WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
TACO! is an non for profit artist-led organisation supporting research, production, and exchange in Thamesmead and SE London. We understand artistic practice to be a social tool for making the world anew. We aim to foster artists and art practices as valued, vital and useful to creative communities, civil society, and the realisation of shared equitable futures.
TACO! is conceived as an ongoing artistic enquiry that is embedded, socially engaged, and explores what art can be and do. We centre artists and the creative agency of communities in the way we develop and grow. Our activities are experimental and collaborative, supporting learning and exchange between artists, audiences, community and place.
HOW WE WORK
TACO! invites artists to lead an enquiry by researching, developing and realising projects over a dedicated period of time. Projects initiated by artists vary in duration, with an open timeframe and no set expectations on outcomes, but with a focus on ‘making practice public’.
This artist research informs a diverse public programme that includes exhibitions, events, discussions, workshops, broadcasts, screenings, publishing, and co-authored participatory projects with communities, groups, children and young people.
Our collaborative and engaged participatory projects address or explore social concerns that are important to communities and people’s lived experience.
ACCESS & CONTACT
TACO! can be accessed across two sites in Thamesmead, SE London. These sites include a gallery, event space, cafe-bar, and broadcast studio at our public venue in Cygnet Square, and a production and workshop space, with publishing & print facilities at Poplar Place.
Both of these sites support opportunities for artists, communities and groups, to make, present, and distribute their work to a public.
2 Cygnet Sq
Thamesmead, London
SE2 9FA
020 3904 6637
Thurs- Sun / 10-6
30 Poplar Place
Thamesmead, London
SE28 8BB
by appointment
info@taco.org.uk
join mailing list
@tracey_aint_coming_out
RTM
rtm.fm is an arts based community radio station that is volunteer-run, presenting a broadcast schedule of live-to-air performance events, experimental music, art, and contemporary audio cultures. The rtm studio provides artists, communities and groups with access to audio recording, editing and broadcasting. rtm is open to ︎proposals for regular and one off broadcast shows that fit the broadcasting programme.
@rtm.fm
THE tACO! YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAMME (YAP!)
TACO!s Young Artist Projects reflect the wider ethos of our programming, we centre children and young people as artists and creative producers.
Projects are collaborative - allowing artists, children and young people to work together and lead on not only the direction of outcomes, but also new and radical ways of working.
Current YAP programme include
Bang Splat Whoosh, an experimental creative studio for early years children aged 1-5yrs, with artists working within Children Centres.
The Hundred Club an experimental creative space that uses arts and play for children to explore social justice issues. Free and open to 5-12yr olds and their siblings, parents and carers.
@taco_yap_yippeeee
BOOKSHOP
The TACO! bookshop provides a platform for independent publications, zines, vinyl and artist materials produced by publishers, small presses, groups, galleries, communities, and artist practitioners.The bookshop is open four days a week and available online.
We are open to submissions and proposals to the shop. Please read our guidelines ︎before submitting your titles for consideration using our online form.
PRINT STUDIO
TACO! undertakes a range of text-based and publishing projects with artists working with print, writing and distributed forms of production.
The TACO! Print Studio is a risographic print and publishing facility with workshop space and resource library that can be accessed and used by artists, groups and communities. It provides print and binding services, skills workshops, and facilities for creative production and research.
To indepdently access the studio you must have completed an Introduction to Riso Workshop OR have prior experience using Riso.
We run a Studio Associate Scheme that offers discounted studio access and materials.
NON FOR PROFIT
TACO! is a non-for profit arts organisation and registered charity ( Thamesmead Arts and Culture Office # 1196316). 100% of the money we fundraise or earn through the sales of items in our shop goes towards furthering the work we do with artists and audiences. We're entirely dependent on the generosity of the people we meet and the partners we work with.
WHO WE ARE
TACO! is led and run by artists Mat Jenner, Natasha Bird and Gina Prat Lilly.
With assistance and support from e v, Cillian Finnerty, Martha McKeller, Denny Kaulbach, Arnold Chukwu, and Aravind Kokkranikal.
-§-With assistance and support from e v, Cillian Finnerty, Martha McKeller, Denny Kaulbach, Arnold Chukwu, and Aravind Kokkranikal.
As a charity TACO! is steered by a Board of Trustees. This fine group of people help shape TACO!, support it in the realisation of its work and act as custodians of its culture and future.
Current members of the board include:
Kate Forde - is an independent Curator with substantial experience of producing interdisciplinary exhibitions that combine art, science and cultural history. She was formerly Head of Exhibitions at Wellcome Collection and has also worked for Tate, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY and the V&A
Rima Patel - is an artist and designer with extensive experiece of working with children and young people, and the realising public art projects in a range of settings nationally and internationally. She is co-founder of Rima & McCrae a fine art and specialist finish studio, sited in Thamesmead.
Amanda Carmichel - is the SVP, International of SoundExchange a non-profit collective management organisation for music rights.
She has held a range of senior management and leaderhip roles in the music, charity and non-profit sectors, spending the last decade ensuring creators get paid for the use of their music.
Vijay Raman - is the UK Head of Governance at Societe Generale, having previously held the roles of UK Chief of Staff and UK Head of Export Finance, amongst others, over 18 years at the French bank. Vijay started his career in HSBC where he spent 4 years in various roles, all in London.
Kirsty Ogg - is an independent curator, consultant and educator. She is interested in the intersection of emerging art practice, arts education and access. These interests are framed by her background in grassroots DIY artist-led organisations and cultures. She has previously held curatorial and leadership positions at the Showroom, Whitechapel Gallery, and New Contemporaries. She teaches on the MFA Curating course at Goldsmiths, University of London and is a member of the CVAN London steering group.
Avril Corroon - is a visual artist from Ireland. Her work examines inequity and how architecture manifests governance. She previosul worked with TACO! from 2020- 2023 on Got Damp, a project exploring an ongoing exchange over 3 years of research and development with 55 households from London and Dublin. She has exhibited and worked extensively across the UK and Internationally including Peer Gallery, Project Arts Centre, Sismógrafo, Lab Gallery, and SPACEX.
Ciaran Mackle - is a fundraising and marketing professional with over a decade of experience at leading charities including BBC Children in Need and Save the Children UK. Based in Abbey Wood, London, he is also an active participant in the city’s experimental music scene, in projects such as Ashcircle and Breathing Heavy.
Zainab Asunramu - is a human rights and political activist with over a decade’s worth of experience working in local, regionl and national political institutions and various nNGO’s, including Amnesty International and the Fawcett Society. In her advocacy and public affairs roles, she has shaped policies that advance gender and racial equality and adherence of international human rights law. She is a Councillor representing Thamesmead East in Bexley Council.
Andrea Francke - is a Peruvian social practice artist based in London. Her practice focuses on developing structures for being and thinking together. These exchanges manifest collaboratively through a regular practice of writing, publishing, public speaking, podcasting, exhibiting and residencies. She has exhibited and worked extensively across the UK and Internationally including the Serpentine, The Showroom, South London Gallery, Grand Union, CCA Derry-Londonderry, Bergen Kunsthall, and Munich Kunstverein , amongst others. Andrea is also Senior Lecturer at the Chelsea College of Arts BAFA , a founding member of the Gasworks Participation Programme Evaluation board.
Amanda Carmichel - is the SVP, International of SoundExchange a non-profit collective management organisation for music rights.
She has held a range of senior management and leaderhip roles in the music, charity and non-profit sectors, spending the last decade ensuring creators get paid for the use of their music.
Vijay Raman - is the UK Head of Governance at Societe Generale, having previously held the roles of UK Chief of Staff and UK Head of Export Finance, amongst others, over 18 years at the French bank. Vijay started his career in HSBC where he spent 4 years in various roles, all in London.
Kirsty Ogg - is an independent curator, consultant and educator. She is interested in the intersection of emerging art practice, arts education and access. These interests are framed by her background in grassroots DIY artist-led organisations and cultures. She has previously held curatorial and leadership positions at the Showroom, Whitechapel Gallery, and New Contemporaries. She teaches on the MFA Curating course at Goldsmiths, University of London and is a member of the CVAN London steering group.
Avril Corroon - is a visual artist from Ireland. Her work examines inequity and how architecture manifests governance. She previosul worked with TACO! from 2020- 2023 on Got Damp, a project exploring an ongoing exchange over 3 years of research and development with 55 households from London and Dublin. She has exhibited and worked extensively across the UK and Internationally including Peer Gallery, Project Arts Centre, Sismógrafo, Lab Gallery, and SPACEX.
Ciaran Mackle - is a fundraising and marketing professional with over a decade of experience at leading charities including BBC Children in Need and Save the Children UK. Based in Abbey Wood, London, he is also an active participant in the city’s experimental music scene, in projects such as Ashcircle and Breathing Heavy.
Zainab Asunramu - is a human rights and political activist with over a decade’s worth of experience working in local, regionl and national political institutions and various nNGO’s, including Amnesty International and the Fawcett Society. In her advocacy and public affairs roles, she has shaped policies that advance gender and racial equality and adherence of international human rights law. She is a Councillor representing Thamesmead East in Bexley Council.
Andrea Francke - is a Peruvian social practice artist based in London. Her practice focuses on developing structures for being and thinking together. These exchanges manifest collaboratively through a regular practice of writing, publishing, public speaking, podcasting, exhibiting and residencies. She has exhibited and worked extensively across the UK and Internationally including the Serpentine, The Showroom, South London Gallery, Grand Union, CCA Derry-Londonderry, Bergen Kunsthall, and Munich Kunstverein , amongst others. Andrea is also Senior Lecturer at the Chelsea College of Arts BAFA , a founding member of the Gasworks Participation Programme Evaluation board.