Art exhibition reaches out to spread the word about British Art Show 9
The University of Wolverhampton is counting down to the national touring exhibition, British Art Show 9 (BAS9) with an exhibition of work created through its outreach programme.
With six months to go until the official opening of the prestigious show, the exhibition will showcase local creative and art talent whilst at the same time encouraging local people to engage with BAS9.
‘Outreach’, a celebration of artwork created as a result of the University’s diverse array of outreach programmes including work made through partnerships with local schools participating in Saturday Clubs, Experience Days and ASPIRE to HE events, will be on display at the Mander Shopping Centre in Wolverhampton from Saturday 24 July until Friday 30 July 2021.
The University of Wolverhampton’s Saturday Art Club, funded by Arts Connect West Midlands, saw pupils from four local Secondary Schools participate in a programme of diverse online workshops between March and June, including a Typography Masterclass with professional Graphic Designer, Sione Raaijmakers.
Club members were given a starter pack of art materials and encouraged to recycle and work with materials from around the home. The National Saturday Club Trust partners with over 50 institutions nationwide to deliver activities in Art and Design, Fashion and Business, Science and Engineering and Writing and Talking to 13 to 16 year olds.
The results of the programmes have been drawn together in the Outreach exhibition to commemorate the sixth month countdown to the opening of BAS9 which will take place on 22 January 2022.
Maggie Ayliffe, Head of the University’s Wolverhampton School of Art, said: “Our outreach programmes have involved us sending out art packs to schools and colleges and this has provided invaluable support for students engaging with our British Art Show 9 Experience Events.
“Some of the young people we have engaged with do not have access to arts materials at home and in using the supplied materials they have worked on creative projects within the sessions and also been left with supplies to develop their creative practice outside the event.
“Throughout this programme, it’s been a privilege to work with such enthusiastic young people and inspiring to see their interest in art and design develop. We wanted to celebrate the work they have created as well as marking the six-month countdown to the prestigious British Art Show coming to Wolverhampton next January.”
Nicola Gandy, Curator of the exhibition and studying for a Master’s in Fine Art at the University, said: “It's been an absolute pleasure to compile and curate such a diverse array of work from our various outreach programmes, including our Saturday Art Club on which I led delivery this year. As this program, together with many others was delivered entirely remotely, it's wonderful to finally have an opportunity to gather the work together and celebrate the talent within our extended community.”
The British Art Show is presented by Hayward Gallery Touring every 5 years and it is the biggest touring exhibition of contemporary art in the UK and widely acknowledged as the most important recurrent exhibition of contemporary art produced in this country, unrivalled in its ambition, scope and national reach.
British Art Show 9 curators Irene Aristizábal and Hammad Nasar were selected by a panel of curators from Hayward Gallery Touring and the participating cities. They bring international experience to the role and have both worked on major exhibitions in the UK, Europe, America and Asia.
The exhibition introduces visitors to over 40 artists practising in Britain over the past five years, providing an insight into the most exciting contemporary art being produced in this country in this extraordinary moment in our history. The exhibition explores three overarching themes – healing, care and reparative history; tactics for togetherness; and imagining new futures – these conceptual frameworks were devised prior to the pandemic, however, with the recent global recognition of racial injustice sparked by the Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020, all three thematics have become even more relevant to the present moment.
Artists include: Hurvin Anderson, Michael Armitage, Simeon Barclay, Oliver Beer, Zach Blas, Kathrin Böhm, Maeve Brennan, James Bridle, Helen Cammock, Than Hussein Clark, Cooking Sections, Jamie Crewe, Oona Doherty, Sean Edwards, Mandy El-Sayegh, Mark Essen, GAIKA, Beatrice Gibson, Patrick Goddard, Anne Hardy, Celia Hempton, Andy Holden, Joey Holder, Marguerite Humeau, Lawrence Lek, Ghislaine Leung, Paul Maheke, Elaine Mitchener, Oscar Murillo, Grace Ndiritu, Uriel Orlow, Hardeep Pandhal, Hetain Patel, Florence Peake, Heather Phillipson, Joanna Piotrowska, Abigail Reynolds, Margaret Salmon, Hrair Sarkissian, Katie Schwab, Tai Shani, Marianna Simnett, Sin Wai Kin (fka Victoria Sin), Hanna Tuulikki, Caroline Walker, Alberta Whittle and Rehana Zaman.
BAS9 has been conceived as a cumulative experience. Having recently opened at its first venue, Aberdeen Art Gallery in Scotland, the exhibition is designed to change and adapt to each of its four host cities, presenting different combinations of artists and artworks that respond to their distinctive local contexts. The exhibition includes a film programme in each of the four host cities and online, expanding the selection of works on view.
Four of the new works in the British Art Show 9 tour are made possible with the generous support of the Art Fund and these will be acquired by museum partners in each city for their own collections, as a marker of the lasting legacy of this ambitious touring show. BAS9 will also benefit from the support of Arts Council England’s Project Grant for National Activities which is allowing partners to produce ambitious and wide-ranging programmes of creative learning, civic engagement and participation that will further extend the reach of BAS9 across the four partner cities.
The exhibition is accompanied by a publication published by Hayward Gallery Publishing which includes two wide-ranging curatorial essays, over 200 colour illustrations and original texts on all 47 artists.
For anyone who already has the results of their qualifications, applications can be made through Clearing from Monday 5 July. Our Clearing webpage provides further information on all the courses we have available in Clearing. Applications can be made either by calling our Clearing Team on 01902 51 8585 or through our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
For anyone who is awaiting the results of their qualifications, they can register their interest and book a phone call with a Clearing Adviser on results day, Tuesday 10 August.
Anyone looking to study at the University of Wolverhampton should register for one of our forthcoming Open Days.
For more information contact the Corporate Communications Team 01902 322736/518647 or out of office hours on 07973 335112 or email: comms@wlv.ac.uk.
ENDS
Notes to editors
British Art Show 9 Tour dates:
- 10 July – 10 October 2021, Aberdeen: Aberdeen Art Gallery
- 22 January – 10 April 2022, Wolverhampton: Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Wolverhampton School of Art
- 13 May – 4 September 2022, Manchester: Castlefield Gallery; HOME; Manchester Art Gallery; and the Whitworth, The University of Manchester
- 8 October – 23 December 2022, Plymouth: KARST; The Levinsky Gallery, University of Plymouth; The Box, Plymouth; and MIRROR Plymouth College of Art
Arts Connect is a development agency connecting and supporting communities across the West Midlands, to enable children and young people (from 0-25) to enjoy a rich and meaningful arts and cultural life. We deliver the Bridge programme in the West Midlands for Arts Council England (ACE) and work with partners in education, arts and cultural organisations, local government and others to lead change and improve opportunity of access and engagement. We know that involvement in the arts and culture contributes to a thriving childhood and evidence shows this. We want this for all children and young people in the West Midlands.
What we do
- Expand Cultural Education through Artsmark and Arts Award.
- Develop, connect and support the workforce in the arts and cultural sector with programmes of professional development and R&D.
- Run programmes with networks of educational settings connecting teachers and children.
- Develop, connect and support professionals in formal and informal education by offering a programme of CPD
- Support the creation of place based strategic and sustainable local partnerships to ensure the continuation and development of an arts and cultural offer for children and young people.
- Attract new sources of revenue for work with young people
British Art Show 9 Learning Programme:
Arts Connect and the University of Wolverhampton are working in partnership with teachers, artists and young people to create an exciting learning programme that inspires children and young people to engage with contemporary art and British Art Show 9.
Through our work with local creative arts teachers we want to enrich arts curriculums and create opportunities to showcase the amazing creative learning and activity that takes place in schools. The BAS9 learning programme will continue to evolve and grow as we partner with more teachers, artists and young people.
Arts Award is a range of unique qualifications that inspire children and young people from 5 up to 25 to get involved in art in all its forms from dance, drama and music to fine art, sculpture and digital art. It develops creative, rounded learners who can use their skills across the curriculum and take these skills into the wider world.
About Hayward Gallery Touring
Hayward Gallery Touring organises contemporary art exhibitions that tour to galleries, museums and other publicly funded venues throughout Britain. In collaboration with artists, independent curators, writers and partner institutions, Hayward Gallery Touring develops imaginative exhibitions that are seen by up to half a million people in over 45 cities and towns each year.
For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.