Middle Ground: An Artist Residency on a Cargo Bike
Words and imagery by James Crossley
Sometimes all it takes is to ride a bike somewhere and talk to someone new to realise that we’re not so different and often, we want the same things. So, in a society where binary politics and geographies are cut through by anger, fear, and motorways, Middle Ground is a series of artist residencies based on a cargo bike, with the intention to connect and reclaim.
Art spaces are often exclusionary, and art ideals are often disconnected from the reality of living. The Middle Ground project seeks to melt these boundaries.
Putting the format of an artist residency on a cargo bike is both a political and practical choice. If the intention is to bridge division, then we must collapse the walls that shut each other out. When someone shows up in a small village on a strange giant bike, even if they look suspicious, they’re going to illicit some kind of mutual connection with local people.
I first found bicycle travel inadvertently during an art school project, so for me, artistic research has been embedded in touring from the beginning – using the bicycle to get to places, and perhaps more importantly to be in-between them. I built several projects including a cycle touring community in the Netherlands – Platte Gang, all connected to what it means to move by bike, the places you see, and the people you meet.
Middle Ground is exploring this format further and enabling others to use the bicycle to move, connect, and build. Artists can apply to use a specially equipped cargo bike for a month. It will have essentials for travel and art making, as well as space for individual artist equipment.
This first iteration should take place in summer 2025 and will consist of three artist journeys starting in the Netherlands. During a period of up to four weeks, each will cycle somewhere, meet people, and connect to places. From this they will form some kind of artistic action that engages directly with communities they meet. The intention is open and flexible, letting the tour play its role.
Get involved:Middle Ground is an experiment, artist-run, not-for-profit, and needs you!
If you’d like to support the project you can donate to the crowdfunder. Almost all of this money will go straight to paying the fees of the participating artists. You can also follow and share on instagram, and find more links like to signing up to the newsletter on the Middle Ground website.