Senior technician, alumni and designer Shiori Naruse is working on a residency programme commissioned by Creative Central NCL (funded by North of Tyne Combined Authority and Newcastle City Council) in partnership with The Home Group’s homelessness charity and social enterprise Tyneside Foyer. Shiori who graduated in 2015 from our Textiles degree secured her position this summer working with both Textiles and MA students. Shiori, her creative partner and a number of residents will be hosting a stall at this years Christmas market on November 25th and an exhibition this December in the foyer of Tyneside Foyer to complete the project.

Since graduating she has developed her print practice creating and selling wall-paper on her website narusedesign.com and hosting workshops at institution’s such as Cultural Spring, Gem Arts, The Baltic, Shipley Art Gallery and Seven Stories as well as hosting pop-up shops Fenwick and John Lewis. After running her own studio for several years Shiori is now working as part of the print collective Incubate Printmaking alongside artists and printmaker Nick Christie & Alfons Bytautas which has given her the studio space needed to make and host more workshops. Working in community settings is a big part of her practice and is a central point of her work with Newcastle Council.

Her work with Creative Central NCL alongside creative partner Nick Christie and two volunteers from Newcastle University, is the first commission for the project which aims to turn central Newcastle into a thriving hub for artists and those in creative careers, “Creative Central NCL a place for independent artists, creative professionals and cultural organisations to thrive in central Newcastle. We want to see a city centre that is brought to life by artists and creatives, where their skills, practice and experience is a cornerstone of what makes the city attractive and unique,” commented Vix Leaney, project manager for Creative Central NCL.

Shiori’s project works with homeless teens and young people (16-25) living at Tyneside Foyer on West-gate Road. Delivering creative three hour workshops in “print processes, fabric dying, screen-printing” in the hope that these weekly sessions support positive change in the life of the Foyers Residents to “help them express themselves or support a brighter future.”

Attendance to these workshops can be difficult to manage due to the different commitments of the Foyer’s residents however workers at the Foyer have commented on how the classes have positively impacted some residents that have continued with drawing and printing outside of the workshops. Shiori commented, “Some residents have learnt some processes in school but left it behind and now can continue to develop those skills. The residents i’ve worked with love anything that they are given. Some are really into football, florals, we have one resident that brings their own inspiration. In our tie-dye session he came back with a further drawing on his bag and has said he wants to do textiles at college next year. There is a lot of talent in the group, and it’s great to give resources and time and space”.

The project is set to last at least 6 months starting in August and due to end in December, the project finishes with Christmas Stall at Grainger Market on November 25th, where students can sell their work and get some experience interacting with customers there will also be a Christmas card workshop for market goers to participate in. “There will also be an exhibition set up in the Foyer’s foyer so residents can see their work displayed for the public” planned for December!

Shiori commented that she hopes to”raise awareness of the positive impact of doing community based workshops through this project and help shine a more positive light on the foyer and some of it’s talented young residents.” Don’t miss out on the market stall, head down to Grainger Market on November 25th!

If you are interested in studying textiles at degree level and learning some of the skills mentioned here, printing, craft, surface design and more make sure you check out our degree programme page and apply now!