Arts
Arts Development
Under our Umbrella: Winchester's creative network welcomes you in
The Umbrella Launch took place at the end of last year, and celebrated reaching 300 members for the online creative community at www.umbrellawinchester.co.uk Over 150 members attended and enjoyed an evening of meeting other members, music, projections of artists work, and wine and food.
Umbrella's aim is to connect all the creative and artistic people in Winchester together, to share, inspire and collaborate to give a strong creative voice for the city. Umbrella was formed as a concept by Raziye Parmley, Emily Tyers and Marilyn Michalowicz and is a not-for-profit enterprise.
Umbrella mission statement:
- To become a creative hub for Winchester - a focal point for all things creative, art and design within the city.
- To provide a connection between different creative disciplines and creative industries to enable collaboration, exposure, events, resource sharing, learning, ideas and and a sense of community.
- To create an inspiring, friendly, sharing and supportive community that is inherently reflective of the resident creative talent and culture in Winchester.
So if you're not involved yet then now's your chance to become part of the network! Visit www.umbrellawinchester.co.uk to take a look around, create your profile and meet some friends - both old and new!
The Art of Bollards: local artists set up (work)shop in The Brooks
Christmas shoppers to The Brooks shopping centre in Winchester City Centre may be surprised to find local artists painting eye-catching bollards for the newly refurbished Square. 
The artists - Jenny Muncaster and Rachael Alexander - will be located temporarily in Unit 40 of The Brooks next to Argos on the upper shopping floor. The space has been kindly donated by the Centre's Steve Gilbert.
Members of the public who are keen to chat to the artists about how they came up with the idea for this project, how they select appropriate designs and what painting techniques they use are encouraged to pop by for one of the weekly 'meet the artist' sessions. During these times, the artists will be downing tools and answering questions from 10am to 11am every Thursday. There is no need to book for the session, but the capacity is limited in the Unit.
The bollard project is funded by Winchester City Council as part of its wider contributions to the refurbishment of the High Street and Square in partnership with Hampshire County Council. This project, first conceived in 2005 as part of the Hat Fair celebrations, has been a first for the UK, following in the footsteps of similar schemes in Australia, the USA and Europe.
The Colour Factory has taken inspiration from some of the world's greatest artists, adding an element of fun and interest to the city's street furniture. As part of the original bollard project, the artists painted nine bollards, drawing inspiration from the likes of some classic artists of the 20th Century, such as Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, Raoul Dufy and Sonia Delaunay. These bollards are all being repainted, and new ones added, with designs inspired by Mondrian, Toulouse-Lautrec, Kandinsky, Hokusai and Picasso, with Lowry, Bridget Riley and Salvador Dali being some of the commissions for the New Year.
Jenny Muncaster from The Colour Factory said, "The response from the general public and local businesses has been fantastic, with visitors coming to The Square specifically to see the painted bollards. Local businesses now see the bollards as distinctive landmarks advertising their company's individuality. Residents frequently call in on the bollards to see if any new designs have popped up, whilst for tourists they are an unexpected and amusing discovery. We are now receiving calls from private and business sponsors desperate to be part of the next bollard collection."
Together the artists will be researching and creating the designs that they will then paint onto 17 bollards in the Unit from Monday 21 November to Friday 16 December, and then again from Tuesday 3 January 2012 until the February half term.
Poetry in Motion: Local Poet heads new Arts Advisory Service in Winchester
A new style of service is being provided for arts organisations and individual practitioners living or working in the Winchester and Havant areas. Thanks to a joint initiative by the Councils, they will have access to the guidance and support of a dedicated professional advisor.
Winchester City Council, in partnership with Havant Borough Council, has contracted freelance arts and heritage consultant Stephen Boyce to provide this service on a pilot basis until June 2012. Stephen, who has lived in Winchester for the past thirty years, brings a wealth of experience as a practitioner, funding officer and volunteer. He is a former Deputy Chief Executive of Southern Arts, and former Deputy Director at the Heritage Lottery Fund; he has been trustee of several arts organisations, and he currently chairs both the Board of The Nuffield Theatre and The Southampton Cultural Development Trust. He has worked as an actor and theatre director and is a published poet.
Stephen Boyce says: "I'm very excited about helping strengthen the arts across the two districts; there is an impressive amount of enterprise, initiative and skill among the arts community and it makes a major contribution to the vitality of the area. I shall be working two and half days a week, focussing specifically on helping to build capacity, connect people up and enable them to achieve their aspirations for the arts."
Eloise Appleby, Assistant Director for Economic Prosperity at Winchester City Council, said: "This new style of service will test a different way of working for both Councils. Commissioning of this kind is about looking for new solutions to old problems; new ideas, and new ways of getting things done. Commissioning an arts advisory service should ensure that arts practitioners receive a first class, independent service in a way that ensures value for money for council tax payers."
Cllr Patricia Stallard, Winchester City Council's Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Sports, added:
"Winchester's creative community already makes an important contribution to the economic vitality and the quality of life of local people through architecture, design, film production, literature, performing arts and fine arts. Winchester City Council is keen to nurture local talent and to ensure that the cultural distinctiveness of Winchester continues to be recognised."
Stephen will be mainly available Monday to Wednesday and can be contacted via Flis Pitman, at Winchester City Council, on 01962 848 303 or at fpitman@winchester.gov.uk until further notice.
Festivals in Winchester
Festival season is now over for 2011! But take a look below to see what you've missed out on...
For those of us who are a bit trendy (or at least pretending/trying to be) there's a very exciting addition to this year's festival line up in the form of
Make sure you visit www.winchesterfashionweek.com to keep up with the latest and to have a gander at the programme.
www.wickhamfestival.co.uk I 4 - 7 August
www.myspace.com/sxsc (South by South Central at The Railway) I 18 September
Winchester Film Festival I May I Various times/locations around
Emerge Festival I May I Eastleigh/Winchester www.emergefestival.co.uk
Hat Fair I July I Various locations around Winchester www.hatfair.co.uk
Blissfields I July I Vicarage Farm, Woodmancott www.blissfields.co.uk
www.alresfordmusicfestival.com (June)
www.grangeparkopera.co.uk (June - July)
www.winchesterfestival.co.uk (July)
www.southerncathedralsfestival.org.uk (July)
www.winchesterguitarfestival.co.uk (July)
For more information on festivals keep an eye on www.festivalsinwinchester.co.uk
Recent past events and exhibitions...
Voices are her forte: Janet Cardiff's Forty Part Motet at The Great Hall
If you really wanted to you could look up a clip of Janet Cardiff's Forty Part Motet on youtube. Or you could find someone who's been to see the installation before, be it in
Except, you won't really. You can't know, not until you've experienced it for yourself. But don't take our word for it - there are forty voices all waiting to explain it to you, far better than we ever could.
Standing in the middle of the Great Hall at the end of Winchester High Street as a piece by Thomas Tallis performed by the Salisbury Cathedral Choir envelops you is a unique experience not to be missed. With a different voice in each of the forty speakers placed in a circle it's almost as if you become part of the choir itself - for, what is a choir if there is no one to listen to it perform?
With the installation already in place and remaining there until 20 March there's no reason not to go. And then go again. And then maybe go one more time, just for good measure.
For more information about The Forty Part Motet visit www.hants.gov.uk/janetcardiff
28 January - 20 March 2011 I 10am - 5pm daily I Free entry
They say the neon lights are bright on Bridge Street…
Those of you who have already wandered along Bridge Street in this ever-darkening month of December may have spotted something rather exciting in the window of the view.
This month, showcasing some of her finest work, Winchester-based artist Suzie Brown has brought colour and light to the far end of town.
Suzie describes her work as:
"A combination of large-hand screen-printed surface, bold colour and pattern curved in to 3D shapes, suspended in the window whilst gently blown by a fan to give the piece a living and breathing quality.
Rotating coloured lights and the movement from the fan may alter the state of the piece in experimental ways, opening the way for people to enjoy several artworks in one."
As a local artist, Suzie has been involved with the First Thursdays events in Winchester High Street where her company, Urban Bird, had a variety of Suzie's work on sale, including lampshades and canvas bags, all of which can also be located from the shop on Suzie's website, www.urbanbird.co.uk
Marilyn Michalowicz, Arts Development Officer at Winchester City Council, says of Suzie's work:
It's the first time we've had a neon light installation in the view and it looks amazing. Suzie's display combines intricate yet sculptural screen prints with bold geometric coloured neon tubes, to create a dynamic and unusual use of the space. So I'd recommend popping along to Bridge Street to see the display and you can enjoy the Bridge Street shops, cafes and pubs while you're there!
Suzie's work will be displayed at the view until early 2011.
Kimvi invites you to view the white space
From Friday 29 October to Friday 3 December the view on Bridge Street is playing host to an exhibition that will no doubt catch the eye of many a passer by - if they're looking properly, that is.
As a student of Winchester School of Art, Kimvi has had the opportunity to observe the window space at the view
from afar and has developed an idea based on what she's seen.
Of her work Kimvi says:
"I have brought back the use of the the view as a shop window as an area to display products, objects, ideas and to create the identity of an establishment. My aim is to create a piece of work which invites the viewer to add to the piece by the use of their gaze. I like the illusion of an emptied full space, created by white objects in a white space, where at first glance it looks like an empty window, as all the objects will be camouflaged against the white walls. Only a suggestion of their presence will be created by the casting of shadows through out the day and lit at night by street lights. The idea is to bring the viewer closer to their visual senses, reminding them of their importance as the viewer."
Marilyn Michalowicz, Arts Development Officer at Winchester City Council, has taken an interest in what Kimvi is aiming to convey with this exhibition:
"Kimvi's minimal white palette and compositions transform recognisable objects into sculptural forms, emphasising the beauty of the every day."
So, the next time you're on Bridge Street, it might be worth stopping to take the time to see what you can you see in the white space…
Eye Openers is now also available using digital page turning software
The arts web pages give you information about arts projects, events, activities and organisations in the Winchester District, check the links on the left. If you have suggestions for the arts web pages, please contact Flis Pitman on fpitman@winchester.gov.uk
Latest Updates:
Cafe Culture
Cafe Culture is a collaboration between the University of Winchester, Faculty of Arts, and the Arts Development Service of Winchester City Council
09/11/2011
Singing
03/11/2010
Hat Fair Photo Trail
See 35 years of the Hat Fair recorded in photos
15/06/2009
In this section:
This weeks First Thursday - 2 September
The first Thursday of September sees a range of food, arts, crafts, music and shopping on Winchester High Street. Just pop along after work or in the evening with your family for a relaxed party atmosphere between 4pm and 8pm.
31/08/2010
Re-imagining Treasures of Hyde Abbey
Participating Artists
05/03/2010
Media Centre:
City Council creates stronger cultural connection with Arts Council England
Councillor Thérèse Evans from Winchester City Council has been recruited to join the South East Regional Arts Council, representing all local authorities across the South East.
06/01/2012
