Joanna Litten reflects on her recent Hatching Residency at The Nest.
‘Get that application in!’ My friend Natalie told me. I told her I didn’t have time, discounting myself.
I’m not scared of rejection. I am afraid to fail.
But she was right. What’s the harm in putting myself out there?
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Olivia James reflects on her recent Hatching residency at The Nest.
In recent times I have been drawn back to analogue ways of working and life, without pressure or restricting myself (I still love the convenience, immediacy and fun technology brings and the worlds and connections that are discovered, I won’t be throwing away my mobile phone or pausing my social media any time soon!). I knew that in my first week at The Nest I wanted to not use my laptop – be without the distraction and temptation of doing or looking at other things. I arrived with pen and paper and an open mind to approach the 10 days ahead flexing my writing muscles; quite literally using hand and finger muscles.
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Taszyn Bailey‘s Hatching Residency reflections.
Before starting my residency, I tried to figure out what I’m actually visually drawn to. I looked through old photos, saved images, and my past illustrations and paintings. There were two themes I consistently revisit: architecture and nature, often intertwined.
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Lucy Denton reflects on her recent Hatching Residency at The Nest
I recently had the opportunity to spend four days over two weeks as part of the Nest Residency with the team at Talking Birds in Coventry. I felt comfortable in the space and was treated like a professional. During that time, the experience opened up far more ideas than I expected.
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Julie Joannides reflects on her recent Hatching Residency at The Nest
At the end of February 2026 I was about to start my Nest residency I had such mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness with the dreaded imposter creeping in. I submitted an application in the Autumn supported by Charlie in one of her surgeries where I offloaded my head full of a myriad of ideas that I wanted to explore. I was excited and nervous and wanted to make the most of the experience ahead.
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Naomi Reid reflects on her recent Hatching Residency at The Nest
To prepare myself for the Hatching Residency at The Nest, I began by simply breathing. Contained within the four walls of Helloland, I sat still and breathed.
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Rachel Doughty reflects on her recent Hatching residency at The Nest.
You cannot imagine my excitement when someone approached me about making a dress that could have a theatre in the skirt to enable mobile performances; I may have even squealed just a little.
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[Long Read] Co-AD Janet reflects on her participation in DutchCulture’s International Visitor’s Programme exploring Regeneration in Arts and Culture.
My first garden in Amsterdam is the one outside my hotel window.
I’m on the third floor and there is the crown of a mature birch tree at the centre of my view: dark, delicate arches of witches-broom twigs with small golden yellow leaves back-lit by pinky morning sun. There’s a wren – that I can’t see – singing its heart out and, every so often, a trio of squawking green necked parakeets sail over.
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Kate Taylor reflects on her recent Hatching Residency at The Nest
Pre week 1, the offer of a familiarisation was presented by Talking Birds. I felt heard, and knew it would support certain traits linked to my ADHD; anxiety around new territory, expectation. Basically any over thinking put at ease. So a couple of weeks before my residency began, I met the core team at TB, saw the space, and felt super at home. Note to self… should I feel I need this in the future, just ask!
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Kritika Agarwal reflects on their recent Hatching Residency at The Nest
At the start of my residency, I aimed to explore South Asian queer themes through bold textiles and installation. Growing up under Section 377, with no queer representation and little dialogue around queerness, I wanted to create something that would fill the silence of my childhood.
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It Takes a City has had a long fuse. It was first sparked over 15 years ago by a story I was told by Paul Duncombe, who was looking after the Belgrade Theatre on the night of the 12th of March 2008, when much of Coventry City Centre was evacuated, due to an unexploded 50kg WW2 German bomb, discovered by workers excavating the site behind the theatre that was to become Belgrade Plaza.
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Polly Merredew reflects on her recent Hatching Residency at The Nest.
Fragments, threads and weaving. Three little words, giving rise to many thoughts and questions.
What is my place and how am I woven into this world?
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Words from the Birds 