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Clare Qualmann

@cqualmann.bsky.social
1.6K followers 3K following 280 posts

Artist, walker, lecturer, library-lover, urban forager, drawing every day. Co-editor Lines of Desire at Living Maps, co-founder walking artists network

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Reposted by Clare Qualmann
Celeste Headlee @celesteheadlee.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
So, Banksy bought a used yacht, repaired it and retrofitted it to serve as a rescue boat to save migrants in the central Mediterranean. The whole project cost the artist $860,000. Since 2020, the boat has saved more than 3,800 people. londondaily.com/banksy-funds...
londondaily.com
Banksy funds refugee rescue boat operating in Mediterranean - London Daily
Exclusive: UK artist finances bright pink motor yacht that set sail in secrecy to avoid being intercepted by authorities
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Slowly processing the brilliance of 'walking: thinking in motion' symposium in Basel last weekend. Funded by the Lucius & Annemarie Burckhardt stiftung it brought together a fantastic group of artists/architects/urban planners/public space folks. As one participant noted, the best kind of nerds! 🚶‍♀️🏙️
The drag kuh 'soya' on their walkabout holzpark Basel in search of empathy with more than human livesClare Qualmann and Clementine Butler-Gallie 's perambulator walk, testing the terrain for walking with childrenArtist Alona Rodeh leading a nightwalk exploring technologies, histories and cultural associations of lighting
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Desperately sad news of the untimely death of the brilliant artist & theatre maker Jadzé Maravala www.instagram.com/p/DdJrhj5DpC... I worked with Jadzé, she was my friend, & I was privileged to experience many of the works she made with ZUUK. We always think there's more time, but the time is now 😔
A black and white picture of Jadzé with the text in loving memory of Jadzé 1970-2026
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Toby Earle 🇺🇦 @tobyontv.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I’m quite worried the government has accidentally cancelled its newspaper subscriptions because they should really know about this
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Liesbeth Corens @onslies.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Oh wow, nobody saw that coming. If you let yourself be entranced by the same three snake oil salesmen who have captured the entire sector and who only understand "staff cost" as an entry in a spreadsheet, not all the contributions we make that don't fit that silly excel box, this is what you get.
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Longbarrow Press @longbarrowpress.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
"Have You Always Been Here? emerged through walking with another person. My partner's way of seeing birds, insects and overlooked details changed how I paid attention, and ultimately changed the poems themselves."  Have You Always Been Here? Matthew Clegg Out now longbarrowpress.com/current-publ...
The cover of 'Eyes Front' by Matthew Clegg. Watercolour (of a heron) and collage.The cover of 'Crystals & Dust' by Matthew Clegg. Watercolour (of a heron).The cover of 'The Living' by Matthew Clegg. Watercolour (of a heron) and collage.
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Alec Finlay @alecfinlay.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
something to snack on (I) they think the planet is a decoy plane (II) The Caringorms the loving mountains (III) edible insect damsonfly (IV) the tree never falls far from its apples (V) the sea passes on its energy to the storm 4.IX.26
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covucu.bsky.social @covucu.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Dear University Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award? For CU’s VC? The university with the huge deficit, collapsing student numbers, hundreds of redundancies and 2,788 staff transferred to subsidiaries over 3 years? That Coventry? Right. Interesting award criteria you have there. Best, The staff
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Brilliant day at Whitechapel Gallery yesterday, final event in our 'Walking! Power! Inclusion!' programme. With the wonderful Demolition project (Debbie Kent & Alisa Oleva), Manal Massalha, Saira Niazi, @thelrm.bsky.social & Lorna Powell. Discussions on public space, the right to the city, access 🚶‍♀️🏙️
A fortune teller made from a map with the word Liverpool Street visible on the outer faceAlisa Oleva and Debbie Kent with their demolition map of London, post it notes marking the sites that participants have identified for radical changeHand holding two villages badges with renaissance painting backgrounds, one has the words queer/queer and the other Marxist literary criticismAn installation view of the gallery with a screen showing film footage of a walk with Clare Qualmann and Manal Massalha, two sofas and a green table spread with walking books and leaflets
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
It's the start of my 17th academic year UEL (!!) &I'm having a moment of reflection on stuff that I've been privileged to be part of. Starting near the beginning, 1/17 is The Artist in the Library, 2012 a student project & symposium (shorturl.at/OU34g) & an article (shorturl.at/o0cYd) ...
a soft white nest made from cloth installed in a corner of a library with a woman wearing red sitting in the nest. A shelf unit to one side is covered in drinks and snacks, and there are books on the floor. Photo by Sarah Ainslie, or Corrin Castell's installation 'nest' 2012 at the University of East London's Docklands Library.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
4. Food: everything Paris has to offer at your fingertips 5/5 5. Cleanliness: toilets a bit whiffy, showers ok 3/5 Total score 17.5/25 but would like to give a bonus because making swimming possible right in the centre of a massive city is totally impressive. #SwimmableCities #paris #swimreviews
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Curveball in the swim Europe extravaganza: all the pools in Tours, France, required swim hats 🧐😱🤬. Sadly that's a hard no from our highly sensory-sensitive crew, so we sadly passed on the pretty fun looking piscine du lac + others
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Will Jennings @willjennings.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
The answer, it turns out, is not just "motivation". It's also having parents that sold a company for $800m and being in a relationship with the curator of the biennial he got his artists into...
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Curveball in the swim Europe extravaganza: all the pools in Tours, France, required swim hats 🧐😱🤬. Sadly that's a hard no from our highly sensory-sensitive crew, so we sadly passed on the pretty fun looking piscine du lac + others
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
4. Food - basic menu, chips currywurst, ice creams, slushies, cold drinks. Low prices but mediocre. 2.5/5 5. Cleanliness. Nice toilets, very clean. Foot baths between the grass and pools keeps bits out of the water. 5/5 Total score 21.5/25 for the Hilden Waldbad, great holiday start 🌿🏊
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Here are our scores: 1. Setting - totally beautiful 5/5 2. Value for money - under EUR 25 for a family of 5: 5/5 3. Fun factor - 2 slides, wizzy enough for big kids & adults. Diving boards + playground. kids thought there could have been inflatables or waves 4/5....
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
there are extensive grassy areas shaded by tall oak and pine trees, a playground, table tennis, table football, picnic benches and a cafe. It's EUR 6.70 for adults 3.50 for kids (under 4 free) and you can stay all day for that, 11am -6pm (!)
A satellite view of the Waldbad showing the forest and the four pools
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Today's swim was at the Waldbad, near Hilden, Germany. It's a municipal pool, open in the summer season, in a totally gorgeous setting of mature forest, it's easily reached by bus from Hilden or Haan (or by bike or car). Alongside the 4 pools (diving, swimming lengths, slide/fun, baby splash)...
The wald bad near Hilden with large trees all around, grassy area and umbrellas around the baby splash pool.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Our 'home' pool is London Fields lido, which we love dearly & hard recommend.... But when we see the municipal pools of Europe there are pretty impressive features; low prices, beautiful settings, great snacks. We're scoring as we go, so might not be 100% consistent & new categories might sneak in.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Ready for our swim Europe thread? Starting today and for the next few weeks we are going to review our family swims 🚶‍♀️🏙️🏊 across pools/lakes/swim spots in Germany, France and Spain..... 1/
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
No swim spot, but a foot-cooling dip in the river Itter today. Setting: 5/5 Value for money: free 5/5 Fun factor: climbing trees, stepping stones, but kids say only 2.5/5 Food: blackberries galore 4.5/5 (on the small side) Cleanliness: looks idyllic, but some rubbish lurking in the water 3/5 20/25
A shallow stream with stepping stones across it, a field on the other side half in sunlight with large trees in the background. A muddy river bank in the foreground
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Today's swim plan was the Naturfreibad in Mettmann. Lovely looking natural water pools, slide, dive platform, beach& loads of space. Bargain 5 eur/3.50. BUT although it's only 7km away, there's only 1 bus p/h & takes an hour to get there? No way in this heat! Repeat trip to the Waldbad instead.
Screenshot of the Naturfreibad Mettmann website with an image of the natural water pools with a long blue water slide and grass in the foreground
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Moving on to Paris, today's swim was at the Bassin de la Villette, a free summer city swim venue. 🚶‍♀️🏙️🏊
Three swimming pools on the edge of a canal with trees alongside and boats in the distance
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Moving on to Paris, today's swim was at the Bassin de la Villette, a free summer city swim venue. 🚶‍♀️🏙️🏊
Three swimming pools on the edge of a canal with trees alongside and boats in the distance
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Reposted by Clare Qualmann
Dr Florence H R Scott @florencehrscott.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Where are your posts about these guys, or did you not hear about them because its only white men who can commit serial misconduct with impunity? www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10...
aljazeera.com
Oxford professors abused position with sexist and drunken conduct
Al Jazeera investigation reveals how some of Britain’s top universities fail to protect students from sexual misconduct.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Today's swim plan was the Naturfreibad in Mettmann. Lovely looking natural water pools, slide, dive platform, beach& loads of space. Bargain 5 eur/3.50. BUT although it's only 7km away, there's only 1 bus p/h & takes an hour to get there? No way in this heat! Repeat trip to the Waldbad instead.
Screenshot of the Naturfreibad Mettmann website with an image of the natural water pools with a long blue water slide and grass in the foreground
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Ready for our swim Europe thread? Starting today and for the next few weeks we are going to review our family swims 🚶‍♀️🏙️🏊 across pools/lakes/swim spots in Germany, France and Spain..... 1/
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Leah Reich @leahreich.com · 22/07/2026
Hi everyone! I hope you're having a great Wednesday. Just wanted to make sure everyone knows what a baby heron looks like. Ok bye see you later www.instagram.com/p/DateeyJCE3Y/
This is a screenshot of an Instagram post from a rescue organization featuring a bearded animal protection officer with a tiny rescued heron baby on his handThis is a close up of the heron baby and it's like if you stuck a novelty beak and some regular bird-sized feet on a wad of cat hair
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Liesbeth Corens @onslies.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
This petition needs as many signatories as the Exeter one. Please sign and share — don’t let Hertfordshire managers get away with this just because a Russell Group one took the spotlight. #UKHE
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Barbara Brayshay @bbrayshay.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
📌 @livingmaps.bsky.social Conference is over for another year - two wonderful days of artworks, mapworks, fascinating talks, and engaging 'hands-on' workshops making social, racial, and environmental justice visible 📌 Join our mailing list for news of forthcoming events! 👇 bit.ly/4gat8CC
Livingmaps logo
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
The cherries are really early this year in my neighborhood, but still managed to get a pretty good haul this morning #UrbanForaging #EatHackney #EastEndJam 🚶‍♀️🏙️🍒
A white bag full of red cherriesFallen red cherries on green grass
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 11/05/2026
"It’s a bit of a sanctuary" This is Fallowlees Farm – a welcoming, safe space on the Wallington estate in Northumberland - is run by West End Women & Girls Centre. The farm gives 1300 women and girls from Newcastle’s West End space to grow, learn new skills and spend time outdoors.
buff.ly
‘Be happy! Life is too short.’ This women’s-only farm is changing lives in Newcastle
Have you and your mates ever dreamed of having a farm? Well, that’s exactly what these women did. Fallowlees Farm in Northumberland is full of laughs, but it’s also SO much more than that. Hufty,…
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Alec Finlay @alecfinlay.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
A recent work by the Radical Rest Collective, the second signpost saying REST, in English and Hindi, in Stockwood Park, Luton. These signposts propose landscapes suited to resting in nature for people affected by chronicity in the post-pandemic era.
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Rachel Carson Center for Environment & Society @carsoncenter.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
CfA! The wonderful Dr. Anna Antonova is looking for two PhD researchers to join her “Convivial Waterfronts: Reimagining Urban Coastal Conservation for Just Sustainability Transformations” project. Full call: www.sts.sot.tum.de/sts/sts-depa... #envhum #CfA #PhD #research #career
Two funded PhD positions at TU Munich on "Convivial Waterfronts" project. Deadline for applications 10 June 2026.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Fabulous chestnut tree in Abbotts Barton, Winchester, for #ThickTrunkTuesday
A very large chestnut tree just coming into leaf, with smaller shoots growing from the base of a very thick trunk.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Under @labouruk.bsky.social control @hackneycouncil.bsky.social was pretty decent, with excellent councillors & progressive policies BUT national government's obsession with anti immigration action, genocide inaction, anti trans health (etc) is too much. Glad to see a swing to @greenparty.org.uk
A screenshot of the local election results for hackney council showing 42 green councillors elected (+40) and 9 labour councillors elected (-41)
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Swifts! 🏙️🚶‍♀️🐦‍⬛ (We need a swift emoji!)
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
London folks... Come to this! London walking festival conference day, 15th May, with me, @thelrm.bsky.social Saira Niazi and many more www.ticketsource.com/active-trave... 🚶‍♀️🏙️👨‍🦽
ticketsource.com
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Our air pollution defence planter looking fab with forget me not, lung wort, and bugle weed all in flower #WildFlowerHour
A wooden planter with green leafy mint, light blue forget me not, blue and pink lung wort, purple bugle weed and orange calendula all in flower
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Longbarrow Press @longbarrowpress.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Many thanks to everyone who's shared and followed this (unusually slow) walk-in-progress over the past two weeks. The full thread (122 posts) is below.
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walk · listen · create @walklistencreate.org · 18/04/2026
dlvr.it
In the Passenger Seat
A reflective walking piece unfolding along a road in Sintra, where music, landscape, and motion intertwine. Positioned in the passenger seat, the speaker explores what it means to move without directing, discovering a quiet tension between surrender,
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Charity Edwards @charityedwards.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
So much of this resonates. And I know it’s not all about me but it is a very depressing space to occupy as someone who actually likes teaching and thinks it matters. A kind of mass grief, really.
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Tim Waterman @tim-waterman.co.uk · 15/04/2026
I took a walk from King's X to Blackfriars with the brilliant artist Christie Swallow on a blustery day and it became an Anastrophes podcast! Listen in to 'Queer Ecology, the Imagination, and Lost Landscapes' here: linktr.ee/anastrophes
linktr.ee
Anastrophes Collective Official: Instagram | Linktree
View anastrophes’s Linktree to discover and stream music from top platforms like YouTube, Spotify here. Your next favorite track is just a click away!
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
3 wild foods that are perfect to eat (in London) right now... Garlic mustard, linden leaves, nettles, yum! #UrbanForaging #EastEndJam #WildFood remember to pick responsibly and double check identification B4 eating 🚶‍♀️🏙️🌱
Garlic mustard plants looking through a wire fence with small white flowers starting to showStinging nettles behind a wire fenceA hand holding young Linden leaves with the bark of the tree trunk in the background
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
3 wild foods that are perfect to eat (in London) right now... Garlic mustard, linden leaves, nettles, yum! #UrbanForaging #EastEndJam #WildFood remember to pick responsibly and double check identification B4 eating 🚶‍♀️🏙️🌱
Garlic mustard plants looking through a wire fence with small white flowers starting to showStinging nettles behind a wire fenceA hand holding young Linden leaves with the bark of the tree trunk in the background
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Davenant 📸 @marcdavenant.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
One of the things I miss about old Twitter is if I posted something like this on there then my entire print run for that week would sell out in about two hours and I’d spend days fulfilling the orders. I’ve only sold one print via Bluesky in all the time I’ve been here.
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Woop woop! New publication with the brilliant #WalkCreate team 'creative walking, repetition, rhythm and respite in pandemic times' in a new volume on walking and leisure. So many fab looking chapters. But it's £££ so get your library to buy (or DM if you'd like to read the chapter) 🚶‍♀️🏙️🏞️
The cover of the book walking and leisure: mobilities, encounters and critical engagements edited by Miriam SnellgroveChapter title page of creative walking, repetition, rhythm and respite in pandemic times by Clare Qualmann, Deirdre Heddon, Maggie O'Neill, Morag Rose and Harry WilsonContents page with chapters including: where is the leisure when walking with a baby?, disabled mobilities and critical embodied entanglements in the park, the
Queer politics of walking with digital technologies, race, nature and historical memory, the role of the erotic in black women's leisureContents continues including: walking with cancer, walking and stopping together in the carceral landscape of Portland, walking with a cat, storying a place through walking, the importance of everyday walking routines for aging well in place, walking in the spatial order of automobility, reimagining the city walking tour, walking as a sociopolitical form of transforming civic experience
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Clare Qualmann @cqualmann.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
The mahonia at the community garden are ripe, so the kids made juice, super tasty, but needed sugar #UrbanGrowing #Hackney #CityGarden 🚶‍♀️🏙️🌱
A child with hands stained purple holding a white cup of mahonia berries
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