6 July 2009, 09/138
Cash windfall for biggest art event
yet
For the first time ever West Lancashire will be able to
host an ‘Open Studio Event’ - the largest visual arts event of its
kind - thanks to a cash windfall.
West Lancashire Borough Council’s Arts Development Service
working in partnership with the Open Studio Collective have been
successful in their funding bid for £5,000 from Arts Council
England to develop this exciting new initiative.
It will involve lots of artists and craft makers opening
up their own studios over a nine day period, so that visitors can
see first hand the inspiration and motivation that drives them to
create. Opportunities will be available for people to watch
demonstrations of artworks being made; they can discuss a work of a
sculpture or maybe even see how jewellery is made. It is going to
be a very exciting venture.
Chapel Gallery and number of other venues will also be
running exhibitions, demonstrations and events for the public to
visit too.
The event runs from Saturday 29 August to Sunday 6
September and an events programme is currently being developed. But
there’s room for more because the more artists and makers who sign
up to the festival, the bigger it will be.
Spaces will be made available at a number of venues for
those artists who don’t have studios of their own, once they become
members of the Open Studio Collective. Membership forms are
available form Jane Coyle the secretary of Open Studio Collective
email: jm.coyle1@btinternet.com or
Jenni Ashcroft Outreach and Education Officer at the Chapel Gallery
01695 571328.
Councilor Andrew Fowler, Portfolio Holder for Community
Services, said: "This is fantastic news that we have been awarded
this money to stage such a large-scale art event. It’s the first
time this has happened in West Lancashire and it’s a great
opportunity for people to go behind the scenes, talk to artists
first-hand and see work in progress. Lots of venues will be getting
involved too so there will be plenty of exhibitions, workshops,
demonstrations and other activities too. Plus, the event will
benefit artists who take part because it will raise their profile
and allow them to sell their work. So if you’d like to take part
then please get in touch as we need as many people to get involved
as possible to make it the resounding success I’m sure it will
be."
To find out how you can get involved, please contact the
Chapel Gallery on 01695 571328. Alternatively, pop into the
Gallery, St Helens Road, which is open from 10.00am to 4.30pm,
Tuesday to Saturday. For further information you can also visit our
Chapel
Gallery pages or www.chapelgallery.org.uk
(external link).
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