Take a read about our archive project Living Proof.
Our Story has enabled us to research and study Living Proof. Living Proof was a four year collaboration with Diverse artists who worked with people affected by AIDS and HIV. AIDS was one of those issues whose media coverage revealed more about society’s prejudices than it did about the epidemic, its symptoms or social context.
The project was initiated by the Artists’ Agency in 1988.
A meeting was convened with key representatives from the region’s Haemophilia Centre, drug unit, Body Positive North East, Community Support Centre, and Newcastle General Hospital.
It was evident that media coverage was not providing factual information about HIV/AIDS and its impact, but rather reinforcing societal prejudices.
The project aimed to redress this imbalance by creating imagery that confronted the social and cultural issues surrounding the epidemic.
Residencies were developed to enable those affected by HIV and AIDS to creatively express their concerns, interests, hopes, and fears.
Outcomes
The project’s achievements culminated in May 1992 during North East AIDS week, which featured a series of events coordinated by the Artists’ Agency in collaboration with the Laing Art Gallery, the Zone Gallery, and Projects UK. A book was also produced to document the project’s impact.
The project was a four-year collaboration with:
Additional support came from:
The project achievements spanned across the UK during North East AIDS week, 1992 and included some of the following venues/spaces:
