“We support visual artists and champion art as an integral part of everyday life by selling locally sourced, affordable art, working with businesses to put art in the workplace and public realms, running art classes and working with schools and community groups”, says Lucy.
In particular, her work with schools caught the attention of Andrea Edwards, who nominated Lucy for this award. She said: “Lucy is looking at how children will view art through digital formats and how this can influence young children and adults in making art part of their lives.”
Since 2012, the programme has engaged almost 7,000 children from over 400 schools, reaching an audience of more than 50,000. The dot-art Schools Programme is an interactive, online, inter-school art competition, taking place on an annual basis and culminating in a gallery exhibition. Working with partners such as Liverpool John Moores University, St George’s Hall and the Walker Art Gallery, it allows children to see their work on public display, having a lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of people.
Lucy describes her motivation for the programme: “I want us to play a small part in giving all children, regardless of their background, the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts at a formative stage of their education and have their eyes opened up to the possibilities of a creative career”. There are now plans to roll out the initiative across England over the next 12 months.
Lucy never intended to stay in Liverpool after graduating, but she says: “By the time I had finished my degree, which had confirmed my desire to work in the arts industry, I could see that
there was huge potential for development within the commercial visual arts sector in the city, and set out to take full advantage of this!”
It has clearly worked, as Lucy and dot-art are described as occupying a vital position in the cultural infrastructure of the Liverpool City Region.