seam artists were invited to evaluate their experiences for each exhibition and at the end of the A Visible THREAD project. Below are extracts from the report summarising and collating their feedback, seam collective A Visible THREAD Touring Exhibition: Artist Feedback Report. For the full report, please click here.
- Introduction
- Infographic Summary: seam Artist Feedback – Key Themes Across Venues
- Key Themes and Insights
- Conclusion
‘This was more than an exhibition—it was a platform for future growth.’
based on the conclusions of findings from each evaluation from the tour.
Introduction
A Visible THREAD is a touring exhibition showcasing the work of seam collective artists across multiple venues. This evaluation compiles feedback from participating artists, reflecting on the creative, professional, and collaborative dimensions from each of the exhibitions. The report highlights recurring themes that emerged across venues and identifies opportunities for enhancing future iterations of the project.
from each evaluation from the tour.
Infographic Summary: seam Artist Feedback – Key Themes Across Venues
This infographic distils the most compelling insights from artist feedback collected across five seam exhibition venues. It visualises the frequency of recurring themes and pairs them with representative quotes to illustrate the depth and diversity of artist experiences. This bar chart image and the following insights were generated with the assistance of Co-pilot AI.
Key Themes and Insights
Creative Growth
- Artists consistently described the exhibitions as catalysts for experimentation and risk-taking.
- Many explored new scales, materials, and installation methods, often for the first time.
‘The freedom to create personal, experimental work was a major driver of growth’
‘I was glad to have the exhibition opening as an external motivator to make new work. I enjoyed having the opportunity to trial various installations of my new knitted sculpture.’
‘I had the opportunity to hang some large pieces of work. This isn’t always possible due to gallery size constraints.’
Collective Support
- seam collective was praised for its strong sense of community and mutual encouragement.
- Shared responsibilities, peer feedback, and informal exchanges were central to the experience.
‘Being part of an ongoing, cohesive project helped reinforce our identity as a collective.’
‘I feel well supported by my seam peers. Other members delivered my work to each show and installed it.’
‘All the exhibitions drive me to create more, it’s so inspiring – the range of approaches to textiles – and it’s wonderful to surround yourself with likeminded, ambitious people. I have been able to make more experimental and personal work because I have not had to respond to anyone else. I’ve felt supported to be able to make the type of work that interests me personally. It has been great for me individually that there is some passion for sustainability. It’s not something I had considered before joining seam and having active discussions about being more ethically conscious about my practice is quite a revelation.’
Audience Engagement
- Interactions with visitors were deeply valued, offering validation, inspiration, and new perspectives.
- Participatory and tactile works sparked particularly rich conversations and ideas for future development.
‘Yes, I find meeting the audiences and interacting is good for my practice.’
‘This was the first time that I had showed new work made on my MA. It was fascinating to share it with the viewers. The work is very different to my usual practice so this was an amazing opportunity to receive audience feedback.’
‘Definitely. I love to make art but what I value even more is the responses that it invokes in others.’
Professional Development
- Artists gained confidence through public presentation, project management, and exposure to new audiences.
- Several reported new commissions, sales, or partnerships as a direct result of their involvement.
‘I gained essential experience project managing the show. Whilst working freelance as an artist for 9 years, this was my first opportunity to manage a show. This would not have happened without AVT, the support of seam and wonderful communications with Llantarnam Grange.’
‘Being part of seam is an invaluable support and provides career strengthening opportunities.’
‘The exhibition helped me rethink how my work is presented and its ethical implications.’
‘The show has given me the confidence to project manage an exhibition.’
‘I am exploring more 3D options with my work which had been 2D until this project.”
Future Ambitions
- There was unanimous enthusiasm for continued participation in touring exhibitions and residencies.
- Artists expressed interest in deeper collaboration, skill-sharing, and developing site-specific or immersive installations.
‘Absolutely. The tour gave me time and space to develop work which would not otherwise have been made. The peer support and encouragement to think differently has been invaluable.’
‘Definitely. Being part of an exhibition tour, with the option to install new work, is a fabulous motivator to keep exploring ideas around the theme of A Visible THREAD.’
‘It was… good to witness the impact of inviting visitors to interact with my sculptures. I’d like to develop more touchable work in the future.’
‘I wish to devote more time to experimental work in the future.’
‘Going forward, I want to explore ideas involving the shapeshifting nature of my work – including live performance, video and possibly animatronics.’
‘Absolutely – go team seam!’
Conclusion
The A Visible THREAD touring exhibition has proven to be a transformative experience for seam collective, not only in terms of individual artistic development but also in shaping the collective’s evolving identity and shared ambitions.
A Visible THREAD made a significant and multifaceted impact on the participating seam artists. It fostered creative risk-taking, professional development, and a deep sense of community, while also prompting important conversations about practice, ethics, and sustainability. As seam collective looks ahead, artist feedback points clearly to a desire for continued collaboration, greater operational support, and expanded public engagement—all within a framework that values experimentation and collective identity.
Across all venues, the feedback reveals a profound appreciation for the opportunity to engage in a group exhibition that prioritised experimentation, dialogue, and mutual support.
A recurring theme throughout the feedback is the artists’ strong desire to deepen their collaborative practice. While each artist brought a unique voice and perspective, the collective nature of the tour fostered a sense of shared purpose that extended beyond the logistics of exhibiting.
Artists consistently highlighted the value of working alongside peers—whether during installation, stewarding, or informal conversations—as a source of inspiration, encouragement, and creative momentum. This sense of community was not only emotionally supportive but also intellectually generative, prompting artists to reflect more deeply on their own work and its place within a broader artistic dialogue.
The touring format itself emerged as a powerful framework for group exhibition-making, offering artists the chance to adapt their work to new spatial contexts and audiences.
This adaptability encouraged a more fluid and responsive approach to curation, where the exhibition evolved organically across venues. Artists expressed enthusiasm for continuing this model, with many suggesting future iterations could include more integrated curatorial planning, collaborative installations, and even co-created works that reflect the collective’s shared values and aesthetics. The idea of developing a unified, site-responsive installation or pursuing a group residency was mentioned multiple times, signalling a strong appetite for deeper, more intentional forms of collaboration.
Equally significant was the emergence of sustainability as a core concern. Many artists reported that their involvement in the tour prompted them to reconsider their material choices, production methods, and the ethical implications of their practice. The collective’s open dialogue around sustainability—both environmental and social—encouraged artists to experiment with recycled materials, explore the histories embedded in second-hand textiles, and reflect on the long-term impact of their work. This shift was not merely thematic but deeply embedded in the artists’ evolving creative processes, suggesting that sustainability is becoming a defining characteristic of seam’s collective ethos.
The A Visible THREAD tour has had a demonstrable impact for seam collective’s future. It has demonstrated the power of artist-led, collaborative models to foster growth, resilience, and innovation. As the collective moves forward, the feedback points to a clear direction: to build on the momentum of this tour by investing in deeper collaboration, more ambitious group exhibitions, and a sustained commitment to ethical and sustainable practice. These elements—woven together like the threads in the artists’ work—will continue to shape seam’s identity and impact in the years to come.
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