In this informal lunchtime conversation Marley Starskey Butler will talk through their approach to the invitation to be an Incidental Artist and their findings so far.
Marley has spent the last nine months embedded in Beacon Family Services in Sutton Coldfield. As well as spending time with staff at the organisation they have been observing their use of Theraplay® and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) techniques which help children and parents or caregivers living in adoptive or fostering families start to make sense of their family’s world and develop, rebuild or repair their relationships with one another.
As Marley moves from their research phase towards the production of artwork, which will be made public in January 2026, we'll find out where their "listening to the noises and watching the doings" has led them, and what responses they now have to their initial questions which included 'How can an artist navigate this environment and be helpful whilst creating impactful artworks that facilitate further contemplation and positive action?' and 'What can an artist propose within this context and these boundaries?'
ABOUT MARLEY
Marley Starskey Butler is an interdisciplinary artist and qualified social worker. Their practice interweaves storytelling, memory, and emotional landscapes to explore how people make meaning of personal and collective narratives within systems of care. Grounded in lived professional and familial experience in child protection, fostering, adoption, and mental health, their work centres on themes of well-being, social justice, and human rights. These experiences inform both the content and methodology of their practice, positioning it at an intersection of art and social care.
Recent exhibitions and projects include Thirty-Six, Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham (2024); Hospital Rooms - Sandwell CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) (2023/4); Dwelling, Eagle Works Studios, Wolverhampton (2024); Reclaiming Narratives: Voices from the College of Medicine and Health, Barber Institute of Fine Arts (2024/25); Reflector, The New Art Gallery Walsall (2024/25), Blast Creative Network, The Wolverhampton School of Art, Wolverhampton (2023); Picturing High Streets, FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby (2023); Freedom, National Justice Museum, Nottingham (2023); Portrait of Britain, British Journal of Photography, Nationwide - JCDecaux Screen (2022); East Meets West, FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby (2021).
Find out more about their Incidental Artist project HERE
