For the fourth in this year’s series on Christmas craft fairs and artist-maker editions, we profile a range of special events and exhibitions in Manchester, Newcastle, London and Wrexham.
Christmas All Wrapped Up, Manchester Craft and Design Centre
Manchester Craft and Design Centre has invited local choirs to serenade shoppers as they browse through the centre’s 18 craft boutiques. And to help you choose what gift to buy, they’ve created eight alternative Christmas gift guides, featuring work by resident artists and makers.
Open Mon-Sat, 11-5pm, Additional opening times: 19 December 5-8pm, 22 December 11am-5pm, 24 December 10am-3pm, 17 Oak Street, Manchester, M4 5JD. www.craftanddesign.com/shop/
Editions and sound art, Beaconsfield, London
Possibly ‘the first and only arts organisation to be powered 100% by green energy’, the Vauxhall-based contemporary art charity prides itself on promoting freedom of speech and democratic values. For those of you seeking thought-provoking Christmas gifts, Beaconsfield offers a range of artworks ranging from £8 to £300, including Beaconsfield Soundworks – audio CDs recorded during live performance and installation works.
Order before 18 December or collect from gallery before 20 December, 22 Newport Street, Vauxhall, London, SE11 6AY. beaconsfield.ltd.uk/imprint
Globe Gallery, Newcastle
To share in the festive spirit, Globe is offering up to 20% discount on all artwork this week. Tangletree Interiors furnishings are available as part of the current exhibition in the Plan Chest Gallery and there are artworks for sale by Jack Mooney, Helen Edling, Antonio Riello and Roxy Walsh. The Globe Gallery have a special late opening this Friday until 7pm, and visitors are invited to join the team for mulled wine and mince pies.
Until 20 Dec 11.30am-5pm, 53-57 Blandford Square, Newcastleupon Tyne, NE1 4HZ. www.globegallery.org
Oriel Wrecsam, Wales
All works are for sale in Oriel Wrecsam’s winter exhibition, The Wolves are Running. Inspired by John Masefield’s 1935 tale, The Box of Delights, and founded on festivity and folklore, the curators at Oriel Wrecsam have invited artists, illustrators, makers and craftspeople to respond to the concept of a magical box, and the result is a mixed-media exhibition. The contemporary art centre’s shop stocks a range of bags, rugs, knitwear and other items perfect for that Christmas gift and for this Thursday’s late night shopping session they’re offering 20% off all stock.
Late night shopping on 19 Dec with 20% off and choir, Mon-Fri 9.30am-6.45pm, Sat 9.30am-3.45pm, Oriel Wrecsam, Rhosddu Road, Wrexham, LL11 1AU.
Publications, Arcadia Missa, London
Arcadia Missa, the London-based self-organised studios, gallery and publishers, have recently launched an artists’ book series and the first two publications are available for £9 each in signed editions of 100. These exhibitions in book format critically enhance Arcadia Missa’s curatorial investigation of today’s digitally-networked environment. William Kherbek’s novel, Ecology of Secrets, covers surveillance, activism, police spies and more, through the format of a detective novel. Ocean Living by Megan Rooney and Holly White is both an exhibition and artists’ book that draws on communications between the two artists from a cruise liner to the mainland.
Publications available online from arcadiamissa.tictail.com/products
