About

About / Biography

Jenny Swindells is a multidisciplinary artist based in Norwich. She has created a diverse body of work in visual art, theatre, live art and film. Whilst studying in her Foundation in Art and Design at Norwich University of the Arts (back then Norwich School of Art and Design), she was unsure whether to opt for a film, theatre or pure visual art course for her degree. She found and successfully applied for the BA Theatre and Visual Art course at the University of Brighton. There were highs and lows with this degree but essentially it provided a good grounding in live art, theatre, design, installation art and storytelling. These are all elements that are still part of Swindells’ work today.

After graduating Swindells was affiliated with various theatre/performance companies such as The Society of Wonders, Stacked Wonky, Scary Little Girls, and very briefly The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. In 2008 she studied for an MA in Art, Design and Education at Norwich University of the Arts. During this course Swindells was able to better hone her visual language and began to explore how to encompass social issues, politics, mental health and women’s health into her work. For Swindells she has always considered the MA as a means of understanding how art (in it’s broadest sense) can be used to educate.

Keeping Norwich as a base (for now), Swindells has had a varied career working as an arts facilitator and associate artist at Colchester’s Firstsite, a project artist for Norfolk Arts Partnership, creative producer/dramaturg on various film projects, and occasionally does some acting. She has also produced a body of her own visual art, writing, and since 2020 she has worked almost exclusively on her own film projects.

Education
2010 Norwich University College of the Arts, MA Art, Design and Education
2003 The University of Brighton, BA Theatre and Visual Art
2000 Norwich School of Art and Design, BTEC Foundation Art and Design

Exhibitions & Films (selected)
2025 Kitsune no Mado. Short Film, Writer/Director J. C. Swindells (in post production)
2017 Drear Diary Digital. Online exhibition
2016 Which Side of the Line. Solo exhibition, Anteros Arts Foundation, Norwich
2015 Elbow Room 2015 Show. Group exhibition, The Gallery on the Corner, Battersea, London
2015 We Are the Spaces That I am (part 2). Solo installation, Thirteen A, Norwich
2015 Drear Diary and Other Stories. Solo exhibition, Nunns Yard, Norwich
2011 The Digital Chain. Group exhibition, AM Gallery, London (on-line project)

Performance (selected)
2025 Kitsue no Mado. Short film, Role: Narrator, Writer/Director J. C. Swindells
2017 Party Wall. Short film, Role: Joanna, Writer/Director David N. Drake
2016 Love is Love. Live art performance, Writer/Director J. C. Swindells
2015 How do I feel today? Live art performance, Writer/Director J. C. Swindells

Awards
Elbow Room Prize (2nd Place), London, 2015

Commissions (selected)
2020 Men’s Mental Health (promotional film) Producer and Director, commissioned by NSFT Wellbeing Service
2020 Offline (short film/music video) Production Assistant, director David N. Drake
2016 Blood and Stones (short film) Writer and Production Designer, director Joshua Carver
2015 Get Yourself Together (play) Production Designer, commissioned by Joshua Coates
2014 Mary No More (short film), Writer and Production Designer, director Joshua Carver

Residencies
2012 Franko B Workshop Residency, Firstsite, Colchester
Week long residency working with renowned artist Franko B examining artistic practice and visual dialogues. Achieved knowledge regarding development and ability to sustain project themes/ideas.

2010 – 2011 Emerging Associate Artist, Firstsite, Colchester Firstsite’s pilot scheme of artist residencies for its new arts education programme. Working alongside established artists, gaining insight into development of socially-engaged arts projects.