Harry Meadley is an artist, researcher and skateboarder based in Leeds, UK, who initiates projects that, through inclusion, participation and co-production, seek to reclaim and reappropriate civic space. From municipal art galleries, universities and city centres to remote locations, Meadley’s socially engaged artistic practice aims to question not just the structures of power within society but of artistic production itself. Recent projects include the Civic kateboarding festival for marginalised gender skateboarders as part of Leeds 2023 Year of Culture and Free-for-All at Touchstones, Rochdale, which saw the entire gallery given over to the people of Rochdale to use however they wanted.

Things we talked about in this podcast:

• Background as an artist, researcher, skateboarder
• Overview of keynote at WiSEAN conference
• Change in skateboarding subculture and traditional male domain; how came up with idea of spaces alsobeing occupied by women/girls/gender minority? Safety issues for women/girls.
• Key messages from research –interviews, focus groups. PhD.
• Activities and link with art
• Funding: Advice for sports-typical individual approaching e.g., Arts Council, arts-based funding.
• Next projects