Sluice Expo

What does art look like when it engages with environmental, geographical, political and ethical considerations? An art of dissent, an art against the status quo. Does this kind of art use a unique way of communicating? And if so, what does it – or what could it – look like?

These questions have been spurred by the location and cultural history of Essex and East Anglia in the east of England, the setting of the 2024 Sluice expo. Colchester – from Boudica’s rebellion and the Peasants’ Revolt to Essex’s reputation as a hotbed for radical communes, religious reformers and utopian enclaves – has a rich history of dissent. This depiction of a contrarian people can also be applied to a creative mode at odds with the
status quo.

The 2024 Sluice expo centres on the idea of the vernacular, exploring how culture can emerge and adapt in reaction to various influences, whether structural or ethical. The expo is an opportunity for a loosely defined sector, encompassing artist-led initiatives, curator-led projects, collectives, non-profit organisations and galleries to converge.