Sometimes we find ourselves in those difficult situations where things slide over a period of time and suddenly we wake to the reality of the situation – ‘This isn’t what I signed up’, ‘How did this situation arise and how do i get out of it’ ‘Why do I feel anxious about going to work? – maybe somethings not quite right’.
No matter how good our intentions we sometimes find ourselves in situations not entirely of our own making. We have been told half a story and half a truth by an organisation we are working with. There has been mission creep or mission failure.
How do we have those difficult conversations? How do we measure the fear of being labelled ‘difficult to work with’ or the prospect of ‘never working again’.
How do we address those situations when we feel we are light on agency and the balance of power lies with the organisation?
How does this differ too for marginalised people who already feel exposed?
Join artist Aidan Moesby and Tonic Arts Manager Susan Grant for a sharing and discussion around these musings, share some experiences and come up with some shared solutions. Ultimately we are stronger together but sometimes it can feel very lonely as an engaged artist/curator.
Aidan Moesby is an artist, curator and writer who explores civic and personal wellbeing through a body of work that is at once playful, intimate, questioning and deeply human. His practice is a socially engaged one, rooted in research and response – in conversation of many kinds. He works extensively within arts and health and has a particular interest in the spaces where art, technology and wellbeing intersect. Aidan regularly curates and participates in events and discussions which centre these ideas.
Underpinning his work investigating the dual crises of Climate Change and Mental Health is an exploration into the relationships between the outer ‘physical weather’ we experience, and our ‘internal psycho-emotional weather’. Equally likely to be found beyond formal arts institutions as within them, his practice includes both Disability Arts and mainstream representation as artist and curator.
As a Curator, Artist, Writer and Thinker he works nationally and internationally across physical and digital platforms.
Susan Grant, Tonic Arts Manager, Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation, NHS Lothian
Susan has managed the award-winning Tonic Arts programme since 2014, creatively enriching the healthcare experience and enhancing the NHS environment, in partnership with patients, staff, artists and creative organisations. Tonic Arts is a diverse, multi-arts programme of events, exhibitions, artist residencies, collection curation and commissioning that improves patient health and community wellbeing.
Susan has over 20 years’ experience of collaborative, participatory and public arts as an artist and arts manager in gallery, community and healthcare contexts. She has collaborated with partners such as Peacock Visual Arts, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, the Royal Scottish Academy and Arts Tasmania.
