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#1 | go gently into the garden of [im]possible dreams

Introducing…go gently into the garden of [im]possible dreams and the *conditions apply collective


4 March  2026

 

go gently into the garden of [im]possible dreams explores entanglements between nature, chronic illness, and possibility. It was dreamt up by the *conditions apply artist collective and we’re collaborating with talented residents from Great Yarmouth alongside the fabulous Yarmouth-based originalprojects; to create this project.

The *conditions apply collective is made up of four artists – Caroline Cardus, Ellery Child, Joanna Holland, and Genevive Rudd. We all live and work in East Anglia and identify as people who ‘live with chronic illness’ and/or as Disabled.

‘Here we can collectively share celebrations of slowliness and different ways of being in the world’

 

 

The name *conditions apply is a wry take on the small print that no-one ever reads and simultaneously an acknowledgement of the day-to-day impacts of our medical conditions. All four of us have a deep connection to the natural world and as people who live with chronic illness and/or are Disabled we felt that there was a real need to creatively explore nature-connection alongside other people who identify similarly. So we designed go gently into the garden of [im]possible dreams specifically for people who also self-identify as living with chronic illness and/or as Disabled and who love the natural world.

 

We were thrilled when we received our Unlimited UK Partner Award 2025 commission with Norfolk & Norwich Festival – thanks to funding from Arts Council England. This meant that we could create a project which is truly informed by the social model of disability (where people are disabled by societal barriers, not by their individual conditions); where disability is society’s responsibility.

We’ve centred access in this project and welcomed residents of Great Yarmouth gently into the garden of [im]possible dreams with quiet Disabled-led spaces. Here we can collectively share celebrations of slowliness and different ways of being in the world – through our conversations and creative experiments.

 

 

We were even more excited when we received the applications from people who are now our cohort. Such a talented and thoughtful group whose nature-connection runs deep. Over the next five months, we’ll be exploring all sorts of different creative experiences together; from visual arts and cyanotypes to plant dyes and 3-D collage. We’ll also be sharing our co-created ‘in-process 3-D collage’ at PrimeYarc, Great Yarmouth with the public, as part of this year’s Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

 

We hope to see you there!

 

Masthead: From left to right: Genevive Rudd, Joanna Holland, Ellery Child and Caroline CardusPhotography by Sebastian James Lister. Image © *conditions apply

Arts make life better

Norfolk & Norwich Festival brings tens of thousands of people together in celebration – it has been doing this for over 250 years. Through our May Festival and our year-round arts education work, focusing on children and young people, we lead and support celebration, creativity and curiosity in communities across Norfolk and the region.

This year we begin an exciting new initiative, Festival Connect & Create that will bring creative opportunities to those schools and communities with least provision. Creativity transforms people’s lives. It builds cohesive communities, develops vital skills and supports health and wellbeing. We want more people to have access to creative opportunities.

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