Responding to 'Running and Returning'
As part of the public programme surrounding 'Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning' (on display in St Luke’s until 2 November 2025), The Box has been working with Adopt South West and local adoptive families to create a new collaborative display in response to her ambitious survey exhibition.
The display can be seen in our Simmons Learning Room window until the end of Sunday 14 September.
Adopt South West is the regional adoption agency for Cornwall & Isles of Scilly, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay. Their role is to assess and support prospective adopters, find families for all children in the region with a plan of adoption and to provide support to all people affected by adoption. This includes adopted children and young people, adopted adults, adopters and birth relatives.
The families have been working with artist Beth Emily Richards over six creative workshops to explore the idea of a personal archive, scanning archive images from personal photo albums, and using digital photography, collage and other creative approaches.
Jyll Bradley’s early life experiences shaped her identity and practice. While Bradley grew up in rural Kent, she also spent many summers as a child in the South West, connecting with her adoptive relatives and the land. You can find out more about this in Jyll Bradley: Life and Influences in the Active Archives gallery.