Murmuration is a project that strategically partners artists with East End community and learning facilities. The goal of these intensive, co-curated collaborations is to develop bold and inspiring visual arts projects by prioritising shared research, local heritage, and mutual creative exchange.

Murmuration is led by artist educator Coral Brookes.

Murmuration

Murmuration is an artist residency programme led by Strange Field that pairs Glasgow-based artists and educators with community organisations and colleges in the East End. Each artist works with their partner to co-curate a project exploring local heritage through visual art, participation and collaborative research.

Residencies are shaped around the research aims, needs and creative wishes of each partner and its participants, so their priorities stay central to the work. Alongside this, the artists meet as a cohort to share approaches to arts education and community learning. This gives them space to develop their practice and take creative risks.

The programme is rooted in the themes of Eventually Everything. It aims to build lasting dialogue, networks and capacity within the communities it works with.

The first Murmuration cohort ran from autumn 2025 to early 2026. Four artists worked with partners across Bridgeton, Dalmarnock and Haghill.

Eva Jack and The Halliday Foundation. Working with children aged 5 to 11 from families with experiences of homelessness.
Gabrielle Lockwood Estrin and Glasgow Kelvin College. A seven-month residency with Art & Design students, which became the foundation of a new industry partnership.
Poppy Nash and PEEK. Young leaders aged 14 to 17 researched their community and made screen-printed and digitally embroidered works for a public exhibition.
Camille Biddell and Bridgeton Community Learning Campus. A community clay programme that grew into the ongoing Friday Art & Garden sessions.

Murmuration set out to build connections that would outlast the residencies. Friday Art & Garden sessions continue at Bridgeton Community Learning Campus, and new participants are welcome. Our partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College has grown into a multi-year programme. Workshop resources made during the year are freely available through the Strange Exchange library. What we learned from the first cohort is shaping Murmuration’s next round in 2027.

Next cohort

Our next cohort begins in 2027. Sign up to our mailing list to hear when applications open.

Murmuration 2025/26 and 2027/ is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund through The Pipe Factory.