Chris is incredibly passionate about the arts and the value that artists create and is a great advocate for Ashford and the creativity that thrives in and around the town.

Chris begins our conversation by reflecting on his past aspiration to be an actor and finding the right path to the job that he now does. His anecdotes on the various jobs he undertook touches on the journey that artists also take as they navigate their way through their careers, and the confidence needed to achieve their goals.

Chris also talks about gaining the confidence of colleagues, local businesses and developers and finding the right moments and opportunities to introduce new creative projects to the town centre.

As public art consultants gaining trust from our clients is key to the work we do, and like Chris its communicating how artists work and keeping an open dialogue. With all our commissions the starting point is an unknown artwork that the artist is yet to make. We work hard to find the right artist for the commission and for the client and support both.

The Snow Dog Art Trail is a great example of how Chris gained trust and created a legacy for Ashford and ultimately put Ashford Borough Council on the map for commissioning great public art. The project was a platform for showcasing emerging artists, and a lasting memory for anyone who visited, worked or lived in the area.

We know that commissioning work in the public realm is a complex process and can take years to fruition, and we reflect in the podcast with Chris on how laying the ground conditions for commissioning is not a formulaic process as each artist and each site is different. We agree, when an artist is fully integrated into a project, problems become solutions as the artist is part of the design team and can contribute to early discussions.

Ashford Unframed the first mural festival in Ashford is an exemplary example of how Chris worked strategically behind the scenes, connecting with the town centre businesses to enliven both the neglected and prominent spaces by commissioning 16 artists to create murals dotted around the town. Established, early career, local and student artists took part, and their work can be explored on this street trail.

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