This New Ground

Here’s our fab TNG artists Emma and Cam to tell you more about Pivot Fest, coming this May ✨ Pivot Fest is Portsmouth’s first-ever Learning Disability Arts Festival a bold, joyful and boundary-pushing celebration of creativity, inclusion and connection. Over three inspiring days, @aspexportsmouth will be transformed with a full gallery takeover curated by the @thisnewgrounduk Inclusive Arts Committee@a powerhouse group of artists with a learning disability. The festival showcases a vibrant mix of performances, participatory workshops, exhibitions and silent discos- all designed with accessibility at their core. Take a look at the full festival programme and sign up for events via Eventbrite. Link in bio 🔗

Coming this May ✨ Pivot Fest is Portsmouth’s first ever Learning Disability Arts Festival, a bold, joyful and boundary pushing celebration of creativity, inclusion and connection. Over three inspiring days, @aspexportsmouth will be transformed in a full gallery takeover curated by the @thisnewgrounduk Inclusive Arts Committee, a powerhouse group of 13 artists with a learning disability. The festival showcases a vibrant mix of performances, participatory workshops, exhibitions and silent discos, all designed with accessibility at their core. Take a look at the full festival programme and sign up for events via Eventbrite. Link in bio.

Something exciting is coming to Aspex this Spring ✨ Step inside an immersive, participatory exhibition exploring what home means through the stories and histories of people living with a learning disability in Portsmouth. Created by @thisnewgrounduk artists alongside commissioned artists Nathan Wong and Orlando Richardson, Inside invites you to listen, touch, slow down and become part of the work. Through sound, image and everyday objects, the exhibition opens up space for voices to reclaim the city from their own viewpoint. Running alongside the exhibition is Pivot Fest, Portsmouth’s first learning disability-led arts festival. A joyful celebration of creativity, inclusion and connection, the festival brings together artist-led workshops, exhibition tours, film, live performance and a sensory-friendly silent disco, with music, dance and comedy from across the UK. 'Inside' opens from 27 March - 7 June 'Pivot Fest' takes place from 8 - 10 May Find out more by heading to our website. Link in the bio

Take a piece of our latest exhibition home with you 🛍️ From prints and tote bags to tee towels and postcards, we’ve got a selection of exhibition merch designed by artists from @thisnewgrounduk available exclusively in the Aspex Shop. Every purchase helps support This New Ground and Aspex’s free and accessible programme of exhibitions, events and creative engagement. Pop in and take a look next time you visit the gallery!

We were so delighted that #PivotFest and Inside at @aspexportsmouth was featured on @bbcsouthtoday over the weekend 🥰 It was brilliant to see TNG artists Emma Stallard, Cameron Locke and Orlando Richardson interviewed alongside our co-director @lucy_groenewoud , sharing their experiences of #Inside, #PivotFest and why spaces for artists with a learning disability to create, lead and be celebrated matter so much 💙 With Portsmouth bidding to be UK City of Culture 2029, we hope this is just the beginning of even more brilliant festivals and opportunities celebrating inclusive creativity across our city ✨ @portsmouthcreates

“...if you thought about the world being all dark and dull, I want it to be welcoming” 💛 Created by @thisnewgrounduk artist Emma as part of the Inside exhibition, Sanctuary is a space shaped by comfort, imagination and care. Inspired by Emma’s idea of creating “your own little world”, the installation brings together softness, colour and calm to create somewhere to get comfortable, feel safe, gather your thoughts, and slow down for a moment. Inside is on display until 7 June and is free to visit. As a charity, all donations are greatly appreciated and help us to continue programming inspiring exhibitions like this one!

We were so incredibly lucky to have the amazing @storykeymedia filming our festival over the weekend alongside the equally amazing @joe_watson_photography . Thank you both so much for your energy and creative vision. Here’s an incredible film created by Toby from @storykeymedia sharing the groundbreaking, inclusive and amazing event that was #pivotfest 🥰 Thank you to our funders ans supporters: @acegrams @TNLUK #ACEsupported #NationalLottery #LetsCreate @portsmouthcitycouncil @victoriousfestival @crying_out

“It was an incredibly moving exhibition and I’m so grateful to everyone who shared part of their story with us through their words, art and creativity. I think it’s so important to give a voice to those who are often overlooked, as we heard through some upsetting stories. It was also so uplifting - inclusion and representation are so beautiful, and it shone through every element of the exhibition.” — Exhibition Visitor While #PivotFest may be over, there’s still time to experience our powerful and groundbreaking exhibition, Inside, at @aspexportsmouth . You have until 7 June to visit - open Wednesday–Sunday, 11am–4pm. The response to the exhibition has been incredible, and we’d love to hear your thoughts too. Why not stop by and leave a message on our feedback wall? ✨ Photo credits: @goblephotography @joe_watson_photography #inclusiveart #portsmouth #learningdisabilityhistory

Our London TNG crew had the BEST time at #PivotFest on Friday! They spent the day exploring the exhibition with a special tour from Portsmouth artists, discovering amazing creativity and stories behind the work 🎨💫 Before dancing the afternoon away at @disconeurotico silent disco (yes… there were some serious moves 🕺🎧💃). The fun didn’t stop there today, Lizzie created a beautiful collage inspired by her experience, reflecting on all the joy, colour and memories from the day 🥰💛 #PivotFest #TNG #portsmouth #inclusivearts

What a weekend! Can we do it all again? 💛 We’re still buzzing from the excitement, creativity and care that filled @thisnewgrounduk ’s Pivot Fest across the weekend. We’re feeling incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us, took part, supported events, and helped mark such an important moment for the city. None of this would have been possible without This New Ground co-founders Lucy and Nathalie, and the remarkable artists at the heart of the festival. Their commitment to creating a more inclusive and accessible arts sector has shaped every part of Pivot Fest, from early conversations and ideas, to producing Portsmouth’s first learning disability-led festival, and we’re so grateful to have been involved in hosting this milestone event. A huge thank you to everyone who brought Pivot Fest to life, from the artists and performers, to photographers and volunteers. We can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned next @thisnewgrounduk !

And just like that… #PivotFest has come to an end ❤️✨ What an unforgettable three days celebrating learning disabled artists, creativity, community and inclusive arts in Portsmouth. Over the weekend:
✨ Over 400 people attended Pivot Fest from across the UK
✨ Thousands of smiles were shared through an incredible programme curated by TNG artists
✨ 10 workshops, performances and events took place across the three-day festival xx
✨ 42 people took part in creative workshops
✨ Around 35 artists and performers shared their work and talents, including the incredible TNG artists
✨ 17 fabulous volunteers gave their time to support Pivot Fest, including the amazing @joe_watson_photography and Toby at @storykeymedia 
✨ Our special Pivot Fest flags flew proudly across 10 locations around the city From immersive performances and exhibitions to workshops, parties, tours and conversations, Pivot Fest brought people together to celebrate creativity, community and inclusive arts ❤️ A huge thank you to every artist, performer, volunteer, audience member and supporter who made the festival so special. We’re also incredibly grateful to the wonderful organisations, businesses and partners who helped bring Pivot Fest to life including @aspexportsmouth , @gunwharfquays , LushPortsmouth, @hampshireflag @lifesize_cic @heartnsoulart @robynsrocket @carouselartuk @oskabright @crying_out @makealdingbourne @portcoffee.aspex @jbcomms @portsmouthcitycouncil @portsmouthguildhall @square.tower.oldportsmouth @portsmouthcathedral @lucyandyakportsmouth @disconeurotico @head_over_wheels_aerial @stephenmorganmp @orlandorichardsonart @portslibraries @andrewdancer97 and so many others who supported the festival. All events across Pivot Fest were free to attend. If you came along and had a great time, or if you’ve recently seen or heard about our work and would like to support future inclusive creative opportunities and projects, you can make a donation here: /f/this-new-ground?lid=owqirondcej9&utm_medium=email&utm_source=product&utm_campaign=t-donation-alert## Photo credit @joe_watson_photography 
@acegrams @TNLUK #PivotFest #Portsmouth LearningDisabilityArts ACEsupported

Raise your glass to an incredible end to #PivotFest 🥂✨ We’re completely full of joy after the most brilliant Celebration Party to close the festival. Tonight, our incredible TNG artists transformed the space with immersive live soundscaping, bringing to life the oral histories of people with a learning disability in Portsmouth through a powerful and innovative performance experience supported by @lifesize_cic And then came Andrew Self @andrewdancer97 … 🕺💥 Andrew lit up the room with a beautiful, joyful dance performance full of energy, movement and celebration, with the whole room cheering, dancing and celebrating together. There wasn’t a dry on the room during Andrew’s beautiful emotional and powerful performance to Rise Up 😭❤️ Truly the perfect way to end an unforgettable three days. A huge thank you to everyone who performed, supported, attended and celebrated with us, what a festival ❤️ Photo credit @joe_watson_photography @thisnewground #pivotfest #ArtsFestival @acegrams @TNLUK #ACEsupported #NationalLottery LetsCreate