warmth consultancy

Since our inception Ort gallery has strived to honour and integrate the voices of our community throughout our work. Following the development of our working methodology Warmth, in 2020, we have implemented equitable ways of working that have allowed us to centre audiences and artists voices in the development and delivery of our organisation's offerings.  

A significant part of our Warmth methodology is sharing our learning with external Arts and Culture partners, with an aim to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of the sector. 

Community-led programme design 

The creation of Warmth was a response to the challenges facing our community. As our work often features artists and audiences from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ and Islamic community, as well as those from working class backgrounds - the events of 2020 impacted our community’s connectivity, mental health and engagement with the arts. 

With an aim to reconnect with our audiences, we launched several evaluation initiatives that allowed an open dialogue between ourselves and our community. This included, a Community Ambassador program, a short online submission form that allowed artists and visitors to propose offerings, events and exhibitions they would like to see delivered at Ort gallery. We also hosted Relaxed focus groups, made up of two cohorts – community audiences and artists, as well as 1-to1’s with artists to identify needed areas of support in the sector. Additionally, in 2022 we ran a two month long summer programme ‘Stay and Play’ that invited artists and audiences into our space to participate in workshops, talks and peer to peer learning led by community ambassador artists. 

The learning from these initiatives birthed new programs, workshops and events and created a symbiotic engagement relationship between ourselves and our community, with many audience members and artists feeling empowered to take on leadership roles in delivering activity.

Sharing our learning

Following the transformational impact of Warmth, our team have engaged in multiple opportunities to share this learning with other organisations, as well as utilising our expertise to support organisations to foster equitable ways of working for their own community members.

In 2022, Sarah Lopez was invited to talk at the Norwich University of Arts, providing students with an understanding of how to shape a care-centred art practice. We have also acted as Warmth consultants to organisations such as Museum Detox and Spectra (amongst others) and funders Amal and Paul Hamlyn, with our Warmth report being used as a best practice reference for BFI and RSA. 

In 2023, Josephine Reichert produced a blog post for RadHR detailing our success and challenges throughout our journey to become an equitable organisation, which was shared throughout the arts, culture and NPO sector. 

In 2024, Josephine Reichert was invited to the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development working group, to share our organisations' learning with nonprofit and grassroots organisations. 

Warmth Training Brochure

Warmth Training Brochure

Download the Warmth Training Brochure now

We’d love to work with you

If you are interested in speaking to a member of the team about Warmth Training, Consultancy tailored to your needs or any other aspect of our work, please get in touch here!

About Ort Gallery 

Founded in 2011, Ort Gallery is a visual arts and poetry organisation that originated in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. Over the last two years, we have had the opportunity to expand our offerings nationally while working remotely and utilising partner venues, bringing work to new and returning audiences. 

We are on a social mission to challenge the traditional role of visual art spaces and believe that everyone should have access to high quality art experiences and creative development opportunities. 

In 2020 we pioneered 'Warmth' a working methodology that challenges the arts sector to become more caring, supportive and accountable in order to be truly inclusive. We believe that care is radical and invite our audience members to ‘bring their full selves’ when engaging with our organisation. We believe that meeting the access needs and respecting the cultural differences of our audiences, creates a richer and more meaningful experiences for all. 

Testimonials

  • "My experience working with Ort Gallery has been fantastic since the beginning of our relationship. I have always felt welcome in the spaces and having an open line of communication with the team , as well as a great feeling of warmth as a person and as an artist. This has been different to working with some other organisations, at Ort you feel heard and your needs prioritised. This gave me the confidence to start new/continue ventures such as Empower Poetry, a monthly live spoken word event in Digbeth, Birmingham. "

    Ryan Sinclair, Poet

  • "Ort Gallery’s practice of warmth has enabled me to feel safe and supported at this very crucial and formative stage of my career. I emerged as a curator, more confident and informed. It also gave me a lot of clarity in my aspirations for the future in terms of my career path and curatorial practice. My training at Ort Gallery increased my chances to access higher education in the arts and led me to being awarded a full scholarship to study arts management at Goldsmiths University of London."

    Ophée Kashala, curator

  • "I felt safe in the group sessions, [I have learnt] how to express my emotions through art."

    Group participant

  • "Art therapy helped me greatly especially at a time when I was going through a difficult phase in my life. I found it very therapeutic and found a new love for painting. I always felt better after each session. I would recommend to everyone. I'm glad I stuck it out as I wasn't sure the first few sessions. But once I embraced it and opened up a bit, I found benefit in it."

    Art Therapy Participant

  • "Hayati is so precious and is needed InshaAlla you get funding to continue it. It really adds a lot to the community. This is a wholesome and welcoming creative space."

    Hayati Participants