Starting Lines
Starting Lines was an exhibition held at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead in 2026. It was the first major exhibition by artists, designers and educators Adam Phillips and Deborah Bower, known as Foundation Press.
Starting Lines focussed around 8 simple creative briefs which have been central to Foundation Press’ social practice over the past decade. Over the course of the exhibition, Foundation Press explored these instructional prompts with schools, community groups and wider audiences – contributing to a changing display of prints, posters and publications. The exhibition also showcased projects from Foundation Press’ archive, collaborative artworks made with people from across the region.
The show proposed that the act of creative making is open to all, offering potential for community building and a way of reflecting upon day-to-day life. Audiences were invited to take some time out to make a creative responses to the different briefs, using the materials and resources available within a specially-created side studio space.
In the centre of the main gallery was a risograph printing press which housed a programme of workshops and collaborations – adding new printed artworks and audience contributions back into the installation as the exhibition progressed.