PUSH ME, a collaboration led by Watershed, is one of the 53 digital arts projects commissioned by Arts Council England and BBC for The Space.

The Space is a multi-platform initiative, which will showcase some of the best digital art works in the UK. The Space aims to build the digital skills and capability of the arts sector in the run-up to the Olympics. The Space, launching in May, encourages arts organisations to experiment and engage with new audiences. The initiative will create hundreds of hours of original commissions for broadcast on The Space via computers, mobiles, tablet computers and internet-connected TVs.

The Space is a new way to experience the arts. For six months, from May to October 2012, The Space will showcase some of the most exciting arts events across the UK, giving you unique access through your computer, tablet, mobile or connected TV. Featuring live performances, specially created digital events, full length productions, behind the scenes documentaries and interactive content, The Space is all about breaking boundaries, and creating a totally new way for the public and artists to engage. With free on demand content from some of the most respected and innovative names in the UK arts scene, The Space is a vision for the future, where great art can be experienced when you want it, wherever you are.

Watershed’s collaborative project PUSH ME is an invitation into the journey of 12 artists working as part of Unlimited, the Cultural Olympiad programme focusing on disability as part of The Space. PUSH ME will profile the journey of 12 artists creating the Unlimited commissions: Susan Austin, Rachel Gadsden, Claire Cunningham, Jez Colborne and Mind the Gap, Ramesh Meyyappan, Bobby Baker, Mish Weaver and Stumble, Caroline Bowditch, Graeae, Laurence Clark, Simon McKeown and Janice Parker. Questions the project will answer include: how are they pushing themselves? How is what they are creating pushing others?

PUSH ME aims to push disabled artists’ exceptional work out to a wider audience, to push the impact it has on audiences and the arts sector and also to push the boundaries of what is possible across a range of digital platforms. Itwill see a series of short 90 second films appear weekly in The Space, plus a documentary and blog including a news feed managed by Disability Arts Online, who are also partners in the project.

Ruth Mackenzie, Cultural Olympiad Director, describes Unlimited as being “about world-class artists creating brilliant work which will change perceptions of the work of disabled and deaf artists.”

Jo Verrent, one of the curators for the commission, says:

“PUSH ME will explore a diversity of agendas – pushing our artists into The Space, capturing these extraordinary set of high artistic moments they have created and pushing the way pieces are being produced and platformed. We now have a chance to look across some of this groundbreaking work at this unique moment in time – and push them and it out there.”

Dick Penny, Managing Director of Watershed, says:

“This is an excellent opportunity for us to build on our blossoming partnerships and to work with outstanding artists and curators to bring their work to new audiences. Watershed’s audiences are always curious and I’m excited to see how they will respond to this fresh work.”

The piece brings together 8 English commissions and 4 from Scotland, thanks to investment by Creative Scotland. Iain Munro, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland, says

"This is a tremendous and high profile opportunity to showcase the excellent work created by Scottish artists through the Unlimited commissions to a global, digital audience."

Co-curator Sarah Pickthall says:

“Our vision is audaciously ambitious. We want to use The Space to amplify the impact of Unlimited. It has the power to change the way in which disability and creativity are viewed throughout the cultural sector – and we can use this project to push this further. So go on. PUSH ME.”

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