Exhibitions schedule
Towner Gallery Friday 27 March – Sunday 31 May,
Flora Twort Gallery Tuesday 24 March – Sunday 19 April
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery Saturday 23 May – Saturday 19 September
The South East’s most popular annual exhibition of art work created by schoolchildren has expanded its reach across Sussex with the addition of two new partner sites: Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, West Sussex and the Flora Twort Gallery Petersfield, Hampshire.
Working in partnership with the South Downs National Park, Towner and the two galleries will be engaging schools across Hampshire, West and East Sussex in a project that draws on the rich resources of the national park and local museums and galleries.
This year’s theme for the exhibition is Our Place: Celebrating the built heritage of the South Downs ‘Our Place’ and invites school children to look at the built heritage of the South Downs – whether ancient or modern, domestic or industrial, places of worship or commemoration. The works chosen from the collections at the partner galleries will show school children how different artists have chosen to represent places that have meaning or interest for them.
The project will run from November 2014 to March 2015 and offers art education resource packs, gallery visits, and outdoor sessions to explore the built heritage of the National Park – see end for list of sites. The project will culminate in exhibitions at the three galleries from March to September 2015. The exhibition will take the form of small scale buildings made by pupils, whose schools will be issued with a 1m2 ‘plot of land’ each.
A focus will be made on works from Towner’s Collections by Eric Ravilious, John Piper, Robert Tavener, William Nicholson, William Raine, Harold Mockford, and John R. Biggs. Amongst the works from the Towner’s Collection is an additional loaned work by locally based contemporary artist Wycliffe Stutchbury.
For the past five years, over 7,000 school pupils have had an opportunity to respond to Towner’s Collection and participate in an exciting exhibition in the South East’s largest contemporary art gallery.
Schoolchildren taking part in the Annual Schools Exhibition can gain an Arts Award and schools can achieve ArtsMark or Artsmark Gold.
Amanda Elmes, who leads on learning and outreach for the South Downs National Park Authority, said:
“The rolling chalk hills of the South Downs have been lived on and shaped by people from more than 500,000 years. We can trace this history through iron-age forts, Roman palaces, Saxon churches, medieval villages, Norman castles, Elizabethan manors, Georgian mansions, Victorian houses, 20th century war defences and all the way to modern architecture. It’s exciting to be working with Towner, Worthing Museum and the Flora Twort Gallery to share this story with students from across Sussex and Hampshire. I can’t wait to see the results.”
Clare Halstead, Head of Learning at Towner, said:
“This year’s Annual Schools Exhibition project is set to be one of the most exciting yet through our partnership with South Downs National Park Authority, Worthing Museum and the Flora Twort Gallery. We are lucky in the South East to have the South Downs on our doorstep, and what better way for school children to explore this rich natural heritage through arts and culture? We are looking forward to having even more schools and their pupils sign up and take part this year.”
Our Place: Annual Schools Exhibition 2015, Towner, Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne BN21 4JJ, free entry. Open Tues – Sun, and Bank Holidays, 10am – 5pm. For more information see townereastbourne.org.uk/community/learning/annual-schools-exhibition/
ENDS
Image credit: Eric Ravilious, Interior at Furlongs, 1939 (Towner Gallery)
Launch events for interested schools/teachers
- Towner: Wednesday 22 October 2014 4-6 pm
- Worthing Museum and Art Gallery: Tuesday 11 November 2014 4-6 pm
- Flora Twort Gallery: Monday 17 November 2014 4-6pm
To book a space, email sue.hervey@townereastbourne.org.uk.
Contacts to sign up to the Annual Schools Exhibition
Towner Gallery:
Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne BN21 4JJ
Clare Halstead – Head of Learning clare.halstead@townereastbourne.org.uk
Sue Hervey – Learning and Families Co-ordinator Sue.hervey@townereastbourne.org.uk
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery:
Chapel Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 1HP
Lisa Gale – Museum Education Project Manager lisa.gale@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Emma Walder – Curator of Art and exhibitions emma.walder@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Flora Twort Gallery:
Church Path Studio, 21 The Square, Petersfield, GU32 3HS
Amanda Harwood – Education and Outreach Officer education@petersfieldmuseum.co.uk
Towner Teacher Resource
Works included are:
- Eric Ravilious (1903-1942), Interior at Furlongs, 1939. Watercolour. On long term loan to Towner
- John Piper (1903-1992), Newhaven, The Castle, 1936. Ink and oil with collage. Purchased by Towner 2011 with the assistance of the Art Fund, a Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund, The Friends of the Towner, a donation in memory of Helen R Hallier, and additional public donations as part of the John Piper Appeal, September 2011.
- Robert Tavener (1920-2004), Country Garden and Cottages, Linocut, ink on paper. Gifted by the artist to Towner 1999
- William Nicholson (1872 – 1949), Judd’s Farm, 1912. Oil on wood panel. Acquired by Towner 1986 with the assistance from the Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund, National Art Collections Fund and Friends of the Towner
- William Rainey (1852-1936), Interior at Cocking Forge, West Sussex, 1929. Watercolour. Gifted to Towner 1935
- John R. Biggs (1909-1989), Jack and Jill Windmill
Also included is borrowed work: Wycliffe Stutchbury, Lullington Heath 4, 2010. Timber from dismantled western red cedar shed.
South Downs National Park
Key sites of interest include:
• Anne of Cleves House
• Arundel Castle
• Belle Tout Lighthouse (self-led or SDNPA led)
• Butser Ancient Farm
• Cowdray Ruins
• Earthship Stanmer
• Frog Firle Farm/Saddlescombe Farm (both National Trust)
• Glyndebourne
• Halnaker Windmill (self-led or SDNPA led)
• Jane Austen’s House, Chawton
• Jill Mill, Clayton
• Lewes Castle
• Lewes Priory
• Old Chapel Centre, Alfriston Village
• Stansted House
• Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
