The Virtual Ark Artists
The Virtual Ark Artists
Paul Evans
Rowena Sommerville
Based at Yorkshire Artspace in Sheffield, Paul Evans has a passion for artistic co-creation and working with people and communities. His fourteen-year track record of producing award-winning creative public engagement, throughout the UK, includes collaborations with many leading institutions including the BBC, Welcome Trust and six leading universities: University of Aberdeen, University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, University of Lincoln, The University of Manchester and The University of Sheffield. His work for the Cardiff University CAER Heritage Project was awarded NCCPE Engage Award (2014), Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to Community (2017) and The Marsh Award for Community Archaeology (2021).
Paul has previously collaborated with Professor Mike Bruford on the ‘Future Animals’ project with Professor Jacqui Mulville and National Museums Wales in 2010. He has a lifetime interest in conservation, having been instrumental in setting up the Walsall branch of Friends of the Earth whilst in his school sixth form; he was also involved in a number of Greenpeace ‘direct actions’ with Joe Simpson (Touching the Void) in the mid 1980s.
Rowena Sommerville has written and illustrated books for children (Hutchinson/Random) and contributes poems to magazines and websites. Her ‘adult’ poetry collection was published by Mudfog Poetry Press in September 2021. She writes for and sings with acappella band Henwen, and has been involved in community and participatory arts for many years. She has an existing link with Frozen Ark - one of their post-doctoral colleagues was originally turned on to evolutionary studies through Rowena’s poem ‘Silverfish Rap’ which bemoans that creature’s lack of evolutionary change, and which was included in the student’s PhD Thesis.
Human
Driven by the discovery of knowledge, technology and culture, Human collaborates with individuals, groups and organisations that make a difference. Launched in 2007 and based in Sheffield (UK), Human is a creative agency with global credentials in design, digital, moving image and immersive experiences. The team works with academics, artists, institutions and global brands on interactive projects for live events and online. Work by Human has been exhibited at numerous international locations and published in print and online around the world. Selected past/present clients include: Channel 4, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Cardiff, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield, University of York, Virgin Records, Warner Music, Warp Films, MTV (Italy), Roewe (China), SCI+TEC (USA), Seaborn Networks (USA), Swatch (Switzerland), Theseus Global (UK/India)
Our Big Picture
Our Big Picture is an arts and heritage social enterprise. We believe that everyone has the right to art in their lives.
Through artists, we work inclusively with our communities to enable everyone to take part in, experience, and enjoy art at its best, resulting in the collective exploration, learning, sharing, and shaping of our home.
We deliver positive experiences where nobody is excluded, including exhibitions in public spaces, workshops, heritage events, and online activities and art communities. In delivering these experiences, we bring new creative opportunities to the area.
We work with everybody, specifically, children, young people, and families, and their wider communities. We work with young emerging artists to well-established international artists.
We excite and inspire the communities of North East Lincolnshire through arts and heritage projects that are open to everyone – families, children, young people, groups, and individuals.
We commission and support diverse artists to create, work, and grow in the local area. Click here for more information.
We work collaboratively with local, national, and international partners to regenerate North East Lincolnshire through arts and heritage projects.
