Two years on

by Chris Wright

It is nearly two years since I completed the Building Bridges residency. From this  initial  residency, I followed, in 2025, with a residency and exhibition in a new collaboration with Osnabrück artist, Margit Rusert (https://margit-rusert.de/) at Broadway Gallery, Nottingham supported by Near Now, Broadway and Artcore. It was a brilliant and innovative 3 weeks. Using sound, drawing and sculpture, Offshoot focused on plant diversity and mutations using sustainable and recyclable materials, we boldly opened the gallery on day one thus creating and working through ideas in a very public space. Part of my ideas about residencies are to develop ideas of co-creating and a year on, my thoughts are that it is never easy and on this occasion, we set ourselves a very high bar with the public opening and intense work schedule. The reasons for this intensity were mainly financial and the time constraints of both of us. In the end, it was a very successful exhibition  but next time, maybe it should be a little more relaxing.  And properly funded!