Two local artists begin the second edition of the 'Jersey Markets Residency' this month
Jersey Markets Residency 2026 artists. Left Connor Daly, right Oliver Le Gresley pictured at the Fish Market.
ArtHouse Jersey, in partnership with the Creative Island Partnership and Jersey Markets, are delighted to announce the artists who have been selected to take up the second year of a new residency project following an Islandwide call-out at the end of last year. Local photographer Connor Daly, who most recently exhibited his Minimal Works series at ArtHouse Jersey at Capital House, and visual and performance artist Oliver Le Gresley will each be creating their own projects to create artwork that will be on display across the Jersey Markets over the coming months.
The opportunity includes exclusive use of a large unit in the Beresford Street Fish Market for a period of 12 weeks with the studio open at least 3 days a week for the public to view the artistic process of the artworks as they take shape.
THE VISION
Connor Daly describes his project, titled ‘Islanders’, as a visual mapping of the market traders and their shared history, celebrating a continuing lineage of experience and a deeply human process: the passing of knowledge and skills down through generations, and the continuation of an important local cultural institution. Connor is setting up a photo studio in the Fish Market unit where, over the next 12 weeks, he will be creating portraits of traders across the Markets. This will result in an ongoing, evolving series of exhibitions along the long wall of the Fish Market (currently showcasing murals from ArtHouse Jersey’s 2018 Skipton Open Studios).
Oliver Le Gresley, whose family’s farm in St Martin has provided fruit and vegetables to the Markets over three generations and who previously delivered produce to the market on a daily basis, is looking back to the Market’s Victorian beginnings and will be creating a project titled ‘Hanging On’ consisting of subtle design interventions that reference some of the early architectural features of the market, such as its lanterns and blinds, as well as a short film that documents the journey from farm to counter of the produce we see on display each day.
The first gallery of portraits by Connor Daly will be on display in the Fish Market from the afternoon of Friday 13 February and “Hanging On” by Oliver Le Gresley will be installed by early April.
Both artists will be working from the artist studio unit at the Beresford Street Fish Market and invite the public to come by and see the work as it is created.
Artist Connor Daly said: “I am thrilled that I have been selected as the artist for this year's Jersey Markets Artist Residency. ArtHouse Jersey have continually supported my practice and have shown great belief in my work, which is humbling and encouraging to me. For the duration of the residency, I will be photographing the Market traders in a series of static studio portraits. I will be based in a studio in the fish market, where traders will be photographed. Visitors are welcome to drop in when I am at the studio, where they can see how a photographic project is developed from an initial sketch into a fully fledged series of work.”
Head of Programme for ArtHouse Jersey, James Tyson, said, “We are delighted to be working in partnership once again with Jersey Markets and the Creative Island Partnership for the second iteration of the Jersey Markets Residency. We’re also really looking forward to working with Connor and Oliver as they develop two very different but complementary projects, from a walk-through gallery of portraits celebrating the people who bring the Markets to life, to a thoughtful re-engagement with the building’s layers of history. Together, their work will invite visitors to see the Markets in a new way.”
The Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel, who has responsibility for arts, said, “The latest artist‑in‑residency at the Central Markets brings a dynamic and distinctly town‑centric creative response from two well‑established artists working at the very heart of Jersey’s visitor and retail economies. By embedding artistic practice within this historic and bustling public space, the residency adds energy, curiosity, and a sense of discovery to the everyday experience of the town. Shoppers, visitors, and traders alike are invited to encounter art as part of daily life, reinforcing the Markets as a living, evolving place rather than simply a destination. This approach lends vibrancy to the area, strengthens the connection between culture and commerce, and clearly places art and creativity at the centre of the town experience, supporting both economic vitality and cultural enrichment. We are delighted to support the project once again.”
On behalf of Jersey Markets, Ralph Buchholz said, “We are thrilled to welcome, for the second year running, an inspiring Artist in Residence programme at the Market—this time showcasing two dynamic, highly acclaimed artists. This exciting collaboration brings fresh creative energy into the heart of our community, transforming the Market into a vibrant cultural space where art becomes part of everyday life. Visitors can enjoy a unique opportunity to experience, explore, and be inspired by artistic talent while going about their daily routines.”
