Matthew Chesney, founder and director of BACKLIT in Nottingham, explains how his team successfully campaigned for public votes in the Connect10 competition to "bring back" local artist Mat Collishaw. With only minimal resources, they reached out to their local audiences online using social media. He also shares the success of their Museums at Night event with Mat, and what the legacy has meant for the organisation as a whole.

1. Backlit Connect 10 / MAN13

2. Backlit
• Backlit was established in 2008 with an aim of supporting emerging
artists with affordable studio space as well as developmental
opportunities through participatory and collaborative exhibitions
and events with arts and creative professionals.
•
The venue supports programmed exhibitions and events with open
workshops, screenings, talks, and open studios. Backlit also delivers
unique critical sessions on works in progress facilitated by regional
and national universities with both artists and the public.
•
Housing 21 studio artists the venue continues to build a strong
reputation for artistic innovation . The organisation is was awarded
Arts Council Funding for a 2 year Visual Arts Programme increasing
cultural participation in a regenerative area (Eastside) of the City.

4. Connect 10
Submitting an Idea

5. Connect 10
• In February 2013 Backlit submitted a proposal to
Culture 24 for the Connect 10 competition.
• As an established artist, originally from
Nottingham, Backlit proposed that Mat Collishaw
would return back to the city to reconnect with local
audiences, and its burgeoning art scene. Backlit has
strong affiliation from Nottingham Trent University
(formerly Trent Polytechnic) where Collishaw
graduated from in 1986 and would like to encourage
Nottingham undergraduates/ graduates to be
ambitious.

6. Mat Collishaw's Connect10 offer:
• Mat Collishaw offered visitors to help prepare
and make some of his work. These technical
practices included the flattening of the
butterflies for his insecticide works or helping
him create some of his spinning zoetropes.

7. Backlit Proposal
• Backlit invited students from affiliated partner
organisations to work alongside Mat and to create a
legacy for the emerging artists of Nottingham. By
displaying works by an artist such as Collishaw, and
presenting the experimental side of his practice, the
project would attempt to unveil the mystery behind
artistic success and has immense value as a learning
tool for not only the organisation but also the wider
arts communities.
• The event was also to be accessed online through a
Live Stream in partnership with White Collar Zoo Tv
and feature a rare interview with Carol Jones (formerly
of the Midland Group).

8. Shortlist and Competitors
• Artist Offers – a opportunity to present an
ambitious project with a high profile artist.
• Backlit intended to use every means available to
galvanise as many people as possible to vote as a
venue.
• Competing venues in the running were- Anglican
Cathedral (Liverpool), Landhydrock House
(Bodmin) and Northern Print (Newcastle).

9. Bring Back Mat Campaign
• Backlit worked with Cartwright
communications to deliver a highly innovative
social media campaign #BRINGBACKMAT
which spanned out into coverage in the
local, national and international press.

10. #bring back mat

11. Objectives of a PR plan
• Create awareness among the public about the
competition
• Encourage people to vote for Mat to visit the
Backlit gallery
• Raise awareness of the Backlit gallery
• Educate the Nottingham public about who
Mat is and his connection to Nottingham .

12. Audiences
• Artists – (Flyers across the city and Mail-outs)
• Students – (University Radio
Nottingham, Announcements)
• People interested in the arts locally –
(blogs, social media)
• The general public – (local press)

13. Social media
• Backlit’s and Cartwright Communications used Twitter and
Facebook to drum up support for the campaign by posting
regular content about the competition and about Mat Collishaw.
• Key social media influencers will be approached to talk about
the campaign on social media, using the #‘bringbackmat’.
• Each day posted ‘Mat fact’ and images of his work with
information where ‘drip fed’ about the competition and who is
supporting it.
• Email marketing - Nottingham Trent University art school’s
database sent on to students and local organisations that would
be interested in supporting the campaign. For example the
Nottingham Contemporary, Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham
City Council, New Art Exchange and Spirit Nottingham.

14. Final Votes
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie6FxbO21w
• In attempt to secure the winning vote Backlit
pushed for final votes through facebook and
twitter with a bringbackmat trailer

15. Winning Connect 10
• Backlit secured nearly 50% of the vote
through its innovative social media campaign!
• The city joined forces to welcome Mat Back to
Nottingham for the site visit.
• #askmat invited people to submit questions
for Mat’s Live interview through the on twitter
in partnership with Northern Print.

17. Working with Mat
• Mat Collishaw directed a workshop with local
artists and members of the public to build a
series of unique 3D zoetropes – with staionary
and record players - a modern twist on the old
Victorian technique. He also took part in a
question and answer session.

18. Radio BBC Nottingham
• “Backlit gallery is a fantastic artist-run studio
and exhibition space. Last week I met the
artists that have studios there and the people
that run the gallery, and they are all fantastic.
I’m looking forward to coming down to the
gallery again to run the workshop and meet
more creative people in Nottingham.”
Mat Collishaw

19. 3D Zoetrope Workshop
• The workshop was free and open to the
public, although places were limited. An
additional opening after the workshop
expanded footfall for the event making it
more inclusive. For those who couldn’t make
it, there was a live TV stream of the event on
White Collar Zoo – Nottingham’s online video
channel for the creative sector.

20. Mat Collishaw Zoetrope Workshop

24. Legacy
• International Press – Vogue Ukraine
• Regional Press – Leftlion, BBC
• Inspiration to audiences – Live streaming and
online access to the event.
• Arts council Funding – The next level for the
organisation.
• Cartwright Communictaions have been
entered for awards for innovative
#bringbackmat campaign