This residency is a call to peace to members of Utopias Bach, by Gaia Redgrave, a chance to play, an opportunity to give voice to that which is often unheard.

In conjunction with Utopias Bach, Gaia Redgrave & Cathedral of the Trees are inviting expressions of interest for 2 micro residencies. The residencies are offered within the membership of Utopias Bach. One further residency will be offered to an external artist who has been selected by Gaia.

Cathedral of the Trees is an expansive project (both physical and virtual) and so, in the spirit of this format, the residencies can be made manifest in a space that you create. There is not a defined Cathedral of the Trees location for you to travel to. The residency can take place anywhere at all e.g. a space that is special to you, under a tree, on the beach, your home or simply in your mind.

The micro residencies

Each artist will receive a talking stick made by Gaia in collaboration with the land & the sea. Your stick will have emerged from either and be waiting to communicate its message through your interaction with it. You will also receive guidelines to connecting to your talking stick, which you can choose to ignore. It is up to you how you respond. You are free to use any format and any material that you are guided to or intuitively settle upon.

Gaia’s talking sticks are created with a hook for which she has previously crocheted the story of the land & sea, however, do not limit yourself to considering it as a crochet hook. Your talking stick is primarily a tool for communication between yourself and the land or sea, nothing more. What happens then is up to you and your collaboration with the unseen / unheard.

You will be asked to document the process / the outcome (again, anyway you choose is wonderful) and share this with Gaia along with your thoughts and feelings about the process to share online. (Instagram / Gaia’s website / Utopias Bach website). You can choose to spend as little or as much time as you choose on your Cathedral of the Trees micro residency however it is requested that you commit to a minimum of 4 hours.

In return, each artist will receive £100 for their time.

Please send your expression of interest to Gaia at the email address below, by 20th March 2022. Any way you choose to express why you wish to be considered for one of the Cathedral of the Trees residencies is fine and creative expressions of interest beyond words are welcomed.

Project Dates:

Deadline for expressions of interest: 20th March 2022

Artists contacted by: 31st March 2022

Talking sticks sent out to artists: 14th April 2022

Deadline for documentation of process to be shared with Gaia: 22nd May 2022

Contact details for expressions of interest & questions:

The Email Address: cathedralofthetrees@gmail.com

Relevant Links:

Cathedral of the Trees Project

The experiment with Utopias Bach

The Instagram Page

All images by Gaia Redgrave

Gaia is also going to host two Cathedral of The Trees Collaboratory sessions in May to which all are invited - see our events page for details (free but booking required)