The Walking Artists Network (WAN) is an international network dedicated to

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...

as a critical and artistic practice; it reflects the growth and increased interest in walking art. It is based at the

University of East London , mottoeng = Knowledge and the fulfilment of vows , established = 1898 – West Ham Technical Institute1952 – West Ham College of Technology1970 – North East London Polytechnic1989 – Polytechnic of East London ...

's Centre for Performing Arts Development and contains a network of over 600 members from across the globe, though predominantly based in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The network maintains an active email discussion community through

JISCmail Jisc is a United Kingdom not-for-profit company that provides network and IT services and digital resources in support of further and higher education institutions and research as well as not-for-profits and the public sector. History T ...

Founding

WAN originated in late 2007 when a small group of artists in central

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

invited ‘all those who are interested in walking as a

critical spatial practice The term ‘critical spatial practice’ refers to forms of practice between art and architecture. Jane Rendell introduced the term in 2003. Rendell later consolidated and developed the term as one that defined practices located at a three-way inte ...

’ to its first meeting. It was further developed when

Clare Qualmann Clare Qualmann is a British multi-media performance artist based in London, UK. She is a senior lecturer in performing arts at the University of East London and also teaches at London Metropolitan University. Career Qualmann's work uses a range of ...

and Mark Hunter successfully bid for Arts and Humanities Research Council funding in 2011. This facilitated the international development of the network and allowed it to expand membership, develop a website and fund the Footwork research group.^:80

Activities

The Walking Artists Network is works 'on the basis of events that having walking at their core (rather than arranging things at which people sit and listen to talking about walking)'.^:80 This has resulted in 'a variety of walking based initiatives' that bring 'people together to walk'.^:80

Step by Step (2014-2017)

An interdisciplinary seminar series at the University of East London, organized by Clare Qualmann and Blake Morris, that brought together artists and academics whose work engaged with the practice of walking.^:80 Notable speakers included

Kubra Khademi Kubra Khademi (born 1989) is an Afghan performance artist based in Paris. She studied fine arts at Kabul University before attending Beaconhouse National University in Lahore, Pakistan on a scholarship. In Lahore she began to create public perform ...

Anna Minton Anna Minton is a British writer, journalist, and academic. Born 19 April 1970, educated at Queen's College, Oxford, Minton has worked as a foreign correspondent, business reporter and social affairs writer and has won a number of national jou ...

and Sara Wookey.

Walking Encyclopaedia (2014)

In 2014 the Walking Artists Network collaborated with Airspace Gallery in

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

, to produce The Walking Encyclopaedia (2014) a gallery exhibition and online archive of walking practices that includes more than 150 walking practitioners and artworks.

''Ways to Wander'' (2015)

In 2015, a collection of walk suggestions, experiences, techniques and case studies by members of the Walking Artists' Network was published by Triarchy Press with the titl
''Ways to Wander''
The book was an 'output of the AHRC funded 'Footwork' project, and edited by Qualmann and Claire Hind.

WALKING WOMEN (2016)

In 2016 Qualmann and

Amy Sharrocks Amy Sharrocks is a UK based live artist, sculptor, filmmaker and curator from London, England. Sharrocks' work focuses on collaboration and exchange, inviting people on journeys that they also help to create. She is known for large scale, live artw ...

curated WALKING WOMEN, 'a series of walks talks and workshops that featured over forty women artists working with walking in a variety of media.'^:80 The event featured two programmes of work at

Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ("O ...

, London and Forest Fringe, Edinburgh. Artists presenting their work included Jennie Savage, Sharrocks,

Deirdre Heddon Deirdre Heddon (born 1969), is Professor of Contemporary Performance at the University of Glasgow (UK). She is a practice-based researcher and has published articles in peer-reviewed journals, as well as academic monographs and book-chapters. She ...

, Kubra Khademi, Louise Ann Wilson,

Rosana Cade Rosana Cade is a Glasgow-based live performance artist. They are known mainly for their queer, feminist and activist approaches to work. They are notable for winning the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Awards 2016, for Physical/Visual Theatre with Cock ...

, The Walking Reading Group on Participation, Monique Besten and Alison Lloyd. The

Live Art Development Agency Live Art Development Agency, also commonly known by its acronym LADA, is a publicly funded arts organisation and registered charity founded in London in 1999 by Lois Keidan and Catherine Ugwu. LADA provides professional advice for artists as well ...

published a guide to ''WALKING WOMEN'' following the events. A radio programme featuring artists involved in the programme was broadcast on

Resonance FM Resonance 104.4 FM is a London based non-profit community radio station specialising in the arts run by the London Musicians' Collective (LMC). The station is staffed by four permanent staff members, including programme controller Ed Baxter and ...

in July 2016.

References

External links

Walking Artists Network websiteStep by Step Seminar SeriesWalking EncyclopaediaForest FringeWalking Artists Network JISCMail
{{Use British English, date=March 2021 Interactive art Walking art