Established in December 2023 by Alfie Winters, a visual artist based in Essex, working out of Studio 12, Leigh-on-Sea. Primarily working with photography, performance and process, to activate a humorous site of conversation, employing a lo-fi autonomy to highlight accessibility.

Alfie’s Instagram
that’s me ^ in the studio there.
The One Hour Residency was discovered amongst studio experimentations and a drive to collaborate. As (at the time) I was a photography student, with no real ‘need’ for a messy, dusty, rusting kettle studio. As a photographer you’d need freshly painted white walls, backdrops and expensive lights in your desired studio, right?... Wrong! What I learnt is that space, walls, floors, ceilings, plug sockets, tables, chairs, taps and sinks are vital, vital resources for an artist.


‘A space is a privilege, that should be shared’
the rusty kettle ^
...So it was, as it should be, hosting anyone who wished to extend their practice, test out a new enquiry, or who wanted to join in, just for fun!

“At our core, the DIY approach contrasts the exclusivity associated with major institutional art spaces. Revelling in an amateur, anti-establishment spirit. Our framework is activated as a live, working space for an enquiry, employing practice-based engagement.”

Ava Burns ^ at The One Hour Residency

Then, on the 20th March 2024, I entered The One Hour Residency into South by South-East Festival’s Mini-Commissions open call...

They liked it!! (yay) But an hour was too long for one person to spend at an impromptu studio setting at a festival, with so much else going on! 

Enter The Tombola Residency!!! With help and funding from 1DegreeEast, The One Hour Residency was adapted and ready for festival experiences. With the alteration of timescale and extra prompting, and the construction of a free-standing wall and transportable furniture, and the addition of a lovely vintage tombola drum to tempt your fate!..
The Tombola Residency was outta the gate!

1DegreeEast’s website
this was the open call ^ feel free to zoom in to read.


...now you’re pretty much up-to-date

For a more in-depth and academic story of how and what 
The One Hour Residency is
 > click here <
to read our critical rationale :)