bird by bird PROJECTS is the home of Naomi Russell’s creative and advisory work. My artistic and strategic insight uniquely bridges institutional, philanthropic and independent artist structures and scenes with a focus on performance and interdisciplinary work. I have collaborated with celebrated artists and institutions, as well as independent artists and grass roots cultural, creative and civil society actors in the UK, Europe and the Global South.

I offer expertise in:

• Strategic + artistic planning
• Advising on artistic and leadership positions and managing the recruitment process
• Artist development, with a particular focus on mid-career performance artists
• Curatorial and new work development, and executive production for performance and interdisciplinary creation, including for non-traditional and site-specific locations

I believe there is urgency to imagine and build renewed infrastructures in the field of arts and culture that champions experiment and which resources radical artists to speak into the realities we’re living in and living through. Freedom of artistic expression and foresight is a necessity for our common and collective good in an increasingly fragile world. One way I aim to make this belief real in small and meaningful ways is through Agora Now, an international network I founded during the pandemic as a passion project, and which is catalysing new ways of imagining, experimenting, producing, and collaborating for independent artists in performance around the world.

The name bird by bird is inspired by Anne Lamott’s book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (1995), and an acknowledgement that bold visions in times of immense change require a step-by-step approach, focused both on the bigger picture and ‘taking it bird by bird.’ Lamott’s advice feels even more relevant now than when I chose the name back in 2017.