funding cuts. Yet, the project endured through great art, the help of good food, humour, patience and determination.

Our final evaluation report (downloadable from the link below) tells the story of commissioning art with artists, young people and organisations across three different locations within the expanse of the Northern Powerhouse Corridor, resulting in incredible exposure to a broad & often disenfranchised public. We believe the artists took risks in creating inclusive and personal works, which resonate the voices of young people and comment on the places they are from.

Online Commission

In 2015, Re-Dock was selected by a panel of four young people for our online art commission to create a text adventure game Northern Powerhouse: Last Towns Standing. Re-Dock invited artists with diverse backgrounds and skills to help the young people collaboratively make a fictional world based on their real world surroundings. Launched in 2016, the text adventure game is accompanied by the exhibition Northern Powerhouse 2065, which toured to libraries across the North of England.

Play the game.

Public Space Commission

Mark Titchner was selected by a panel of young people to create artworks that explored young people's responses to the question "what is it that you want more than anything else?" and have them visible in public spaces. The messages, written in the young peoples’ handwriting, could be seen across Wigan, Hull and Burnley.

In 2016, Mark delivered a series of workshops in each location of which he posed the question and invited the young people to make art. The responses varied from deeply personal, to everyday wants and global concerns. Having accumulated a mass of materials from rhe whole experience, the artist decided to work with the young people's handwriting, creating personal artworks for each site.

Northern Powerhouse: Last Towns Standing, 2015. Photo By Stephen King.

Mark Titchner, Bethan, 2017. Photo by Simon Webb.

Mark Titchner, Mina, 2017. Photo by Simon Webb.

Mark Titchner, Sophie, 2017. Image by Simon Webb.

Mark Titchnerm, Eden, 2017. Photo by Simon Webb.

Mark Titchner, Alice, 2017. Photo by Simon Webb.

Mark Titchner, Olivia, 2017. Iinstall view at the Turnpike. Photo by Simon Webb.

Mark Titchner, Olivia, 2017. Photo by Simon Webb.

Networked Narrative is made up of four key partners: FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), Hull Culture & Leisure Ltd, Inspiring healthy lifestyles and Lancashire County Council.

With support of public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England's Strategic Touring fund, this project uses art and technology to empower and inspire young people and their communities, particularly in areas with low art engagement.

Project Evaluation

Our final evaluation report tells the story of commissioning art with artists, young people and organisations across three different locations within the expanse of the Northern Powerhouse Corridor.