Ian Richards

Ian Richards is an artist and designer based in Birmingham with twenty years’ experience in working with the medium of communication. From audio and text-based visual work, to filmmaking and community engagement, he has worked with organisations such as the Halle 14 Centre for Contemporary Art, Leipzig, Germany (2015) and Yorkhill Children’s Hospital NHS, Glasgow (2013-2015).

For The Bridge that Connects, Ian has developed a documentary-style artistic response to the villages of Cefn Mawr, Trevor, Froncysyllte and Chirk, interviewing significant local people in order to research and better understand the local context of the area as it is today and the importance of its various layered histories. The film includes drone footage of the incredible landscape of the area and key sites important to the individuals included such as the recently developed Clinker Path in Trevor, community café Caffi Wylfa in Chirk, artist’s workshops in Cefn Mawr and the bustling hub of Froncysyllte Community Centre on Gate Road, which was built in 1972 with funds from local people.

Ian’s film, produced with filmmaker Leon Bowen and the project team for The Bridge that Connects, features Sue Kempster, Carl Holland, Brogan Burke, Tyger Benbow-Jones, Jim Heath, Keith Sinclair and Sian Williams, who all generously offer their unique perspectives in order to tell rich and fascinating stories of place, directly from the lived experiences of the community. The film includes interviews with community leaders, volunteers, artists and entrepreneurs all passionate about their work and about their community.

The film can be found on the project website and at other locations.