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University of Cambridge

Open: Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm

We are closed on Bank Holiday Mondays.

Please note that on Wednesday 26 February Kettle’s Yard will be closing at 3.30pm for a private event. Last entry to the house will be at 2.15pm. Thank you.

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Open: Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm

We are closed on Bank Holiday Mondays.

Please note that on Wednesday 26 February Kettle’s Yard will be closing at 3.30pm for a private event. Last entry to the house will be at 2.15pm. Thank you.

Jess Mulvey

I am Jess Mulvey, an artist and architectural designer who works across community arts projects, my own fine art practice, playwork, university teaching and renovations.

I am the founder of A Social Arts Practice (ASAP), a community arts and co-design practice that seeks to empower young people through giving them true agency over fun, inspiring and dynamic creative projects.

ASAP’s approach is drawn from my own artistic practice which flows between disciplines. I create bright abstract collages which inform my sculptures, which I build using timber offcuts. My sculptures influence my interior and architecture renovation projects where I see a wall as a canvas and use playful colour blocks to change the feeling of space and interact with objects. I grew up in Cambridge and my practice is inspired by and connected to the enchanting spaces of Kettle’s Yard. I am delighted by the opportunity to connect young people with the cultural history of Kettle’s Yard and the wider city of Cambridge in this project in playful and engaging ways.

Bridges

My first priority for Bridges is to create an positive, open atmosphere to learn about the arts, culture and places that the young people are excited by as we begin to explore the question “what and where do we connect to?” We will discuss the meaning of the term “fine art” and playfully challenge the separation of art and audience and the implicit rules of the gallery space. We will be connecting to how spaces make us feel and a culture of reflection with focus on care and well-being will be created. Just as Jim and Helen Ede used Kettle’s Yard as a place to care for others.

The main artistic structure of the project will be to move incrementally from 2D (e.g. collage and drawing) to 3D objects at table-top scale (e.g. model making). We will then test full scale pieces and consider our final installation. Teens will be taught a wide range of skills and will be allowed to take risks within a safe environment.

When planning the final installation, the participants will become a design team. Teaching them to hold their own and connect to their power though artistic intervention. We hope for our young people to come away with an improved sense of confidence, agency over space and a deep connection to the culturally rich city they live in.