A large audience sits in rows of chairs attending an artist talk in a bright, modern room with wooden ceiling panels and large windows. Four speakers sit at the front beneath a screen displaying a photograph of a child outdoors. The audience faces the speakers, listening to the discussion.

In conversation

Claye Bowler in conversation with Aimee Harrison

5 Nov 2026

Rewatch artist Claye Bowler in conversation with Aimee Harrison, Co-Curator of Liverpool Biennial 2027 exploring changing ideas, attitudes and approaches to play and participatory practice in contemporary art.

This event followed pARCHIVE, our summer Art and Play programme in Cross Flatts Park. Claye invited children to explore the natural environment around them, collecting materials to respond to and creatively assemble. Considering where we place value as a sector, the event shared the learning from this, the challenges faced and why it’s exciting to position a practice like Claye’s within a children’s play setting.

The Archive of Play was completed at pARCHIVE, see images below!

A young child in a purple floral outfit sits on dry grass, shaping pieces of grey clay on a blue board during an outdoor creative activity.

An adult and a child work together over a large grey container filled with sand or clay outdoors, with the adult holding a black bowl as the child reaches into the material.

Overhead view of five snails on a circular sculptural piece of pale stone, resting on a bright orange surface outdoors. Natural materials, including branches and textured clay forms, surround the stone, with green grass visible above.

Close-up of a small sculptural arrangement made from pale clay, pieces of tree bark and natural materials, resting on a bright blue outdoor table. Sunlight highlights the textures and casts strong shadows across the surface.

A child shapes a small clay sculpture with both hands over a blue, clay-covered work surface, with a bowl of water and modelling tools nearby.

Outdoor community arts event in a grassy park, with adults and children exploring colourful orange and blue structures, creative materials and interactive installations. A red gazebo and groups of visitors are visible among the trees.

A group of people wearing protective gloves take part in an outdoor creative workshop, mixing and pouring materials into a large bowl on dry grass. Participants work collaboratively in bright sunlight, using their hands and simple tools.

Two handmade clay sculptures displayed on a bright blue shelf outdoors. One is a shallow, irregular bowl, while the other is a rounded clay form decorated with dried seed heads, resting in a clay base.

Close-up of a pine cone, textured stones and a sandy sculptural form arranged on a pale wooden display outdoors. Bright sunlight highlights the natural materials and casts shadows across the surface.

Two children and an adult sit on dry grass outdoors, making small clay sculptures together. The adult holds a clay creation while the children shape clay beside blue bowls and a work surface. Colourful shelves displaying handmade sculptures and natural materials stand in the background.

A collection of small handmade clay sculptures incorporating natural materials, including pine cones, twigs and dried plants, arranged on blue, orange and natural wood display shelves outdoors. The sculptures sit on dry grass in bright summer sunlight.

An adult wearing a green shirt and cap helps a young child explore materials in a large grey plastic crate during an outdoor creative workshop. They stand on dry grass in bright sunlight, with a wooden fence behind them.

An adult and two children assemble a tall structure from blue foam tubes, rope and circular pieces beneath trees in an outdoor activity area.

A young blonde child in a pink outfit and pink shoes sits in a wooden crate filled with bright blue foam shapes at an outdoor creative play event. The child holds a dried leaf while exploring the materials, surrounded by dry grass in warm sunlight.

Image credits: photography by Jules Lister.
Image credits: 3 and 6 courtesy of Yorkshire Contemporary.