Announcing: A Renewed Partnership with Warwickshire County Council Library Service
Andi's Studio in Coventry, 2025.
We’re delighted to announce that following a successful partnership in 2023, we have renewed our relationship with the Warwickshire County Council’s Library Service, supporting an artist to work with their Local Studies collections and community groups.
In 2023, Nuneaton-based artist Jo Gane worked onsite at Nuneaton Library in partnership with Compton Verney and following that successful project we have worked with colleagues at the library to develop an exciting new co-commission.
Having identified a shared commitment to the local LGBTQ+ community, we are delighted to announce that Coventry-based painter Andi will undertake this exciting collaborative project drawing on their experiences within the sector and community.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Andi comments:
“I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to work on this project and tell Queer stories from across the region. It is really bold of the Coventry Biennial team and Warwickshire Libraries to take the chance on a queer and trans artist to tell the stories of some of the most marginalised people in Society, both historically and in today’s political climate where LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under attack.“
Throughout this exciting project Andi will work closely with the collections and archive teams at Warwickshire Libraries, but will also collaborate with Warwickshire Pride, ensuring creative engagement and opportunities for learning about, discussing and contributing to local LGBTQ+ collections and narratives.
Ryan Hughes, Artistic Director & CEO, Coventry Biennial comments:
“Andi’s work is exceptionally powerful. Their draftsmanship, technical ability and vibrant colour selection ensures that their work will have major impact within our exhibitions programme, and I’ve got no doubt that the work will more accurately reflect the joy, strength and solidarity of the Queer community than is so often reflected in official and historic collections of all kinds.”
Andi and Coventry Biennial colleagues will be working with Warwickshire Pride and across the library service over the coming months with the project due to be presented from October 2025.
Lucy Carlton-Walker, Service Manager – Libraries (NPO Strategic Lead), Warwickshire County Council says of the project:
“Warwickshire Libraries are excited to be able to continue our partnership with Coventry Biennial and Warwickshire Pride through Andi’s project. Due to being the only library service in the West Midlands to be funded through Arts Council England to be a National Portfolio Organisation we are committed to developing and supporting projects that are inclusive, accessible, and representative of all Warwickshire communities.“
More details on this exciting project will follow soon.
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This project and the associated artwork has been co-commissioned by Warwickshire County Council and Coventry Biennial.
by Ryan Hughes