Niki Colclough (she/her) is an artist based in Manchester UK, working on self-directed projects and commissions to explore how art can address social issues, with a focus on care, wellbeing and the environment. Niki uses artistic thinking and processes to open up collaborative dialogues, central to her practice is the idea of place - considering the social, physical and emotional landscapes we inhabit.
In 2021 Niki trained as a Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing) leader and has since been incorporating this practice into various artworks. Niki also leads the module ‘Approaches to Engagement’ on the MA Socially Engaged Art Practice at the University of Salford.
nic_on_tour@yahoo.co.uk
CV
Education & Professional Development
Food & Art Alternative MA
The Gramounce : Sept 2023 - Aug 2024
Crit Club (Socially Engaged Art Practice), East Side Projects : June 2023 - Sept 2023
CRTL : Digital Development Programme, The Lowry : Jan 2023 - July 2023
Fair & Equitable Programme, Contemporary Visual Arts Network, (contribution to new policy), October 2022 - December 2022
Constellations (By Flat Time House, UP Projects London and Liverpool Biennial) : July 2020 - September 2021
Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing) Diploma,
UK Nature and Therapy: May 2021
Islington Mill Art Academy (Organiser & Member) : 2017 - 2020
Manchester College Art & Design Foundation Diploma (Distinction) : July 2011
Sheffield Hallam University, BA Media & Film (Class 2.1) : July 2003
Socially Engaged Projects / Commissions
Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester : March 2025 - ongoing
Nature Champion, Contemporary Visual Arts Network and Open Eye Gallery : March 2025 - ongoing
Rest (Is Ecological), Wysing Art Centre, Cambridge : July - August 2024
The Rest Sessions, Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool : April 2024 - August 2024
Rest (Is Ecological), Reading Group, At The Library, Crosby : October 2023 - ongoing
The British Ceramics Biennial, Clay Museum Intervention Artist, Stoke-on-Trent : September 2023 - September 2024
‘Do It With Thy Might’, SLUICE Vernacular, The Minories, Colchester : June 2024
Museums Sheffield, Future Museums Lead Artist, October 2023 - June 2024
Inside / Out, B Arts, Stoke-on-Trent : March - April 2024
Collective Making of Geological Time, PAF Summer School, Paris : August 2023
Wild Escape, Bluecoat, Liverpool : April 2023
Rest (Is A Political Act), SICK! Festival, Manchester : April 2023
Jardín Patria Nueva, Lugar Común, Oaxaca City, Mexico : November 2022
Rest (Is A Political Act), Camden Arts Centre, London : September 2022
Modern Nature, Rule of Threes, Crosby : April 2022 - August 2022
The People’s Park, University of Salford : March 2022 - June 2022
Towards Rest & Resilience, Rule of Threes & The Canal and Rivers Trust, Crosby : Nov 2021 - March 2022
Forest Play Lab (self-initiated), Peak District : June 2021 - June 2024
Drift (Activations Programme), The Turnpike, Manchester : March 2020 - August 2021
Open Doors (Autism Friendly workshops), Manchester Museum : January 2019 - September 2019
Art in Stroke Recovery, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester : October 2013 - June 2017
Re-Make The Museum, Silk Mill, Derby : November 2015 - June 2016
Residencies
Tribu de Trueno, Esquerra Urban Nature Reserve, Argentina :
November - December 2024
Touch, North Pennines National Landscape : July 2022
Real Estate, LeftCoast, Blackpool : October - November 2021
Grizedale Arts, Cumbria : July 2018
Do Re Mi, Coniston Institute, Cumbria : August 2017
Matadero Madrid, Madrid, Spain : April - May 2017
Guernsey Arts Commission, Guernsey : May - June 2014
501 Art Space, Chongqing, China : August - September 2013
The Olivia Newton John Cancer Care & Wellbeing Centre, Melbourne, Australia : October 2012 - March 2013
Exhibitions
Forthcoming : Art Gene, Digital U : May 2025
Infrastructural Futures, SLUICE Worldbuilding, Seydisfjordur, Iceland : May 2025
Semana Del Hongo, Bariloche, Argentina : April 2025
Ecological Borders, SEESAW Space, Manchester : April 2025
Bushcrafters, The Second Act, London : September - October 2024
Field Notes, Signal Film & Media, Barrow-In-Furness : August 2024
Textiles a Balcón, Patio Trasero, Mexico City : July 2024
SPARK, Artist Interventions In A Time Of Climate Crisis, Rogue Project Space, Manchester : Dec 2023 - January 2024
The Future of Listening, SHOP (Baxendale Architects), Preston : Oct 2023
Hinterlands, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, (Field Notes Publication) : Oct 2022 - April 2023
Soft Radicle, Parque Del Art Sullivan, Mexico City : November 2022
Ride Your Pony, Abingdon Studios, Blackpool : November 2021
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (Online) : August 2020
Tracing Paper, Paper Gallery, Manchester : August 2018
Full Scale, Gallery II, Bradford University,(with Islington Mill Art Academy) : October 2017
Do Re Mi, Coniston Institute, Cumbria : August 2017
Inventores del Futuro, Matadero Madrid, Spain : May 2017
Radical Vulnerabilities, Caustic Coastal, Salford : July 2016
Programme Curation / Production
Researcher, Network For The Study Of Class, University of Salford : February 2025 - ongoing
Young Person’s Programme Curator, Manchester Art Gallery : August 2019 - July 2020
YouthLab Lead Artist, ESEA Contemporary, Manchester : February 2017 - March 2020
Tania Bruguera’s School of Integration, Manchester International Festival : March 2019 - July 2019
Health and Wellbeing Curator, Manchester Art Gallery : October 2018 - October 2019
Creative Agents Producer, The Horsfall, Manchester : April 2016 - April 2018
Young Person’s Programme Curator, Site Gallery, Sheffield : March 2015 - March 2016
Teaching / Talks
Module Leader MA Socially Engaged Practice, University of Salford : January 2019 - ongoing
Guest Lecturer, Hereford College of Arts : March 2025
Performing REST, Liverpool Hope University : March 2024
On Not Knowing, How Artists Teach, Glasgow School of Art & Helsinki University of The Arts : June 2023
Rest (Is A Political Act), Research Centre For Arts and Wellbeing, Edgehill University : June 2023
The Future of Listening, Melodic Distraction : (Movement 2) : April 2023
The Future of Listening, DOMES FM, Interview and Soundscape (Movement 1) : April 2023
Green Agendas Symposium, University of Salford : March 2023
Art And Ecology In Uncertain Times,
Universidad Ibero Americana, CDMX (Lecture and Workshop) : October 2022
Paper Presentation ‘Embedding Socially Engaged Pedagogies For The Future of Art and Design Practice’ : International Conference on Social Design, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia : September 2022
Making of Us Programme, Facilitator, Turnpike Gallery : March 2021 - September 2021
Alternative Art School Symposium, Manchester International Festival : July 2017
Performing Care Symposium, London School of Speech & Drama : April 2016
Taking Art to The People, Radio 4 Documentary : November 2015
How Do You See Me? Performance Lecture, The Royal Academy : July 2015
Staffordshire University, Guest Lecturer, Contemporary Art Practice : July 2014
Arts in Health, Guernsey Museum & Art Gallery : June 2014
Women as Placemakers Lecturer, Manchester Museum : March 2014
Awards
British Art Network Research Bursary : November 2024
A-N Time and Space Artist Bursary : February 2023
Revive Award : University of Salford : February 2022
Arts Council England: June 2020
Oppenheim John Downes Memorial Trust : December 2018
Engaging Communities Award, University of Manchester : September 2016
Arts Council England: February 2015
AA2A Award, Staffordshire University : September 2014
Arts Council England : September 2012