Report on The Wool House Project and proposal for its continuation November 2013
“element arts is an organisation you would want to invent if it didn't exist. The combination of engaging with communities, providing support and networks for artists and producing work which responds to the rich social and built environment in Southampton is a good fit for the time of change and development in the city at the moment”. Adam Ghent – Relationship Manager, Combined Arts, Arts Council England SW (October 2013)
Report on the success of The Wool House Project and a proposal for its continuation
Contents of this report
1. Executive summary 2. Background 3. element arts vision for The Wool House Project 4. Who we are 5. What we did 6. What the Wool House has become 7. Outcomes and results 8. What we've learnt 9. Benefits to Southampton City Council and other stakeholders 10. Our proposal 11. Conclusion
Appendices
1. element arts team credentials 2. The Wool House Project Advisory Board 3. Events and workshops held at The Wool House Project 4. Comments from the visitors’ book 5. Volunteer and Head teacher comments 6. Photos from The Wool House Project 7. Promotional collateral for events held at the Wool House 8. Links 9. Contact details
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1. Executive Summary
“Although I have been to this building many times, it is only now that I can see its glory.”*
(*Quotes in italics are taken from the comments book at the Wool House and from conversations with attendees)
This is a summary of the success of The Wool House Project 2013 and a proposal to Southampton City Council to continue its use as an arts space and thus support the council in some of its key strategic objectives. a) Background element arts approached Southampton City Council on 24 March 2013 with a proposal to re-open the Wool House (which had been closed for two years) on a temporary basis to make it publically accessible and to add to the spectrum of arts and cultural activities and opportunities available in Southampton.
Thanks go to Southampton City Council for enabling this empty building to be made accessible to the public and artists and for the project to flourish. element arts’ vision was to provide a vibrant, welcoming space for the general public, tourists, local community and artists alike and to celebrate the Wool House’s historical significance to Southampton and the city’s connections with Europe, stretching back to the fourteenth century. element arts are a new creative enterprise made up of a team of arts professionals with over 100 years collective experience in the arts. b) Outcomes and results
The Wool House Project ran from 28th June to 24th November 2013 as an entirely self-funding and a not for profit venture.
An independent review of the accounts for the period shows An upward trajectory for its income streams, visitor numbers and digital media reach
Good financial control and financial viability covering full commercial rates (£4,229.97), all utilities and running costs.
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The reopening of the Wool House as a cultural and arts centre has been a great success by a number of measures (Please note: all statistics are up to end of October 2013)
More than 10,000 visitors (an average of 137 visitors per day) from a diverse and well-balanced range of age, social class and ethnicity. including Southampton residents as well as tourists and day visitors
Daily average compares well with SeaCity Museum (estimate 397/day from online sources) and Tudor House Museum (125/day)
30% repeat visitors for events some coming from as far away as Brighton, Chichester and Basingstoke
The diversity of visitors – 12% over the age of 60, 13% under age 18. There was a great ethnic diversity in visitors and artists alike
Over 200 small to medium enterprises have benefited
965 workshop/event participants / 200 visual artists / over 200 workshop facilitators/performers
Excellent demonstration of partnership working with arts and educational organisations including Solent University (Tourism, Journalism, Visual Art, Film and Television Departments), Red Hot Press, Unit 11, Apples and Snakes, Nuffield Theatre, City College (photography and design courses), Headway, Day Centre Services, St John’s Primary School, City Eye, Black History Month
Positive response on social media (with only a very minimal marketing budget and capacity to distribute and share information) – 844 likes on Facebook (this bears comparison with Tudor House which, at the time of writing, has 893 likes, City Art Gallery (919 likes) and Sea City Museum (1308 likes) c) What the Wool House Project created:
The waterside ‘go-to’ cultural destination for tourists and the people of the city
A regular meeting place for artists, general public and local residents
A building of character welcoming back friends who have loved it for years and people who are discovering it –and also therefore the Old Town- for the first time
An informal tourist information centre, stocking leaflets, advising visitors of, and directing them to other cultural venues they can visit - Tudor House, Southampton Art Gallery, SeaCity Museum etc
A vibrant buzz of arts and community activity that seems to have tapped into a widespread desire to be part of the preservation and ‘resurrection’ of this special building
An addition to the cultural offer of the Old Town and an important part of a ‘cultural renaissance’.
The public response to The Wool House Project and the depth and scale of its success has surprised us. The feedback we have received suggests that the re-opening of the Wool House as a resource for residents of Southampton, visitors and tourists has tapped into a genuine desire to create a community around this special building, as well as an appetite for the range of arts projects that we have hosted and curated. The support from volunteers, visitors from English Heritage and The Arts Council, local residents and visitors suggest that there is great enthusiasm for this work to continue and be built upon.
“A real tourist attraction. Very inspirational.”
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d) Proposal element arts understand that the Wool House has been put out for commercial lease. Notwithstanding this, we would like to propose to continue running the Wool House as a flexible arts and cultural space with a café. Income streams would be Box Office, Art sales, Café and donations as well as public funding grants. This would be a win-win, for Southampton City Council and the community.
Benefits to Southampton City Council:
Directly supports the Cultural Quarter strategy for regeneration and development of the city. The Wool House is in a key location which means we can help visitors to ‘join up’ the cultural offerings of the City. Put simply, we can send visitors and tourists from the ships up to Above Bar, SeaCity and the Cultural Quarter via Tudor House
Directly and indirectly supports the City Council’s Learning and Leisure agenda. It specifically runs projects for school age children and their families; it is a valuable resource for teachers as well as a free destination for school trips.
Increases job opportunities and skills development of local people. The Wool House Project provides fantastic potential for volunteering, work experience, apprenticeships and internship opportunities. We anticipate creating approximately 15 jobs including Creative Apprenticeships and Internships
Removes financial burden/risk as element arts
o have been approached by a prominent local businessman who has offered to financially underwrite the lease
o as a not-for-profit venture we would have access to public funding, including, for example, from Building Preservation Trusts, Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council funding
Promotes community by providing events, exhibitions and activities that bring together different elements of the community in a positive and inclusive atmosphere, embracing all who wish to be involved. Families engage together and learn about their local heritage while being inspired by the exhibits, the music and activities taking place.
Is a tangible example of Southampton City Council’s support for community arts and Is a visible manifestation of the Council’s pride in the City’s heritage and its artistic community
The Wool House would be in safe hands with element arts as we have demonstrated that we can create a successful arts space. We are currently taking advice on setting up the appropriate legal structure for the organisation and we have formed an Advisory Group made up of professionals from heritage and business to ensure appropriate governance.
We would be delighted to answer any questions you have and discuss our proposal in depth with you.
Contact details: Email: [email protected] Tel: Sharon Lawless 07748 546643 and Claudia Friend 07981 784225
“Great use of this historical asset. Keep up the good work!!”
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2. Background to Project In March 2013 the founders of element arts and experienced arts producers, Sharon Lawless and Claudia Friend put a proposal to Southampton City Council for one of its empty buildings to be used for arts and the community.
The Wool House, the former home of the Maritime Museum, had been closed for two years and offered the ideal space and location. The proposal was accepted and a Tenancy at Will Agreement issued in May 2013, Premises licence was applied for and issued. element arts have paid utility bills, full commercial rates and running costs and its tenancy has been on a no-cost basis to the Council. element arts have run the Wool House as a cultural venue since June 2013.
“Fantastic, inspirational exhibits in a beautiful building.” (Saffron Waldon)
“A fantastic exhibition! It’s great to see the Wool House open again with amazing things inside.”
3. element art’s vision for the Wool House Project - “to bring artists and the community together where there was physical and emotional space to develop and grow”
Our vision and proposal was to breathe new life into the Wool House and make it accessible again to local people as well as visitors. We wanted to create a hub of cultural activity for artists and the community that also allowed the historical and aesthetic value of the building itself to be seen.
Our goal was to curate and create a variety of events and activities from live music to theatre and spoken word, from exhibitions to workshops, most of which were inspired and based around the stories and heritage of this 14th century building.
We aimed to create an experience for visitors that combined events and exhibitions with an appreciation of the building and its vital role in the establishment of Southampton as an international port. We wanted people to engage emotionally as well as intellectually, highlighting that the building is part of their heritage in the city, and thus encouraging them to return regularly to both the Wool House and its medieval surroundings.
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In the words of an element arts volunteer: “It's not just about the exhibits - it's about interacting with people, creating a dialogue; it's about stimulating people to ask questions, see things in a new light, tell their stories and bring in, for example, photos to share…
The Wool House used to be the Maritime Museum and people had forgotten that it had a long history previous to this. This project has restored its hidden personality, life and history and given the building its true identity back…
The space created is nurturing and creative, the atmosphere supportive - it draws out peoples' memories and creativity…
It is simple, but brilliant and effective - the way the art is displayed allows it to speak for itself, to leap out at the observer against the backdrop of the space which is almost monastic, therapeutic - a haven”. Ruth O’Flaherty
“Beautiful building and very interesting space for exposition.” E (Sardinia)
4. Who we are The element arts team are experienced arts producers and practitioners with more than 100 years collective experience of working in arts and culture in the city of Southampton and internationally. We have a strong track record in managing and delivering arts projects, arts fundraising, financial control of projects and managing large teams of artists and contractors. Individually and collectively, we have produced and directed arts projects, undertaken arts and crafts facilitation work in local schools as well as fund-raising at The Nuffield, The Gantry, The Point, Solent University, the Zepa professional outdoor work in partnership with Southampton City Council in Guildhall Square and Mayflower Park. Please see Appendix 1 for the team’s credentials.
5. What we did element arts recruited a team of volunteers who cleaned the building, undertook some of the repairs that were necessary, and acted as front of house staff. We took out appropriate insurances and prepared the building for a launch in June. The Wool House Project opened its doors on 28th June 2013; opening hours were Fridays to Monday 10.30am – 4.00pm.
The first floor was made into a gallery and exhibition space, featuring local professional artists and their work. On the ground floor we created a café area, small shop, tourist and visitor information desk. This was alongside an exhibition of new work by element arts members, based on a creative interpretation of a museum and devised in response to the Wool House. Programming and all associated activities, including marketing, had to be on a month by month basis as tenure of the building was insecure.
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element arts have used their extensive networks, local knowledge and experience of working in the arts to harness the support of volunteers, residents, local artists, crafts people, actors, playwrights, musicians, dancers, writers and visual artists. The Wool House Project has hosted existing art, facilitated the creation of new work and programmed a wide variety of events, exhibitions and workshops. The project was entirely self- funding and was set up on a not for profit basis.
“Very enjoyable visit! Well done to everybody for opening this great space- hope to see further exciting events here”.
6. What the Wool House has become: A place of inspiration for local artists to collaborate and engage with the community An arts venue offering grass roots events and music and participatory workshops A unique meeting place where diverse artists got to know each other, engaged informally and went on to develop creative projects A tourist information point and first port of call for tourists from the cruise ships. The Wool House became an informal tourist information point where we offered information on heritage and arts destinations and events in Southampton, and signposted tourists to other attractions, for example the Tudor House and Sea City museums. We acted as guides telling them about the history of the Wool House A regular meeting place for local residents of all ages who dropped in to see the latest exhibition and stayed to have a drink in the café, enjoying this unique relaxing space, described as “food for the soul” by one local resident A place where emerging young musicians and artists were supported to meet and share their work An educational resource for local schools (St John’s Primary), colleges (City College) and both Solent University and University of Southampton.
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7. Outcomes and results i) The numbers (28th June – end October only) Over 10,000 people visited and took part in events and workshops hosted and created by element arts (an average of 137 visitors for each day we have been open) Open 72 days up to the end of October 196 artists exhibiting their work 5 monthly exhibitions, curated for professional artists (Unearthed, Double Exposure, Spellbound, Black History Month, Suburban Sea) ii) Bar Chart showing visitor demographics
Key: Tourist info - tourist information only. Other - general enquiries iii) Marketing and social media
We focussed on social media (Facebook and Twitter) and word- of -mouth marketing, as well as event postings on local events listings. Key statistics (updated to end of November) are:
844 likes on Facebook (compares favourably to the Tudor House which has 863 likes, Southampton City Art Gallery which has 894 likes and Sea City Museum which has 1286 likes). element arts has 104 followers on Twitter iv) Talent development -
We have identified talent in the under 24’s and encouraged their development:
Graduates have worked as volunteers to improve their job prospects Young emerging musicians have performed on several occasions to a supportive audience showcasing their own original work Students in journalism, film making, visual arts and photography have based their educational projects on the Wool House and have been supported by the element arts team Young jeweller had her first opportunity to showcase and sell her work.
The project, the building itself and the meeting of artists has inspired a number of professional new artistic responses and collaborations such as “The Time Travelling Photographic Studio” and the play Malplaquet. There are also plans for Malplaquet to be further developed to include a musical composition and for adapting it to create a similar performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Site specific art has been created for the Wool House as mentioned above (please also see Appendix 3- Artist in Residence projects).
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“What you are doing for local artists is a very good thing… thank you so much”
8. What we've learnt
Comments show that the local community loved the fact that one of their city’s most important buildings was being used for and by the community There was great demand from numerous artists to take part, perform, create work in the unique setting, which brought a tangible positive energy to the space Tourist and visitor comments show that they were enchanted by the Wool House and the range of events and activities they could experience The number of repeat visitors showed that we had created a space that drew a loyal audience We attracted a diverse audience of different ethnic groups and people of all ages There is a huge appetite for such a place – the people of Southampton want to, and have, helped to create a space for the community.
“We had a fascinating time. What a wonderful use for this lovely old building”
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9. Benefits of continuing the use of the Wool House as a community arts space
Having started off with the thought that we were creating a temporary ‘pop-up’ space as a pilot project for element arts, we have generated a huge appetite to retain the Wool House as a heritage building that brings together artists, the community and visitors. Our experience of creating the Wool House Project leads us to believe that its continuation would be a win-win-win – for the local people, for Southampton City Council and for artists. a) Benefits to Southampton City and SCC
The Wool House Project directly and indirectly supports the City Council’s Learning and Leisure agenda. It specifically runs projects for school age children and their families; it is a valuable resource for teachers as well as a free destination for school trips The Wool House Project will directly support the Cultural Quarter strategy for regeneration and development of the city. The Wool House is in a key location which means we can help visitors to ‘join up’ the cultural offerings of the City. Put simply, we can send visitors and tourists from the ships up to Above Bar, SeaCity and the Cultural Quarter via Tudor House The Wool House Project promotes community The Wool House Project promotes meetings between different elements of the community in a positive and inclusive atmosphere, embracing all who wish to be involved. Families engage together and learn about their local heritage while being inspired by the exhibits, the music and activities taking place. The Wool House Project is a visible manifestation of the Council’s pride in the City’s heritage and its artistic community The Wool House Project provides fantastic potential for volunteering, work experience, apprenticeships and internship opportunities.
“Intriguing exhibits and beautiful artwork, can’t believe we didn’t discover this place sooner!” A &S (Wales) b) Benefits to the people of Southampton
A place to go to experience a wide variety of artistic and cultural events. Many visitors have commented that the attraction of the building itself means that they attend events and performances that they otherwise wouldn’t A community-based project that they can become involved in as volunteers and/or donors – this is giving such a feel-good factor already A welcoming place for people to return to for their on-going arts education and enjoyment and to maintain a sense of community
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“Came to visit and became a volunteer. There is something about this place which made me stay here for longer period during my stay in Southampton.” Sharad (India)
10. Our proposal element arts understand that the Wool House has been put out for commercial lease. Notwithstanding this, our proposal is to take on the full term of the lease in order to continue to run the Wool House as a flexible arts and cultural space with a café, delivering arts and community provision, preserving and celebrating this historically significant building. a) Background: Our original proposal to S.C.C back in March 2013 stated:
“Longer-term vision…..Following on from the success of this “pop up” arts project, or if the commercial venture is delayed, this project has the potential to continue.” b) How would we achieve this?
element arts would take on the lease for the Wool House. The lease will be financially underwritten by our backer, and is thus a secure proposition for Southampton City Council Support any maintenance of the building through a newly formed Building Preservation Trust, or partnership with an existing one By being able to access grants available only to not-for-profit or charitable organisations, such as Heritage Lottery, Arts Council, trusts and foundations Continue to build upon the upward financial trajectory and proven viability for current income streams including: box office, arts sales, café, donations, hire charges We anticipate creating 15 jobs including Creative Apprenticeships and Internships for young people by accessing grants and funding from SCC Apprenticeships Scheme, through LEP (Local Enterprise Partnerships) and Artswork, as well as match funding from potential stakeholders By supporting small to medium enterprises which could have a captive market in this venue and thereby add to element arts’ income stream By working closely with the Arts Council on an organisational development G4A (Grants for Arts) to develop the company’s Business Plan
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Continue to build upon the partnerships of the last 5 months with local educational establishments (local schools, Solent University, FE and HE colleges, agencies working with NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training), community organisations) and arts and heritage organisations Continue to develop its role as an informal tourist information service to encourage a tourist trail of other cultural attractions in Southampton Source products locally and be environmentally responsible Build on the repeat-visit trend to cement the Wool House as a place to keep going back to, increase our reach and audience development initiatives Support and work with other creative initiatives (such as ‘Go Rhinos’) to increase tourism and awareness of our city’s attractions Improve café facilities and increasing time on site boosting income generation.
There is a very real potential to complete the triangle of cultural organisations complimenting and supporting one another in the Old Town. Dan Crow of God’s House Tower development believes the The Wool House Project and God’s House Tower would: - “complement one another and together develop the cultural offer of the Old Town”. The fact that ‘aspace’ has recently been successful in independently securing a HLF feasibility grant is a very encouraging sign that element arts could make a persuasive case for HLF funding for the Wool House. Southampton is a major city and there should be audience and appetite for new arts venues.
Tudor House
God's House Wool House partnerships Tower
The cultural and heritage triangle offer completes the cultural renaissance of the Old Town
c) Accepting this proposal would: Support Southampton City Council’s stated objectives of providing an expanded cultural offer in the city and specifically in the Old Town, for both tourists and locals Increase economic benefits to small to medium enterprises Preserve the Wool House‘s heritage significance by making little physical change to the building Enable the Wool House to be accessed by the whole community and support educational institutions within the city Put Southampton on the map for tourists by creating a waterside ‘go to’ destination and tourist information point, thus promoting the city for “a better Southampton” Improve the well-being and health of the city’s community - increase “Pride in our city” Generate job opportunities Offer artists a public forum and creative hub for their own development and work. Remove financial burden/risk as element arts has been approached by a prominent local businessman who has offered to financially underwrite the lease Enable element arts to access public funding for the benefit of the building and the project Encourage existing public demand for the use of the Wool House as cultural venue; its continuation would be a tangible example of Southampton City Council’s support for community arts.
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d) Financial Projections
Given the success of The Wool House Project over the summer, element arts believe that the project is sustainable. element arts have been self-funding throughout this project. Entrance to the Wool House was free to the general public. Despite the newness of the company, shortness of set-up time and inability to predict income streams, there has been a consistent rise in all income streams and we have paid full commercial rates (£4,229.97), all utilities and running costs.
Our income streams have been independently reviewed and early projections show the venture would be viable. These initial findings will be taken into consideration when developing our business plan.
An example of rising income-
Figures for November are based on the first week only.
Bar chart showing art sales figures since the Wool House has been open.
Income streams include: - Box Office, Art sales, Café, Hires, Donations,
Future income streams include all of the above as well as:-
Grant applications to, for example, Heritage Lottery Fund, The Arts Council G4A Organisational Development Grants, trusts and foundations Sponsors, friends schemes, crowd funding Funding for the building upkeep by setting up a new or collaborating with an existing Building Preservation Trust
We are happy to provide the council with further financial and other information as requested
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11. Conclusion
In conclusion, we again thank Southampton City Council for the opportunity to create and run The Wool House Project. We ask the council to take note of the success of The Wool House Project and to seriously consider the proposal for element arts to continue running the Wool House as a flexible arts and cultural space for the benefit of the people of Southampton, the city, its creative arts community and visitors from all over the globe.
“A harbour of creativity in the harbour of Southampton”
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Appendices:-
Appendix 1 element arts Team Credentials
Claudia Friend (co- founder of element arts, creative director, admin, curator, front of house staff) Claudia is a freelance arts facilitator who has worked in and around Southampton over the last fifteen years with both adults and children at local schools, festivals and for various local arts organisations (including Creative Partnerships, Southampton City Art Gallery, Hanger Farm Arts Centre, and Berry Theatre). At present she works part-time as an arts facilitator at St Deny’s Day Services.
Sharon Lawless (co- founder of element arts, creative director, admin, finance, front of house staff) Sharon is Producer Creative Learning & Artistic Development at the Nuffield Theatre. Her career has always been in theatre, firstly as an actor in Vienna and then, over the past twenty years, as a producer and arts manager. Some of her most exciting work for the Nuffield Theatre has been initiating a tour of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner to Vanuatu and New Zealand with the British Council NZ and producing the outdoor events in Southampton’s Guildhall Square and Mayflower Park as part of the Zepa partnership. As Development and Funding Director for Forest Forge Theatre, she successfully raised £700K and project managed the capital build for the company's new base. She was Head of Education at Salisbury Playhouse and has produced many freelance outdoor events nationally, including the Worcester Olympic Torch Community event. Sharon has a BA in Community Theatre Arts and has just completed an MA in Cultural and Arts Management.
Stephanie May (historical research, artist in residence, front of house staff) Stephanie May has taken part in a wide range of creative community projects, working with local communities and students of all ages, including, for example, a Creative Partnerships placement at Hounsdown School.. Following a career in horticulture, she is now an academic support worker and mentor across a broad range of subjects, and a practicing artist. Stephanie has a Btech Diploma in Art and Design, and BA hons Fine Art
Peter Hunter (web design, technical support and technician, artist in residence, front of house staff) Peter Hunter is South East Regional Programme Coordinator for national performance poetry organisation Apples and Snakes and works freelance in digital support and administration for poetry development organisation Poetry Can. He has previously had several years’ experience as co-director of Centrespace Gallery in Bristol, is an artist, poet and writer, has worked as a consultant and artistic director for the Poetry & Words Tent, Glastonbury Festival (2008 - present) and has been a consultant and writer for BBC Radio poetry projects including two afternoon plays and the BBC Radio 4 National Poetry Slam
Rob Iliffe (community engagement project development) Rob Iliffe has 18 years education and community arts experience as practitioner, project manager and creative producer. Currently he is a Drama Development Officer (since 2010), managing creative learning projects for The Berry Theatre, Hedge End and at The Point, Eastleigh. Previous employment includes Programme Co- ordinator at Hanger Farm Arts Centre (2006 – 2010), Youth Theatre Director at Salisbury Playhouse (2004 – 2006), The Gantry Youth Theatre (2002 – 2004) and Arts Development Officer at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Arts and Heritage team (1998 – 2002).
Full CVs are available upon request
Appendix 2 The Wool House Project Advisory Board
Irene McWilliam - Business Consultant Yannis Roussos - Architect Michael Scammell - Historic Buildings Officer, SDNPA Jonathan Gulliver - Consultant Engineer Chris Buckingham - UK's leading crowd funding expert and Lecturer
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Appendix 3 Events and workshops run during The Wool House Project by element arts
Exhibitions organised and curated by element arts:- Unearthed Double Exposure Spellbound Black History Month Suburban Sea
Workshops organised by element arts but facilitated by others:- Make and Take Mondays Creative Sessions for Children x 4 Ceramic Tile Workshops x 3 Argentine tango workshops x 5 Introduction to using video cameras Yoga sessions x 9 Theatre and making workshop 451 poetry event African drumming workshop
Workshops and events organised and facilitated by element arts:- Argentine Tango practice sessions x 3 Carnival Mask making x 2 Carnival Story Walk Milk bottle moonbeams - celebration of aviator Edwin Moon The Big Draw large workshop/activity session (over 2 days) The Haunted Wool House
Music events:- The Slow Arrangers Ukulele Band The Dave Baker Project x 2 Folk Sessions x 3 The Linwood Quartet RSJ: rhythm and blues trio Ryan Harvey plus local supports – Ash Victim and Skipped Southampton Ukulele Jam Jonathan Prag-classical guitar Acoustic Showcase: Harris Gordon, Tom Lowman, Jack Williams Jim Chorley: Acoustic Folk singer/songwriter An evening of music, art and Poetry by Sombrero Fallout and Friends Lucy Kitchen: singer/songwriter Wool House Noir – a noir themed evening including music by Fedora café, Still-Moving DJs and a mystery film An evening of music featuring: The RealRaj, Jango Haze, Jack Williams Southampton Folk Orchestra Southampton Ukulele Jukebox
Talks:- Mo Foster – A Blues for Shindig Philip Hoare – The Sea Inside (following the Radio 4 series) Philip Hoare – The Sea Inside (a second talk ) Dr Cheryl Butler- Wool, Women and Work
Other/hirings:- City Eye Film School
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Dance up /Hampshire Dance away day Space for Thought - Event One 7: Urban Research & Creative Place Making
Artist in residence projects :- The Travelling Photographic Studio- 6 weekends in June, August, September (Rob Luckins/Steph May) Malplaquet: a table top drama based on the prisoner of war graffiti on The Wool House walls- four performances (written and performed by Matt Fletcher with Thomas Jancis) Tag (written by Thomas Jancis, performed by Claudia Friend and Igor Hiszczynski) Dancers by Tina Lane Postcards– three styles (Steph May and Ning-ning Li) Poster (Ning-ning Li) Prints of the Wool House (Steph May) Wolf and Sheep game prototype based on the medieval game “Fox and Geese” (Peter Hunter and Phil May) Sheep Trail (Peter Hunter) - interactive activity for children to engage in the building and exhibitions Clay sheep (Rob Iliffe) Woolly Tales (Rob Iliffe) - community engagement project collecting stories of residents in Southampton of what the city means to them Watercolour of the Wool House (Peter Jarvis) The fairy box and other fairy exorcism paraphernalia-(Peter Hunter)
element arts has partnered with:- Unit 11 Red Hot press City Eye C.H.A.O.S. culture, heritage, arts organisations in Southampton Art at the Heart – (Nuffield, Mayflower, Art Asia, City Eye, John Hansard Gallery) Maskers Theatre Nuffield Theatre Solent University: Performing arts and Visual Arts, Film and Television and Tourism departments. Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery St John’s School Tudor House Museum Tudor Revels?? Hampshire Dance (Dance Up) Headway Southampton University Nutango City College Art and design and Photography courses Waterstone’s bookstore S.C.C Archaeology Department Town Quay Park residents group Hand to Mouth Theatre Apples and Snakes Dance up - Hampshire Dance
element arts have been approached by (but have been unable to present due to temporary nature of the project:- Choirs Storytellers Film students Film location agencies Various adult workshop leaders including: dance, drama, Potential hirers of the space for conferences, parties, weddings, seminars Many more artists and musicians
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Appendix 4 Selection of Comments from the visitors’ book
Very beautiful (Italy)
What a lovely treat to stumble upon. Thank you
Lovely visit with our friends-very good idea for the children and the sheep quiz.
Really great place! I loved all the artwork, thanks a lot.
Interesting! Wonderful building. J A (Australia)
Happened to be passing and saw the building open. Very impressed with all the contents (Lincolnshire)
The sheep trail was exelent(sic) I would love to come here again and would recommend it. Beth
Looking forward to lots of eclectic interesting things to see and try and take in
I enjoyed it a lot. Leigh (7) and Jake (3)
What a brilliant idea-well done for getting it off the ground! Fantastic combining music and art.
This place is awesome Manzi Venter
A very interesting place. Lots of lovely art work. We looked round before going on holiday to the Isle of Wight
A very interesting stop before going home to the Isle of Wight
Very enjoyable visit! Well done to everybody for opening this great space- hope to see further exciting events here
Great place-keep up the good work. New York native
I liked doing the art
A wonderful building and exhibition. Thank you from Lakefield Ontario, Canada
Brilliant – so glad I came again today. Wish I could move in! (Vancouver)
Excellent place (Adelaide)
Glad we found this lovely place. Thank you
Very good (Brazil)
We wish you the best (Miami Beach,Florida, USA)
A fabulous ‘living’ art-space which should be treasured by all in the community! (NZ/Czech Republic)
Very enjoyable visit! Well done to everybody for opening this great space- hope to see further exciting events here.
Came to visit and became a volunteer. There is something about this place which made me stay here for longer period during my stay in Southampton. Sharad (India)
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Appendix 5 Statements by element arts volunteers and Head teacher of St John’s Primary School
1)
“It's not just about the exhibits - it's about interacting with people, creating a dialogue; it's about stimulating people to ask questions, see things in a new light, tell their stories and bring in, for example, photos to share… The Wool House used to be the Maritime Museum and people had forgotten that it had a long history previous to this. This project has restored its hidden personality, life and history and given the building its true identity back… The space created is nurturing and creative, the atmosphere supportive - it draws out peoples' memories and creativity… It is simple, but brilliant and effective - the way the art is displayed allows it to speak for itself, to leap out at the observer against the backdrop of the space which is almost monastic, therapeutic - a haven”.
Ruth O’Flaherty
2)
What I’ve gained from volunteering at The Wool House:
I graduated from the University of Leeds in (BA) Cultural Studies in July 2013 and had wanted to gain some experience in the field of museums, arts and heritage. Subsequently, I began volunteering at The Wool House at the end of the month, having heard about this exciting new venture from a family friend involved in the local Southampton band The Slow Arrangers. I met two members of element arts, Claudia Friend and Steph May, who showed me around the Wool House, one of the most unique buildings present in the Old Town of Southampton, giving me an insight into the creative process that had gone into providing the former Maritime Museum with a new lease of life. From this point on, I dedicated my weekends to helping out with this special project and have really enjoyed my time here.
The Wool House Project was opened over the summer of 2013 as a pop up arts space and gallery for the local community, and has hosted a variety of different exhibitions, each with a collective theme that has welcomed art work from local artists. From 'Spellbound' to 'A Black History of Southampton', there has been a real sense of diversity in the art work, and the exhibitions have encouraged local artists to share ideas and learn from eachothers’ work. As a volunteer, I have gained a real insight into the arts and cultural scene in Southampton, and have been able to play a part in welcoming both local residents and tourists to the attraction and serving them delicious teas, coffees and cakes. As part of a group of volunteers, all from different backgrounds, we have been able to gain a sense of achievement and satisfaction from the growing number of visitors and the genuine enthusiasm of those that attend. The positive feedback has been tremendous; with many visitors commenting on how fantastic it is that the building has been opened up and again, with such a flourishing array of events. These have ranged from yoga classes and evening tango classes, music performances from bands and musical ensembles such as Ukulele Jam, the Linwood Quartet and Sombrero Fallout, ceramic tile making classes, the Go! Bo Peep Trail and The Big Draw.
Claudia Friend, Sharon Lawless, Steph May and the rest of Element Arts have demonstrated how engaging art and creative activities are, and have achieved this as part of an entirely unfunded venture. The Wool House Project provides a much needed antidote to the saturated retail environment of Southampton and has hosted many happy visitors who are curious about the local history of Southampton, and have wanted to see some authentic art work and participate in the workshops. Through my voluntary experience, I have gained an appreciation of the commitment and enthusiasm that is required from those running The Wool House and have enriched my own knowledge of Southampton's history, as well as developing a new founded interest in tango! The project has become a cultural hub, operating as temporary tourist information, a venue for artists and performers, and establishing itself as a new, innovative attraction. It is a real beacon in the Old Town of Southampton. Visitors from close and afar have come to soak up what's on offer, and enjoy the true variety of events. The Wool House Project offers innovation and creativity in a city that needs a helping hand! Thank you Element Arts for enriching my life!
Josie Riddle- Brown
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3)
Great to be able to work in such a fantastic space! The children were really interested in the workshop which was expertly delivered with just the right mix of history, art and magic!
The children really enjoyed their workshop- they loved making the clay sheep and responded very well to the whole workshop. Lots said they would be letting their families know that they can come along and see the whole flock!
Maureen Good Head teacher at St John's Primary School August 2013
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Appendix 6
The Wool House on Carnival Day
Dendrochronology samples
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Black History Month Exhibition
Launch of Black History Month Exhibition
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Work by Harriet Green as part of the Unearthed exhibition
Café area
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Young visitors admiring clay sheep
The Big Draw at the Wool House
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Dancers (installation) by Tina Lane
African Drumming Workshop
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Theatre and craft day
Evening of music, poetry and art
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Making clay sheep
Suburban Sea exhibition
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Milkbottle Moonbeam Workshop – part of a celebration of aviator Edwin Moon
Painting of the newly opened Wool House , by Peter Jarvis
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Talk by Philip Hoare, author of The Sea Inside
Fire stories during Haunted Wool House day
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Getting ready for Black History Month exhition
Flock of clay sheep made by pupils at St John’s Primary School
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The Slow Arrangers
Investigating the artwork
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Evening of music, poetry and art
Work by Steph May for Spellbound exhibition
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Tudor Revels on visit to the Wool House
Southampton Ukulele Jam
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Suburban Sea Private View
Launch of Black History Month Exhibition
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Carnival Story Walk
The Time Travelling Photographic Studio
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Just married
Talk by Dr. Cheryl Butler
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Tango workshop
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Enjoying the art exhibits
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| 451 performance poetry evening
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Puppet theatre from Berry Theatre
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Engaging with the art exhibits
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Folk session
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Greenpeace and other stalls at Poetry, music and art evening
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Haunted Wool House Day
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RSJ – blues trio
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Music, poetry and art evening
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Reading about the history of the Wool House
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Appendix 7 Promotional collateral for events held during The Wool House Project
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Appendix 8 Links
Website: www.elementarts.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewoolhouseproject
Twitter: @element_arts
Appendix 9 Contact details
Sharon Lawless 07748546643 Claudia Friend 07981784225
Email: [email protected]
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