There are plenty of great things happening here in Newport. Much of it goes beneath the radar as I think the City suffers a little from it’s close proximity to Cardiff. However let’s chirp on about some of the interactive and proactive creative happenings for a moment.

The finest of all venues, Le Pub, commissioned the Clarks to curate an evening of art and performance as part of their #WeShallOvercome weekend of events. The money donated was for those hardest hit by austerity cuts. The evening featured Mr and Mrs Clark, Justin Cliffe, Dino Rovaretti, Art Rat and Barrie J Morgan, June Campbell-Davies, Sarah Campbell-Horner, Donna Males, Sheree Naqvi and Bosch. The evening under the name Express Yourself was a joyful success and here are a few snaps.

Pictured: June Campbell Davies                 Sheree Naqvi

However art is not merely for the interior of establishments. In an attempt to create a positive energy around negative spaces NIA founder member Marega Palser organised a walk around town with a painting event. She sent out an open invitation to artists to join the walk through the heart of the City centre. The result resembled something of a positive protest with paintings held aloft on a march down Commercial Street. The result left us asking where should art really be and who is it for if it’s confined to galleries and museums and what if art was introduced to negative spaces in the city? Here are some images…

So we’ve been busy in a non-NIA way… engaging with the way we make and show work. There’s more to come from NIA artists over the next month or two including Mr and Mrs Clark’s Inviting The Neighbours Around To Paint in Maindee. If you want to get involved, here’s a bit more info.

Over and Out

Gareth