Since 2013, Mr Wilson’s have been producing artistically-rigorous, live performances for public spaces. This always involves live music. We work with programmers and communities to dream up joyous, place-making celebrations.
I am originally from Northern Ireland and lived in the North of England for 20 years. I am now based between Co. Galway, Ireland and West Yorkshire.
I make performance work; shows, happenings, songs, poems.
I mostly I do this for outdoor spaces, but not always. I like inviting audiences to see me perform in the streets, in open landscapes and forgotten places. I know to partner with NGO’s, local authorities and arts organisations and funders to produce these events, so that they are fully accessible and free for the public to access because I believe art and culture should be democratically available to all, like water, the NHS and an good education.
I’ve performed and created work with lots of other projects and supported creative practitioners, community groups and arts organisation as a project consultant and director. I am extremely proud of the wide network of exceptional artists and professional practitioners that I can call upon as friends. I have learnt a lot from the likes of IOU, Horse and Bamboo, Whalley Range All Stars, Wired Aerial Theatre and Walk the Plank.
You name it, I’ve done it; climbed scaffolding towers, swung out of trees, roller-skated, stilt-walked, blown things up, sung in a flooded engine house, danced in front of an Andy Warhol exhibit, performed an epic poem in a derelict mill, sailed boats into festivals.
I’ve benefited from support, commissions and awards from Arts Council England, Arts Council Ireland, The National Theatre, Stockton International Riverside Festival, HOMEMcr, City of London Festival and National Trust to name a few.
I love putting together the very best teams and meeting new people. There is always a perfect person for each role in a project, you just have to find them and they might not be where you expect.
Over the years I have developed strong values that I measure my work against.
I believe in wonder and hope.
I believe in making work that is needed and useful but also in ideas that are gloriously bizarre.
I believe in making work that is so beautiful it makes people cry.
I believe in offering art and culture to the public for free.
I believe in properly acknowledging and valuing people’s skills and time.
I feel a responsibility to look after the teams I work with and the audiences I gather. (Rule #1 – If you gather people, you have to feed them.)