Temporary Art Space

Temporary art spaces in empty shops is big news:

What to do with all the empty shops? (28th February) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7840421.stm

The Fine Art Of Making The Most Of Recession (21st February) http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Dursley-G…

Artists' creative use of vacant shops brings life to desolate high streets (18th February) http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/feb/18…

Empty Shop http://www.emptyshop.org/

Revolutionary Arts Group are collating information about artists using empty shops:

"The Revolutionary Arts Group are keen to hear from artists, organisations and other creative practitioners using empty shops and commercial premises. Shops are being used as galleries, to run workshops, for showing short films and artwork is being used to decorate empty windows. If you're doing any of these – or something different – get in touch."

[email protected]

http://www.artistsandmakers.com/

So what has happened recently?

Georgia has designed a fab flyer –>

We did send it to print about 2 weeks ago but the printers managed to have an administrative glitch especially for us and they forgot to tell the guys on the floor to actually print our flyers. So, there's a couple of days delay but no major worry – they've promised them for early this week, tiny compensation pending.

We've started sending out the invite to the opening event via email, along with the press release written by Bob. If you haven't yet received an invite, come along anyway – this is your invite. FRIDAY 6TH MARCH 5-8PM. Everybody's welcome. Sign up to our mailing list as well if you like via [email protected]

We've decided on a BYOB policy for the opening night based on the fact that a.) we have no money and b.) you can get a bottle of plonk for about £4 from you local shop and it's probably the same price you'd pay for a measly glass or 2 from your local winebar but you can relax with the knowledge that you can drink several glasses at the opening without worrying if your monetary donation is enough. It might be mixing it a bit with a Cab Sav one minute, a Merlot to follow and a Shiraz after that but that's just part of the Temporary fun.

The most exciting thing for us at the moment is we're reviewing all the brilliant proposals we've received for the inaugural exhibition Temporary Art Show. We're tempted to release sneaky preview details about who's showing but all we'll say at the moment is it's a mix of “temporary” sculpture, installation, drawing, video, print and painting – and not necessarily adhering to this simplistic pigeon-holing either. We can reveal there's fifteen artists selected from an international call for proposals; and we're excited about people's reaction to our grand opening.

Reviews on a beermat please.

The magnificent setting of Halifax's Piece Hall is set to be the backdrop for a series of contemporary art exhibitions. Virginia Mason reports.

Published Date: 09 February 2009

CALDERDALE artist Alice Bradshaw took one look at the former cloth merchants' market and knew it could be the perfect place to stage exhibitions.

And now she and a group of fellow artists are hoping they will have as much success as an event they staged in Kirklees last May.

"There was so much interest in the Huddersfield event and so we decided we would like to do the same in Calderdale," explains Alice, of Halifax, a co-director of a Manchester-based artists' collective, Contents May Vary, established in 2004.

The Temporary Art Show will be staged on the top floor of the Piece Hall and run for six months – but each month will have a different theme, encouraging a variety of artwork.

The independent, unfunded project is being organised by a team of fellow artists – Bob Milner and Tom Senior, who work together as Milk, Two Sugars, and Kevin and Georgia Boniface.

All of the artists have exhibited independently before and realise how difficult it can be to have their work recognised.

"It can be really daunting when you are just setting out so the idea behind this is to give up-and-coming artists the chance to show their work to the public", explains Georgia, who met Alice at an arts fair.

"We all got together and thought what a good idea it would be if we could find space to show off varying kinds of work. There are some very talented people out there and this could help launch the careers of some. We hope so, anyway."

Alice added that the monthly exhibitions would encourage work in any medium, either from established artists or those just setting out. "It is not intended to be intimidating in any way and we are really encouraging people of all talents to submit their work," she says.

"This is a great opportunity for them to show their work publicly."
The first exhibition, which runs in March, has the loose theme of Temporary and will be followed by four more themed exhibitions – North, Beer Mats and Beyond, DIY and as the finale, Salon….

Read the full article here: http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/features/Wed-like-…