Community building is integral to my practice as an artist.

I offer mentorship, workshops, and facilitated conversations around materiality, performance, textiles, and creative development for individuals, groups, institutions, and organisations. I enjoy creating spaces that feel supportive, curious, and open - places where people can play with materials and ideas, share experiences, and develop confidence in their creative thinking. Alongside practical making, I also support artists and participants in developing ideas, reflecting critically on their work, and finding new directions within existing projects.

I believe in making art accessible, engaging, and inclusive - both for those already immersed in creative practice and for those who may feel that contemporary art is confusing or exclusionary. Building creativity can offer connection, experimentation, pleasure, and a sense of belonging.

Much of my work takes place outside major urban centres, and I am particularly interested in collaborating with queer and community-led spaces, as well as organisations committed to building meaningful and reciprocal relationships with the communities around them.

Alongside my work as an artist, I have over 15 years’ experience as a Social Care Worker supporting adults with disabilities and lifelong conditions. This experience continues to shape my approach to care, accessibility, communication, and facilitation.

If you would like to discuss working together, please email vivianmrosssmith[at]gmail[dot]com or send me a DM on Instagram.

Selected examples of my work include:

One-to-one mentorship for artists, supporting idea development and explorations in materiality, performance, textiles, and process-led practice.
Lecturer in Fine Art and Visual Culture for UWE Bristol, Swansea College of Art, and University of the Highlands and Islands.
As Programme Coordinator at Gaada, I supported artists through weekly workshops focused on developing creative practice.
Workshop Leader for Shetland Arts’ Arts in Care programme over a three-year period.

Selected workshops include:

Textiles + Movement workshops responding to rivers for Peak Cymru’s Rural Stiwdio Programme.
Animation workshops for adults and children funded through The Scottish Government’s Autism Strategy.
Banner-making workshops for adults with disabilities on behalf of Project Ability and COP26.
Drop-in workshops exploring fish leather making and stitching in Denmark, Newfoundland, and Shetland.
Blanket-making workshops with The LGBTQ+ Blanket Project as part of my solo exhibition Holding Place.
Queer Crafting workshops for Queertawe and at Out and Wild, the UK’s largest festival for lesbian, bi, trans, queer women, and non-binary people.