The Art of the Useful...After Nyne Meets mima's Alistair Hudson
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima) is one of the UK’s leading galleries for modern and contemporary art and craft in the North East of England.
It is making waves in the art world by championing the concept of art being useful and is leading a programme which involves and serves its community.
This exciting new vision aspires to the creation of an institution dedicated to the promotion of art as a tool for education and social change.
mima, which opened in 2007, has established itself as one of the most prestigious galleries in the UK and beyond.
Its drive towards becoming a centre for ‘useful art’ is testing new approaches to making art work in society and everyday life. It’s generating huge interest across the industry in the UK and globally.
A number of UK institutions have visited the gallery to learn from its unique way of looking at art, the brain-child of its director, Alistair Hudson.
Speaking about his vision for the future Alistair, said: “Our new approach is about demonstrating the value and use of art and applying it in everyday life to social and political effect.
“We’re working on projects that really matter to our local community including housing, culture, employment and education.
“Art is not a set of things, but a way of working in the world. We’re involved in everything that’s going on in Middlesbrough – issues such as housing, education, employment and culture. We’re really emerging and embedding ourselves into the community and asking - what can art do to make a difference here?
“We see everything as art and everything as a project – even our café, garden and shop. This helps us to open up the facility to a wider range of people and get them involved at a deeper level which is wonderful to see.
“The idea of using art in a way which enriches lives on a daily basis steps away from the spectatorship of the old.
“Our modern approach to engagement is sparking interest and it’s getting very positive feedback from members of the public.
“We’re finding that more and more people are becoming enriched by the experience at mima and of course enjoying themselves, which is great news.”
For more information visit www.visitmima.com
