A co-creative practice initiated by artists Jo Fong and Sonia Hughes.

Nettles… is a direct descendant of the works ‘Neither Here Nor There’, ‘Ways of Being Together’, ‘How Shall We Begin Again’, ‘The Sun Has Come Out’. We have been gathering artists and people who would not always describe themselves as artists, people who each embody (maybe differently) skills and strategies for bringing people together, deeply, lightly with grace. 

We value warmth, strength, listening, softness. 

Moments for generosity, reciprocity, open-endedness.

Where have we got to?

How can I do activism without harm?
It’s not going to be solved in my life time
Courage / A matter of the heart
This is progress
An Ongoing Conversation

Coming Up

OFFTA (Montreal, CAN) and Chapter (Cardiff, Wales) supported the gathering of four artists Jo Fong (Wales, UK), Sonia Hughes (England, UK), Marilou Craft (Montreal, CAN), Alexandra “Spicey” Landé (Montreal, CAN). Last Spring the artists came together in Cardiff and then later returned to Montreal to continue the development of the work, share and present at OFFTA 2025.

We are currently talking to various UK and International festivals and venues about the next iterations of Nettles.

Who do we work with?

Artists, Racialised artists, Tired artists, Activist artists, Tricky artists, Leaders, “difficult” women / non-binary people, awkward artists or “artists”, Disabused artistic folks. 

People who are good at bringing people together. 

Co – listening, Co – composition, Conversation.

It began in lockdown, online events and workshops hosted by Arts Admin and G39. Later in person events and creative residencies.

So far, we have hosted kitchen table conversations, embodied moving and dancing, group walks, non-hierarchical cooking, live writing presentations and spoken word performances.

Artists, people and organisations who have helped to seed and develop this work.

Artists Marilou Craft (Montreal, CAN), Alexandra “Spicey” Landé (Montreal, CAN), Fiona Wright (UK), Rabab Ghazoul (Wales), Angharad Closs (Wales), Krystal Dawn Campbell (Wales), DAR Rogers (Wales), Karla Etienne (CAN), Farah Khan (CAN) and Angie Cheng (CAN).

Chapter (Cardiff), G39 (Cardiff), Spill (Ipswich), SE Dance (Brighton), Arts Admin (London), LA SERRE — OFFTA Festival d’arts vivants and OFFTA (Montreal, CAN) and Theatr Geneddlaethol (Wales)