SAW_GUIDE_2017_COVER_saw_guide 17/07/2017 12:17 Page 1 FREE GUIDE prosSOMERSET ARTpe WEEKSct FESTIVAL 2017 23 SEPTEMBER - 8 OCTOBER SAW_GUIDE_2017_COVER_saw_guide 17/07/2017 12:17 Page 2 Photo: Glenn Dearing Somerset Art Weeks is a much-loved and thriving event and I’m proud to support it. It plays an invaluable role in identifying and celebrating a huge variety of creative activities and projects in this county, finding emerging artists and raising awareness of them. I urge you to go out and enjoy these glorious weeks of cultural exploration. Kevin McCloud “What a fantastic creative county we all live in!” Michael Eavis Placing art at the heart of Somerset, investing in the arts community, enriching lives SAW is an artist-led organisation and Somerset’s only countywide agency dedicated to developing visual arts, weaving together communities and supporting the artists who enrich our lives. We want Somerset to be a place where people expect to engage with excellent visual art that is surprising and distinctive. SAW creates Projects and offers Membership to support practicing artists and organisations in Somerset: providing bursaries, developing commissions, supporting collaborative working, providing networking and showcase opportunities, including our diverse annual Art Weeks event. #artweeks17 SOMERSET ART WEEKS www.somersetartworks.org.uk SAW_GUIDE_2017_SB8[2]_saw_guide 18/07/2017 10:57 Page 1 SOMERSET ART WEEKS 23 SEPTEMBER - 8 OCTOBER 2017 prospect WELCOME TO OUR FESTIVAL! Somerset Art Weeks Festival is back again. This year we have 120 venues and a really exciting list of participating artists. The theme for this year’s festival is Prospect, giving rise to notions of space and potential. Prospect to me conjures up my art history past with 18th Century landscape painting and Somerset’s big views. More recently it reminds me of my arts residency in Russia and the Nevsky Prospekt, the great broad street of St Petersburg. I am pleased to showcase the work of some of the artists I met during this residency at The Gallery in Castle Cary. I will also be one of the 12 artists in residence at the brilliant Bruton Art Factory in their hotly anticipated concept The Soup Kitchen of Love, and we are thrilled that they are hosting the Official Somerset Art Weeks Festival Club, where the cult favourite Colony Room Club Somerset will return with refreshments served and daily changing events (see page 72 for further details). This year’s festival is hotting up to be one of the best so far, and gives a platform to showcase the incredible talent that resides in this magnificently creative county. We look forward to opening the hundreds of doors once more for Somerset’s largest visual arts festival. Richard Pomeroy Chair, Somerset Art Works Photo: Paul Newman Somerset Art Works (SAW Ltd) The Town Hall, Bow Street, Langport, Somerset TA10 9PR T: 01458 253800 • E: [email protected] • W: www.somersetartworks.org.uk www.somersetartworks.org.uk SOMERSET ART WEEKS #artweeks17 1 SAW_GUIDE_2017_SB8[2]_saw_guide 18/07/2017 10:57 Page 2 SOMERSET ART WEEKS FESTIVAL 2017 prospect 23 SEPTEMBER - 8 OCTOBER SOMERSET ART WEEKS is the unique host a special contemporary craft showcase celebration of visual arts in Somerset. weekend (23 and 24 September). Alternating between Open Studios and Festival Somerset Art Works and Somerset Film present a years, Somerset Art Weeks is now firmly established programme of films, ALL THE PEOPLE, curated by as one of the biggest showcases celebrating the Josephine Lanyon, featuring films by artists Ben visual arts in the South West. With over 350 artists in Rivers, Luke Fowler, Sarah Miles and Adam Chodzko 120 venues for 16 days of this autumn’s Festival, (28 September - 1 October). many venues have embraced the theme ‘Prospect’ in A FAMILY FRIENDLY WEEKEND finale (7 and 8 their shows and events. October) with plenty of workshops and ‘have a go’ Somerset Art Works continues to support the arts in activities for children (and parents!) to enjoy in Somerset and facilitate exciting, challenging and venues extending a special welcome to families. inspiring artwork with a curated programme of CREATIVE PATHWAYS bursary exhibitions. These commissions and partner projects all of which place bursaries are an important part of SAW’s work which Art in the heart of the community. encourages emerging artists to develop their Among this year’s FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: practice by providing a range of support such as mentoring, studio space, materials and advice. There A LANDSCAPE OF OBJECTS featuring specially will be four Creative Pathways exhibitions, located at commissioned artworks and installations located in Dove Studios, Black Swan Arts, The Eastville Project some of the South West’s most beautiful gardens and The Old Brick Workshop. There will also be a such as Kilver Court, Hestercombe Gardens and Creative Pathways retrospective at Taunton Forde Abbey. It includes Lytes Cary which will also Brewhouse. 2 #artweeks17 SOMERSET ART WEEKS www.somersetartworks.org.uk SAW_GUIDE_2017_SB8[2]_saw_guide 18/07/2017 10:57 Page 3 Some of the other SAW-SUPPORTED PROJECTS HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE AND PARTNERSHIPS include: GATHER-ING - located at Somerset Rural Life THE VENUES Museum, a contemporary craft exhibition responding The venues are divided into 5 areas: to the function of the Tithe Barn. MENDIP: VENUES 1 - 41 MUSE (Makers in Museums) - eight venues across SEDGEMOOR: VENUES 42 - 57 Somerset and Devon featuring responses by WEST SOMERSET: VENUES 58 - 67 contemporary artists to fascinating historic TAUNTON DEANE: VENUES 68 - 84 collections. SOUTH SOMERSET: VENUES 85 - 120 PROSPECTUS - a pilot project led by artist Anna OPENING DAYS AND TIMES Best for a new form of art school in the dispersed art Venues will be open daily from 11am to 6pm unless community of Somerset. otherwise stated. NEW WAVE - a reunion of alumni from West Venues will also show a calendar with closing dates Somerset Community College, curated by Toni crossed out in red: Davey, located at Contains Art in Watchet, SSMTWTFSSMTWTFSS responding to Hokusai’s Great Wave. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 123 456 7 8 EPHEMERAL AND ETERNAL - an installation of new ADDITIONAL INFORMATION work by Fiona Campbell and Angela Morley, looking at nature’s capacity for renewal, in the Round Tower DISABLED ACCESS: Information on physical at Black Swan Arts in Frome. access. Some venues may have gravel paths and steps. If you are not sure, please check before WATER-MEADOW-WOOD - a presentation of your visit. artwork created by participants working with resident artist Elizabeth Jardine, through an exploration of P PARKING: Onsite or offsite parking information the natural, cultural and historical heritage of Yeovil ACTIVITIES: Workshops, demonstrations, tasters Country Park. Part of SAW’s Community and or have-a-go activities. Practical workshops are Education programme. provided by some venues. Please contact EN PLEIN AIR - open-air painting by visiting Russian individual venues for further and booking details. artists will form an exhibition at The Gallery in Castle FAMILY FRIENDLY: Venues showing this logo Cary. The Russians will also be working alongside are expecting visits from families and groups. Somerset Artists during the summer. NO DOGS: No dogs, except guide dogs. Artist-led venues feature in all five regions of Somerset: Mendip, Sedgemoor, West Somerset, VENUE SIGNS Taunton Deane and South Somerset. A rich variety of mediums, materials and methods will be on show in Look out for the Somerset Art Weeks 120 venues, with a wide range of skills on display. signs! They will guide Some of the more unusual venues to look out for you to the venues. include scrapyards, bookshops, tithe barns, pubs, a paper making mill and all of Wells High Street! Established destinations take part along with newer DISCLAIMER venues including the Red Brick Building in All information in this guide is correct at the time of printing. Each venue is responsible for the information it has provided Glastonbury, CICCIC in Taunton, Lanacre Gallery on for this Guide. Somerset Art Works cannot accept Exmoor, Heritage Courtyard Studios and Andelli Art responsibility for unforeseen circumstances that may occur in Wells, Clayhill Arts near Bridgwater, Bruton Art during your visit. Visitors are advised to contact venues Factory and a special pop up exhibition by Cavaliero about access and opening times before visiting. Finn at Monks Yard in Ilminster. FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICY Festival years continue to delight audiences by During Somerset Art Weeks 2017 most of the venues will be enabling artists to participate in themed exhibitions happy to welcome families. Venues showing this logo are expecting visits from families and groups, and will be doing and group shows alongside specially commissioned their best to provide clear information and facilities for your SAW projects. Visitors can expect to be inspired and family. However, some of the venues are open for public surprised by experiencing art in a variety of unusual access on a temporary basis during the Art Weeks only, such and special locations with the opportunity to take as artist studios and private premises, so they will have part in workshops, activities and talks. The vast limited facilities, and great care should be taken when majority of the festival is free to attend. visiting them. Adults are responsible for the supervision of any children in ENJOY! their care at all times. SAW and participants cannot accept liability for any loss, damage or injury sustained