About AOP

Art of Protest (AOP) is a team of professional creatives, artists and storytellers. We were founded in 2016 with a mission to transform the way our communities engage with their sense of place. Our aim is to help generate transformation and social impact.

HOW?
By brokering an understanding and vision between stakeholders and communities for a shared future through the power of art, culture and creative critical thinking.

WHY?
Because too many people have too little skin in the game; and too few have too much.

WHAT WE DO

We build channels to give voice to communities and help them to articulate and to be heard.
We design placemaking programmes through public art and cultural interventions to elevate a town, city or region.
We enable and inspire the next generation of creatives and artists to articulate and express themselves with confidence and capability.
We create moments and events which hardwire cultural experiences into the hopes and aspirations of communities.
We foster strong and vibrant places for people to live, work and play in.

How to partner with us

Public Sector Organisations: developing strategies and programmes for citywide cultural regeneration, placemaking and engagement
Brands & Businesses: creating brand partnerships to bring communities, creatives and brands together to celebrate what we have in common and make our collective futures better.
Communities & Educators: helping to give voice and opportunities by igniting ideas, providing skills, supporting initiatives and securing vital funding.

our ethos

Our ethos – what you can expect from us

INCLUSIVE

We don’t care what background you are from - we know good ideas can come from anywhere - so everyone has the right to be heard and no one should be left out or left behind.

RESPECTFUL

As a business we think every individual and every point of view should be treated with the respect and professionalism we all deserve. We all enjoy dignity.

CONSISTENT

Staying strong to our beliefs and promises – even when the going gets tough – signals we can be relied upon as a team.

COLLABORATIVE

The only way to get things done in the modern world is to work in partnership as one, pursuing shared goals and ambitions.

OUR TEAM

Meet the experts you'll be working with

Jeff

Founder & Group Creative Director

Tim

Group Strategy Director

Brenna

Communications Director

John

Executive Chair

Gemma

Senior Project Manager

Tom

Senior Art Production Manager

Chloe

Media Manager & Workshop Lead

Jonny

Art Production

Tina

Urban Curator

Amanda

Business Development Manager

John

Head of Videography

Anthony

Head of Print & Production

Tim

Head of Event Management

Daz

Lighting Designer

Head of Design & Creative

our JOURNEY

How our mission developed, through the lens of Founder, Jeff Clark

1983

Born in York Sept 23 1983,
one of 4 siblings

1985

Although Jeff struggled in school, he was always good at making friends

1990

At Primary school, teachers identify Jeff as not being able to keep up with other children in academic areas.

Dyslexia is subsequently identified & Jeff becomes the poster boy for the ‘troublesome’ group excelling at leadership, team building, gameplay and problem-solving

According to TeachingTimes, 80% of dyslexic children leave school without being identified.

According to Marker Learning, 40% of adults with dyslexia go undiagnosed as children.

1996

At senior school, Jeff is labelled as ‘challenging’ and struggles in class but shows exceptional talent in socialisation and sport.

“We need to be cautious about using labels and stereotypes, as they often bring the worst out in people, but are there for a reason.”

– Jeff Clark, Founder of AOP

1998

Jeff flourished in secondary socializstion and gained his entrepreneurial skills by selling his pack up to his skiving school friends.

statistics of exclusion

1999

Jeff home schooled himself and unsurprisingly failed all his exams - except for an A* in drama.

2000

Eventually, after a checkered history of conscientious objection to lessons, teachers, and attendance, Jeff was asked by the headteacher to leave the building… permanently.

Jeff’s mum, Jillybean, (one of his heroes) enrolls him onto a Photography course during the summer. On the strength of the portfolio he created, Jeff managed to get a college place to study photography.

Jeff is diagnosed with severe Dyslexia & ADHD by the college.

2001

His grandmother (Mary) gives Jeff an old-school 35mm SLR Olympic OM10 camera and Jeff embraces image and print making and the artistry of photography.

With support from the college, Jeff studies media, communications and film.

2003

Jeff works part-time work at Jessops Camera Studio working his way up to Manager.

Trains to be a professional photographer under several geographical expedition photographers favouring portraiture, black and white monographic arts.

Jeff takes up hiking, climbing and mountaineering.

"Learning about the outdoors was the same as learning about life. We don’t learn in fear and we don’t learn in comfort."

Jeff Clark, Founder of AOP

🎉

THE GREAT ADVENTURE BEGINS

The love of fatherhood and the great outdoors...

2004

Daughter Chloe is born. Jeff is 21!

2006

Jeff trains in Expedition Leadership and leads several expeditions in the UK and worldwide.

Jeff embraces the wilderness and becomes a lifelong passion which helps him manage his ADHD naturally.

🎉

FALLING IN LOVE
WITH THE ARTS

2008

Jeff studies fine art to fuel his understanding of historical contexts and artistic movements.

2009

Working freelance, he sets up several major art and photo studios and trains photographers.

2010

Jeff combines being a qualified Mountain Expedition Leader with photographic expeditions to South Africa, Indonesia, Morocco, Iceland, Egypt, Japan, and others.

2011

A hunger for learning leads Jeff to join a commercial art galleries & publishers across the country, including Washington Green and Castle Galleries, to master the business of art.

2013

Jeff climbs the ladder of success up to London’s Mayfair Gallery, working with major artists and celebrities showcasing and exhibiting world class exhibitions for Raphael Muzzcco, Bob Dylan, Ronnie Wood, Alex Echo, Stuart Macalpine Miller.

Also working with historical collections such as Monet, Piccasso and Dali.

Jeff also develops a specialism in outdoor / public art and event creation.

2014

Jeff invited to New York to work with the Guggenheim and Symbolic galleries as Director of Public Arts opening with the David Welker exhibition in collaboration with PHISH and Madison Square Gardens.

Followed by leading shows for Peter Beard and emerging LA street artist RETNA.

2015

Jeff leads an alternative street art collection to Miami’s Art Basel with Scope Art Fair in the front both showcasing Evan Penny.

Then takes the show on the road across the US to California.
Jeff continues to work on major projects such as the groundbreaking art trail the High Line in NYC with garden engagement and murals from Kobra and Marcelle Murdoch.

2016

Jeff moves back to the UK as street art starts to make a large social and cultural impact.

Collaborates with Co-Curator Tina Ziegler to support the establishment of the international urban Art Fair, Moniker in the UK.

"Jeff has always been a visionary and innoivative in his problem solving capabilites. He always has and always will bring a lot to the creative industries."

Tina Ziegler, Founder of Moniker Art Fair

2017

Jeff creates a brand and ethos which is Art of Protest. Art of Protest Gallery opens in York to promote and monetise emerging street artists in the UK.

International celebrated artists Defer and Big Sleep brought to York to paint the city's largest ever piece of public art.

The gallery opens with a major street party bringing together the city and celebrations of a movement begins.

AOP collaborates with cities and artists to pioneer the way for urban street art in the north of the UK.

2018

Major commissions follow for Defer, Big Sleeps, Static, Steven Spazuk, Labrona, Ben Allen, Olly Howe, H and many more.

Curates fur Hull city of Culture raising awareness for homelessness with Canadian artist Laurence Vallieries to make a life sized elephant family to go on show in the city to help discuss ‘the elephant in the room'.

Hull Stadium Mural with Nomad clan.

London collaboration with Moniker Projects and Creative Debuts.

Jeff takes part in developing Upfest Simpson Project in Bristol. And then to Denver in the US with the Crush festival.

2019

Jeff establishes AOP Project’s and separates the Gallery business in York to focus purely on making impact amongst the towns, cities and communities of the North.

AOP quickly grows in influence, consulting to BIDs and councils for public art and street art movements.

Back in York Jeff and the AOP team set up Location X a pop-up Street Art venue in a disused warehouse as a centre point for urban arts and culture.

2020

The covid pandemic brought the Location X project to a halt.

Art has a part to play in society and we knew it. AOP becomes more than the Arts and campaigns for better Placemaking and Community Engagement.

“Having worked across the arts, I realised that they were often disconnected and prone to academic and financial elitism. Good public art is made through collaboration, sharing and engagement, therefore representing the true sense of a place.”

– Jeff Clark, Founder of AOP

2021

Deep in the throes of pandemic AOP kicks off The Art of Agency with The Guardians of York project in collaboration with artists The Postman.

Major pieces of works start to unfold as the pandemic eases in south -Yorkshire.

This project celebrates the ‘guardians’ of the city, specifically the key workers who helped keep York in motion at a time when the city and the world came to a standstill during a global pandemic.

Collaboration with Doncaster to ambitiously create UKs longest mural at 108 meters with artists Nomad Clan as part of the city redevelopment. (See Work section).

Artist Static supports a park makeover (Baxter Park) in Doncaster. Engagement is making the world change. It's more than a paint, it’s a place to be (See Work section).

2022

Major pieces of works start to unfold as the pandemic eases in South Yorkshire.

AOP get into urban culture curation with festivals.

UPLIFT, the Rotherham Skate and Art Festival, designed and delivered by AOP, commissioned by Rotherham Council.

We Went to Sea mural by Polish artist Yola is painted by the AOP team and wins international recognition.

MUSIC MEETS ARTS! Phych Festival, Manchester commissions AOP to bring the already successful festival to life elevating the experience and space.

Working with nature and history -Keppel’s Column - South Yorkshire Museums commission AOP to create a huge piece of temporary land art best enjoyed from the top of their colossal tower.

2023

Future Walls created and launched. A 10-year project to help animate the re-generation of a city in partnership with Sunderland BID and Council.

Talent development and skills pathways are trialled successfully.

AOP develops a Creative Learning curriculum as an alternative education provision to focus on supporting those students struggling in mainstream schools due to neural diversity, SEND, mental health and exclusion.

'SEND, mental health and exclusion' - Take one step further than you think you can.

2024

AOP commissioned by Sunderland BID and Culture House to develop a Public Art Vision for Everyone to support an ambitious programme of public art investment and transformation for the city.
‍
Collaborating with Kensington BID to bring the streets to life.
‍
AOP works in partnership with the Foundation of Light and Sunderland Athletic Football Club to develop a pilot for the Street Art Academy: an antidote to the STEM learning mainstream education system (more to come on this….)

"The world is becoming more colourful. Do we want to choose the colours or let someone else choose for us?"

– Jeff Clark, Founder of AOP

Want to make history?

Start your journey with us today – get in touch and discover how we achieve your goals. An email is all it could take towards creating a brighter future!

Start your journey today