Artistory followed on from HOST and was an art and feasting collaboration that sought to celebrate the stories of those who live and work in Shieldfield and question the roles of host and guest.

Throughout Artistory we hosted events which invited people to cook, eat and explore life together. Our growing exhibition and visual collection of feasting and eating told Shieldfield and Newcastle’s stories through recipes and food. Documentation of each event was added to the exhibition in our gallery as we feasted our way through the project.

With the gallery transformed into a cooking and feasting space, we held recipe sharing events where local residents demonstrated how to cook their favourite meals. Everyone involved was both an expert in their own cooking and a participant looking to learn new skills. The recipe sharing also demonstrated the skill and variety of cooking within the wider community, with cuisine from China, Britain, Lebanon and Persia. We shared skills and learnt new ones together, including stottie making (facilitated by Artisan Baking Community) and jam making. Jam was made during our Double Jam event, which put community jam making to a background of live musical jamming by four talented musicians, providing a feast for both the ears and the tastebuds. We culminated (predictably, but deliciously) into a bring and share meal which brought together everyone involved in the project.