Whilst the Digital Test Commissions strand is about the process of testing new digital tools, methodologies and thinking that encourages discovery within artistic practice, we also encourage and support new experimental artistic works that engage with communities. This informs artist’s continued professional development (CPD), alongside receiving creative support and mentorship.

Experiences of artists have ranged from overcoming technical hurdles, learning and experimenting with new software, media, tools and AI, This tests new ways of working and facilitates community-engagement and community-generated input - all with a focus on unlocking practice through digital means.

This is a summary of Izzy’s experience.

• Izzy McLeod’s commission ‘Queer Digital Connections’ was a series of online workshops for queer people living in County Durham or with a connection to the County. Planning and delivering online workshops was a totally new experience for the artist, requiring Izzy to solve many new problems, ensuring accessibility, good levels of interactivity and platform stability were part of successful, creative and engaging virtual experiences for participants. These workshops focused on various aspects of ‘queer ecology’, which is an  interdisciplinary field that combines queer theory with ecological thought to challenge the idea that heterosexuality and cisgender identities are the only "natural" states. It argues that a diverse range of sexual and gender expressions exist throughout the natural world and that the concept of "naturalness" has been used to justify discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. Queer ecology explores how concepts like nature, sex, gender, and identity are interconnected and how we can dismantle oppressive binaries in our understanding of both the environment and society.

• The artist created art with participants and has left a trail for anyone else to do the same with the production of an artist Zine titled, ‘Queer Digital Connections: A Queer Ecology Zine’. Izzy had always wanted to earn how to design a Zine, so their commission was the perfect opportunity to learn how to use new publication software (InDesign) which was also new to the artist. With these skills being needed for some time to access other artist opportunities, Izzy has now unlocked these through their Test Commission. Izzy’s Zine is a digitised, summary takeaway version of their digital workshops, including ideas, concepts, exercises, and artwork created during the sessions. The publication explores queer ecology, queer art, and includes prompts for creating art. It covers topics such as:

• Place and Storytelling: Reflecting on the complicated and unique queer connections to place and nature.

• The Binary: Questioning "assumed" or "absolute" binaries through examples from the natural world.

• Symbiosis: Using the example of fungi and plants to illustrate that nature is a "web of reciprocity" built on collaboration, not just competition.

• Rest: Highlighting that rest is a radical act in a capitalist society and drawing inspiration from natural rhythms like winter hibernation and the month-long moult of Southern Elephant seals.