Temporary Contemporary

The Temporary Contemporary initiative is a partnership project of Queensgate Market, The Piazza, Kirklees Council and the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield.

Formerly situated within Grade II listed Queensgate Market, Temporary Contemporary now comprises meanwhile spaces within the units of The Piazza shopping centre. The project provides a platform for original and inspirational exhibitions, performances and research, and contributors to the first year of the programme included university lecturers, artists, local artisan producers, musicians, students and young people.

More recently the Temporary Contemporary spaces were host to the Cultures of Place research festival from 24th June to 4th July 2022. Hosted across three sites Queensgate campus (University of Huddersfield), Queensgate Indoor Market and The Piazza this programme of activities presented many different exchanges and engagements with local arts and cultural organisations, community groups, existing cultural institutions in Huddersfield and place-based initiatives. The programme invited members of the public and the University community to deepen their understanding and celebration of place.

Temporary Contemporary prompts conversations about place-based-making, public engagement and cultural and mixed ecologies. The ‘cultural ecologies’ concept, as outlined in the Arts and Humanities Research Council report The Ecology of Culture, includes everything around art and culture, including people, places, relationships, technology, food and drink. ‘Mixed ecologies’ extends this idea to interrogate how different artistic and non-artistic disciplines develop and negotiate with each other.

Many of the exhibitions, displays and festival programmes that have taken place under the banner of the Temporary Contemporary initiative have explored cultural and mixed ecologies directly. Temporary Contemporary supports the students and staff of the School of Arts and Humanities in their mission to articulate complex relationships, promote creativity, engage communities and solve problems.

 

The Temporary Contemporary launched in 2018. It is an ongoing project shaped by a board comprising Kath Davies Economic Resilience Project Manager for Kirklees Council, Chris Cotton Markets Manager for Kirklees Council, Professor Donal Fitzpatrick, School of Art and Communication at the University of Huddersfield, Professor Nic Clear, School of Architecture and 3D design at the University of Huddersfield and Dr Rowan Bailey, Head of Postgraduate Studies, Art, Design and Archicture University of Huddersfield.

Temporary Contemporary is grateful for the support of the external advisory board comprising Helen Pheby, Senior Curator at Yorkshire Sculpture Park,  Derek Horton, Artist, Writer, Curator and Consultant, the Directors of HATCH, Natalie Walton and Alison McIntyre, and Natalie Rudd, Senior Curator Arts Council Collection.