19 May – 31 October 2022

Grow FM was a season exploring the theme of ‘community as health.’ Featuring new comissions by local and international artists and a roaming pop-up radio station, that broadcasted from Chiswick House & Gardens throughout the summer of 2022.

Curated and produced by Yinka Danmole and Tadeo Lopez-Sendon, we presented a wide-ranging programme of new experiences, talks, events and participatory opportunities for local people. All underpinned by the history of the house as a Victorian asylum run by the Tuke Brothers, who spearheaded pioneering approaches to treating patients, placing an emphasis on talking therapies and collective social activities like playing cricket.

The recent experience of lockdowns made an inevitable impact on our well-being, leaving us exposed to the reality of what community means to us. Our guiding theme ‘Community as health’ aimed to challenge us as an organisation as well as visitors to reflect on how we nurture time and space for everyone from our local community to thrive and belong on our site.

Through all our programming for 2022, we set out to ensure our site could be a hub for the community and the many diverse individuals from our borough. From working with our local partners at Heston West Big Local to inform and co-create a new artwork with Dutch artists, affect lab, to empowering a new creative collective of audio producers to broadcast conversations on mental health. All the work and new interventions we introduced to the site were laced with our community playing an integral role.

Much wider cultural focus than previously expected. Loved the immediacy of live broadcast and really interesting interview. Pirate radio- fascinating insight! Thank you.

I never knew Chiswick House & Gardens hosted events like this. It made my visit here even better and hope to see more events like this.

I mean this in the best possible way… it was like being on acid, a very psychedelic experience.

Thanks to our funders:

The Grow FM programme was generously supported and funded by the Hounslow Summer of Culture, Linbury Trust and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

We would also like to thank all our Patrons, Friends of Chiswick House and Members, whose donation and contributions made this work possible.