Vicky Hilton

My role as an artist is forever changing to meet the needs of the people I work with. I am a social arts practitioner. I work with local people to tackle inequalities and injustices using art as a tool for engagement. I work predominantly on commissions and funded projects to engage and include communities, creating opportunities for coproduction, co-creation and participation for audiences. I have curated over sixty exhibitions and events, including the nationally recognised ‘People’s Parade’ carnival. I am a passionate believer that art can be a powerful tool to engage and empower communities.

I feel that co production and participation is essential in create real influence and change. By challenging the norms we are able to create a non hierarchical approach, allowing active participation and shared authority. Doing with, not for has benefits for both participants and institutions with expertise and knowledge from both sides valued.

I’m passionate about opening access to Arts, Heritage and Culture and breaking down the institutional barriers to engagement ensuring projects are person centred and are based on listening to the needs of the communities I work alongside. My work gives times to develop new ideas, to listen to new perspectives and opinions, ensuring relevancy and representation. The need for institutions to become polyvocal and more socially conscious is ever present.

I consider myself to be a community artist. I am an event producer, and the founder and director of Artful Make It Happen. Artful is a social enterprise using the arts as an inspirational tool for community led projects. Our aims are:

• To co create opportunities where people are able to realise their power and work together to become active members of their communities and collaborate to make positive contributions to places and ideas that matter to them

• To move power into communities, to increase social justice and contribute towards creating a diverse and non judgemental society.

Since we were founded in 2018 we have grown from strength to strength. We are contracted and commissioned to develop work for partners in the voluntary and community sector, the Local Authority and have been funded by The Arts Council England, The National Lottery Community Fund, Building Stronger Communities, Home Office, and the NHS.