Lorraine Smith Arts 
Performance Maker

Lorraine’s artistic work focuses on the creation of live performance that offers audiences a shared experience that sparks emotional responses and/or challenges perceptions. Originally trained in dance, her artistic practice combines multiple art forms to communicate with the audience, including movement, physical theatre, live art, costume / wearable art, spoken word, etc., and usually in collaboration with other artists and performers.

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Her work reveals the delicacies and complexities of the everyday, the weird and the sublime. The worlds she creates submerge audiences into the Past, Present and Fantastical. Some of her work aims to ask provocative questions, whilst other pieces aim to share an intimate emotion or experience. At the heart of Lorraine's work is the desire to reach out to audiences from all walks of life and draw them into intimate connectivity with herself, the performers and artist collaborators. She also enjoys adding audience interaction to her work, when appropriate, to enhance this experience.

Work has been created for independent company showcases, festivals, exhibitions and platforms. Performances have taken place in a diverse range of locations, including traditional theatres such as Robin Howard Dance Theatre and the Roundhouse, galleries, pubs, train stations and other public settings (indoor and outdoor), abandoned buildings and experimental spaces such as The Shunt Lounge. Lorraine's work has been supported by Arts Council England, Dance City, Big Dance, FUSE, Islington Council, Farnham Maltings, among others.

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Lorraine works collaboratively on a project-by-project basis with artists. This approach allows performers and artists to form a unique bond with the work, leading to a strong connection with the audience. It also maintains a fresh and diverse approach to the work created. Recent projects include:

 

PANG & PING, Amsterdam Fringe 2021 - collaborator / performer for Daphne Karstens' wearable sculpture performance project 

 

SIDER Exhibition, Pineapple Black Gallery, Middlesbrough Art Weekender 2019 - interactive live art performances

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Six O’Clock Swill (reworked), Mother’s Ruin: ARC Stockton and Refract Festival 2018 - interactive solo performance

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Elizabeth & the Three Sisters, Night Fall 2016 (Stellar Projects Commission) - site specific wearable art performance

 

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Click on Gallery drop-down bar for examples of Lorraine's work (including video links).