A project built from a successful free painting symposium we hosted in February, we brought together a diverse group of female painters from all over the north, from Manchester to Sheffield and beyond, the free tickets sold out in 2 weeks.
The audience of 60plus wanted more, so we listened and developed a program, starting with an exhibition of all those painters that presented for free in February as well as a few others. We have now invited 12 and counting female painters in the north to exhibit with us this October/November.
As well as an exhibition we will program a year of talks from painters, talks that are free and accessible to all but we would like to pay our artists this time! We also want to arrange critiques and feedback sessions with professional artists who can support professional practice and give useful advice for free. Mentoring could also be arranged for free.
Our project encourages a ground up approach, improves wellbeing and address' isolation.
What we'll deliver:
- A unique exhibition of contemporary female painters at The Birley, Preston.
- Free talks by internationally exhibiting female painters based in the north
- Free critiques with professional female painters
- A coloured publication, documenting the program and the artists involved
- Free mentoring sessions
Why it's a great idea:
Bringing contemporary female painters from all over the north to Preston, a new, growing and progressive destination, we aim to redress the balance of underrepresentation for female artists. We encourage involvement from the local community, to some who may not have feasible access to see exhibitions in the 'usual' more established centres like Manchester, Liverpool or Leeds.
Art students, creatives, everyone is encouraged to participate in the experience of seeing exciting contemporary painting and interacting with professional, contemporary artists in an inspiring studio and project space. Our proposals serve to enable inclusivity, a nonjudgemental and safe, free program that encourages participation regardless of background or ability.
It is exciting to bring new visitors to Preston and building on Preston's cultural strengths we aim to improve our contemporary art profile; encouraging accessibility, adding to the local economy as a recognised 'destination' for contemporary art.
Steps to get it done:
- Hold a month long exhibition for at least 12 female painters from the north at The Birley in Preston and pay them
- Produce a colour document that is an event legacy, celebrates all participating artists, documents the project
- Co-ordinate group critiques with professipnal artists for female painters in Preston for free
- Co-ordinate talks/presentations from exhibiting artists for the local community and beyond for free
- Organise mentoring for female painters for free with exhibiting artists
- A colour catalogue to accompany the exhibition
In working with female painters we aim to nurture those who nurture others. Those who have had to prioritise caregiving over creativity, this can sometimes include intergenerational commitments, at short notice and often for long periods of time.
Our female artists can often be time poor or needing to take time out for maternal reasons. There are many factors contributing to why female artists are often underrepresented but we hope our work will go some way to incubate and help all artsts with ways to keep on being creative. Focusing on women has opened up new conversations for everyone to think about enabling practice when other commitments and responsibities seem to thwart creative progress.