Artist in Residence

Creating collaborative opportunities for artists of all disciplines

The Artist in Residence acts as an ambassador for the arts in London, promoting an awareness of and appreciation for all art disciplines in the everyday consciousness of Londoners.

The program offers the Artist in Residence the opportunity and support necessary to pursue new projects and initiatives. It also fosters collaboration between the Artist in Residence and other artists and cultural creators in the London community.

AIR description

2024 Artist in Residence Cultural Exchange Program:
Connecting Through the Sounds of Nature

The City of Daegu (South Korea) and the City of London (Canada), both UNESCO Cities of Music—collaborated through this Cultural Exchange Program under the themes of environmental sustainability and climate change by exploring, experimenting, and experiencing diverse expressions of art, music, and culture.

Through the exploration of Indonesian musical instruments called ‘Gamelan’, the musicians co-created six original music pieces inspired by water, earth, air, space, creatures, and fire while visual artists and a poet created artworks inspired by the sounds of the music.

This collaboration project was developed into a series of music videos meant to evoke a sense of connection to our natural environments and provide healing and nurturing experiences for viewers.

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Behind the Scenes

Participating Artists

Park Siyeon Trio
Band
(Daegu, South Korea)

Juice Joint
Band
(London, Canada)

Katie Jeresky
Poet
(London, Canada)

Byungjin Choi
Visual Artist
(London, Canada)

WATER

I am Water Music units us Swirling our emotions With every note Swaying to the rhythm Transforming and healing Listen to the song of the elements They carry wisdom Soothing pulse of the Thames River Calming the mind Shaping the landscape Carving history with every turn Life-giving to all beings Every drop precious Drip, drip, drip Drink, drink, drink I am the Water The Water is me

EARTH

I am Earth Barefoot on soft moss Feel the beat of the earth in your bones Let it hold you Ground you Nourish you Guide you To your centre Round n’ around Turning day to night and night to day The landscape has stories to tell Held in the valleys meadows, rocks And deep down under tree roots Reminding us from Where we were born And will return A grain of sand In the cosmos This Earth is Sacred I am Sacred I am the Earth The Earth is me

AIR

I am Air Inhale… Hot smog fills my lungs Traffic lights and car horns Exhale Inhale… Feel the featherlight Touch of the breeze Fluttering the leaves Exhale Inhale… Smelling the wildflowers In the meadow Dancing with The summer breeze Exhale Inhale… Stepping into lush Shades of green I breathe the forest Into my lungs Giving my breath to the trees Exhale I am the breeze and the Air The breeze and the Air is me

SPACE

I am Space Space is expansive In the universe But even there is it shrinking Space garbage floats Comes falling into the atmosphere Mistaken for shooting stars On Earth, space is fleeting Every inch used up And paved over What is left when we are gone? Not a green legacy But piles of rusted gadgets plastic and packages We cry for more space To sit in quiet stillness And unaltered lands The time is now To tend and care for all forms of space As above, so below As within, so without I am the expansive Space The Space is me

CREATURES

I am Flora and Fauna Creaking branches Shaking leaves Joyful birdsong melodies Hum of the bees And butterfly wings Slow to the rhythm Of the plants and animals Dropping of acorns Bellowing frogs Drumming woodpeckers String cords of crickets Medicine in their leaves, petals, roots and calls We are all connected We are all one They call us to remember The wildness that lives within Our veins, bones and hearts I am the Trees and Birds The Trees and Birds are me.

FIRE

I am Fire A thunderous crash A spark ignites Dark smoke billows Covering the sky reaching to the stars Raging fire and blazing sirens Burning the landscape All day and night Around the world Taking new forms Scorched, burnt Dust and ash Release and let go In a desolate landscape Tiny green shoots emerge Restoring hope for the future Sacred Fire The ancient element Of purification and renewal Continues the cycle of creation and life I am the Sacred Fire The Sacred Fire is me I leave you with this one question… What spark of positive change will you plant today?

GALLERY

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

In July 2024, through the network of UNESCO Creative Cities, the London Music Office hosted and supported diverse international musicians by partnering local music festival, Sunfest.

Two UNESCO Music Cities—the City of Daegu and the City of London—collaborated through the Cultural Exchange Program. The London Arts Council, in partnership with the Aeolian Hall, curated a professional development project for musicians and artists from London and Daegu. These musicians and artists collaborated under the theme of environmental sustainability and climate change by exploring, experimenting, and experiencing diverse expressions of art, music, and culture.

Through the exploration of Indonesian musical instruments called ‘Gamelan’, the musicians from both cities co-created six original music pieces about natural elements: water, earth, air, space, creatures, and fire. At the same time, visual artists and a poet created artworks inspired by the sounds of the music.

This collaboration project was developed into a series of music videos, which beautifully depict the six themed music pieces that are designed to evoke a sense of connection to our natural environments and provide healing and nurturing experiences for viewers.

Past Artists in Residence