About us

Zwiebelfish CIC is an arts organisation set up in 2021 to work in collaboration with marginalised people, especially people affected by homelessness.

Our projects communicate life experiences that are sometimes ignored, or hidden, like homelessness. The wide variety of artforms we offer helps people to access their own creativity and can help to explore and release difficult memories, or simply find enjoyment in making.

Projects supported by Heritage Fund.

Directors

PHILIP DAVENPORT has collaborated with the homeless community in Manchester since 2009, documenting people’s heritage – lives and community – through interviews, poems, artworks, songs. He co-directed two previous Heritage Lottery projects (for arthur+martha CIC) The Homeless Library 2014-16 which was the first-ever history of British homelessness and was exhibited at the Houses of Parliament, the Southbank and Manchester Central Library. A BOOK OF OURS 2019-22 was exhibited at Bury Art Museum, Manchester Cathedral and StAnza Poetry Festival until going into the permanent collection at John Rylands Library. Davenport has given evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing, and delivered associated conference papers.

SCOTT THURSTON is a creative writing academic and poet of many years standing who has a keen interest in the intersection of poetry with other artforms particularly dance, with considerable experience in running workshops and conferences. He links movement, poetry and therapy and the psychological wellbeing and other benefits that flow from this combination.

JULIA GRIME has over 20 years experience running Arts organisations and community projects across theatre, film and dance with a particular interest in working with marginalized communities, most recently in Berlin with a project exploring and addressing diversity within German theatre.