We’re delighted to introduce Emmanuella Morsi as Knowle West Media Centre’s Open-Door Artist in Residence.
Working closely with our community, in Spring/Summer 2026 Emmanuella will co-design a welcoming journey through KWMC – from the front gates and into our buildings – creating a lasting visual legacy shaped by the people who will use the space.
We will balance sustainability with longevity – working closely with the team and residents to create meaningful opportunities for skill-sharing and local involvement. The aim is for a lasting impact that is felt beyond this residency, where people can see themselves reflected and access needs will inspire creative decisions.
– Emmanuella Morsi
What is the Open-Door Residency?
Launching in KWMC’s 30th birthday year, the Open-Door Residency is a chance to reflect on KWMC’s journey and reimagine how our spaces represent who we are now and where we’re heading.
Emmanuella will work with local residents, young people, community groups and staff to rethink how our building feels, functions and welcomes people in.
Together, they will develop a new approach to visual storytelling and way-finding across KWMC. The aim is a multisensory, inclusive experience that reflects the creativity, care and diversity of our community.
A space shaped with and by community
KWMC has always been rooted in co-creation. Our building itself was originally designed with young people in 2007, and that same spirit continues to guide how we work today.
The Open-Door Residency builds on this legacy by placing community voices at the centre of how our space evolves. Emmanuella will collaborate with the people who regularly use KWMC to shape ideas together, strengthening belonging and ensuring more people can see themselves reflected here.
This residency feels especially important right now. We want to show the reality of our neighbourhood, where we’ve all got a lot more in common than what divides us. While the news, politics, and social media can paint a different picture, our everyday experience is one of connection: living, working, chatting, making, and laughing together as part of the rich mix of people who make our neighbourhood so special.
What will happen during the residency?
Across Spring/Summer 2026, the residency will involve:
- Creating a shared visual language for storytelling and way-finding across the building
- New installations across key spaces, including the entrance, exterior railings and Making Space (our digital making kit recently relocated to be under one roof at the KWMC building on Leinster Avenue, forming a new Making Space – read more here)
- Creative experimentation with digital fabrication and materials
The work will explore how design can inspire people to create, participate and imagine – and how a building can express a community-shaped vision of the future.
Making the invisible visible
From KWMC’s eco-architecture – including its straw bale insulation – to the many unseen layers of activity, care and creativity that happen here every day, the residency invites exploration of how the “invisible” can become visible.
The result will be an evolving expression of our mission to shape fairer futures together with arts, tech and care. The space will not only look a bit different, but also feel more welcoming, representative and alive with possibility.
About Emmanuella
Emmanuella Morsi (Studio Morsi) is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, researcher and production manager.
Nigerian-born and Bristol-raised, their work explores inclusive storytelling around climate, often using research and various mediums to amplify impact. Their experience spans grassroots and global projects, as well as roles including Non-Executive Director at Rising Arts Agency and Bristol City Council Culture Board member.
Emmanuella already has a strong connection to KWMC, having previously worked with us on the Come Together project in 2021 – exploring new ways of connecting during and after the pandemic. Read about their project here.
What’s next?
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