Unrealised - Unrealisable: 1-4 March 2011

For the seventh retreat Unrealised - Unrealisable, artists and curators were invited to discuss and propose projects which have not been made, can not be made, have failed or are otherwise unrealisable. The four day event explored artworks and projects which exist as ideas, lie on the threshold between made and unmade or exist as a partial expression or incomplete idea. The participants were: Rachel Barker, Kayle Brandon and Joanne Bristol, Veronique Chance, Elena Cologni, Aaron Head, Barbara Howley, Chris Jackson.

The invited speakers were: Matt Stokes (Artist), Teresa Gleadowe (Independent Curator), Unrealised Projects (Sam Ely and Lynn Harris, Artists), Paul Richards (Artist) and included a visit to Norwich and Colchester to meet Harriet Godwin (Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, Norwich Castle), Benjamin Brett (Steering Committee Member, Outpost), Katherine Wood (Director, Firstsite)

The retreat was curated by MA lecturer Kit Hammonds and Escalator Curator Gareth Bell-Jones. The event was attended by students from the Royal College of Art Curating Contemporary Art MA Laura Smith, Egle Kulbokaite, Laura Clarke, Mette Kjaergaard Praest, Elizabeth Stanton, Katie Guggenheim, Daniela Berger, Lily Hall, Sabel Gavaldon, Sunny Cheung, Asana Greenstreet, Ruth Lie, Christina Millare, Lena Mohamed, Melanie Pocock, Paul Reynolds, Karen Roswell, Sacha Waldron, Mariam Zulfiqar.

ESCALATOR is the pioneering talent plan from Arts Council England, East that finds, supports and invests in the best artistic talent across all artforms throughout the East of England. Escalator is establishing the East of England as the leading UK region for talent development. Since it launched in 2003, Escalator has helped over 250 artists to develop their work, forge new partnerships and reach new audiences.