Artcore May 2021 Newsletter

Artcore May 2021 Newsletter

We are utterly ecstatic to invite you to join us onsite where we can connect, create and come together (socially distanced) for the first time in 2021. We have a full programme lined up for people of all ages and abilities for the month of May including new blocks of Future Endeavours, Express Yourself and Creative in Common! As we will be adhering to guidelines and facilitating with reduced numbers, all activities must be booked in advance so we can ensure your safety and comfort as we create and reconnect.  

From 17th May, the UK begins the National Smile Month and there is certainly plenty to smile about as summer is just around the corner, we have not one but two bank holidays to enjoy & we are edging even closer to normality again. Even more importantly for us, on the 17th May the Artcore Gallery will reopen again to host a brand new exhibition 'Normal Service will be Resumed' which is curated by Dr Chris Wright  and Jackie Berridge. The exhibition will be the first ever physical showcase of the Hatchery Artists work together and aims to engage, animate, inspire and inform what creates enjoyment to a wider community.

However, May also hosts Mental Health Week which takes place from 10th-16th of the month so we implore you to stop to ask yourself how you are feeling and reach out for support if it’s needed – you are never alone! #TogetherWeStand. On the 10th May, mindfulness coach Pam Sidhu will be doing a Mindfulness workshop at our building on Albert Street which will encourage and provide techniques to look after your mental health.  

As you may know, Artcore has been working on the In Our Thoughts project since August 2020 and since that time, we have been dedicated to supporting people in Derby and Derbyshire through the pandemic by compiling resources, hosting biweekly meetings as well as the developing In Memoriam exhibition and auction. As we near the end of the project, Artcore volunteers and artists are constructing a memorial sculpture in response to Covid-19 and we need your input to make this a piece that truly represents the community through our social media call out

Click here to view callout

Don’t forget that all sessions need to be booked in advance so please sign up to join our artists, staff team & mindfulness coach in our free activities as we explore, support, make and create together.

Sign up at: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtcoreUK
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artcore_uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtcoreEngland


May Programme Overview

Hello to the lovely month of May & to Artcore activities being back in our buildings – There is certainly plenty to smile about in May as summer is just around the corner. Don’t forget that all activities must be booked in advance so please sign up to join us as we explore, support, make & create together. 

Sign up at: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme


Artcore Gallery Updates:

- 'Normal Service will be Resumed'

Curated by Chris A. Wright and Jackie Berridge

Opening at Artcore Gallery 17th-30th May 2021

The concept for Normal Service will be Resumed is simply to bring the work of Hatchery Artists together for the first time in a physical exhibition. We have developed our practices necessarily separately, and so have no theme, but through mutual support and the extensive knowledge of our multidisciplinary group we have explored the edges of our working practices to move forward. Our hope is that we will create an exhibition that engages, animates, inspires, informs and creates enjoyment for the wider community.

Featuring works by Jackie Berridge, Linda Duvall, Mik Hobson, Chris A. Wright, Helen Lees, Mary Hayes, Yves Riguidel, Lori Amor and David Byrne.

There will be special events at Artcore Gallery during the duration of the exhibition. You can keep updated at https://artcoregallery.org.uk/event/normal-service-will-be-resumed-curated-by-chris-a-wright-and-jackie-berridge/

 

- Cabin Fever

As a result of the last year of lockdowns, many of us have had no option but to spend time in isolation and confined in our homes. We have therefore invited artists in Derby to respond to this theme by literally taking up residence in our cabin in Derby City Centre.

From this came Cabin Fever, a series of one month long residencies over the duration of six months, which offers artists an opportunity to test out ideas and make new work within a cabin, located on Osnabruck Square. 

Our first two artists to be in residence started on 16th April  – Nicki Dennett & Dan Webber! Both have regular blog posts with updated on their interactions with public and development of their work which you can view using the links below.    

Nicki Dennett: https://artcoregallery.org.uk/category/cabin-fever/nicki-dennett
Dan Webber: https://artcoregallery.org.uk/category/cabin-fever/dan-webber


-  Circling the Square - Visions of an Unmade City

Our artists in residence Katy Hawkins and Ryan Heath have been busy developing new work as part of 'Circling the Square: Visions of an Unmade City' at Artcore Gallery. 

This week, Ryan held a workshop with a group of participants from the Artcore community. Together they created their own guardians for Osnabruck Square and the larger Derby city area using local history and motifs from the urban environment. 

Katy recounts their initial visit to Osnabruck square in a blog post which you can read on the Artcore Gallery website. Using a poetic mixture of words and image, the post explores the micro twinning efforts between Derby and its German twin city.

Watch out for an Artist Talk with Ryan and Katy on Zoom in the next fortnight.

Katy's blog post: https://artcoregallery.org.uk/uncategorised/a-visit-recounted

Upcoming exhibitions at Artcore Gallery:
- Normal Service Will Be Resumed, Hatchery (17th-29th May)
- Circling the Square: Visions of an Unmade City, Ryan Heath & Katy Hawkins (4th - 19th June)


- 'Come 'n' Say Hello' - Artcore Shop

The team were absolutely over the moon to reopen the Artcore Shop and start welcoming our customers back on 12th April! It has been a busy month as the shop is now back in action and we are preparing our gallery upstairs to reopen on 17th May with a brand new exhibition 'Normal Service will be Resumed'.  

Make sure to pop on down to the shop to say hello to Linda and the lovely team, check out the vast range of crafts on sale created by Artcore artists and treat yourself to a Creative Takeaway Kit.   


- Artcore on Bike

Artcore aspires to be an organisation with green and ethical core values in order to promote good practice amongst the communities we serve and operate within. We have been supported by Derby City Council through the Connected Grant who have provided our staff, volunteers, artists and participants with access to sustainable travel. 
 
This ongoing project has been supported with e-bikes especially to travel between our different sites, or partner organisations and other places in the community which would have otherwise been done in taxis or cars. This way we can reduce our carbon footprint and continue our work and promise to look after our health and the environment. 
 
Thank you Derby City Council for your support.


- Reimagine

We have been very busy on the Reimagine Project in April as we started some very exciting workshops with Year Four students at St. James' Primary School and Year Five at Zaytouna Primary School. 

The students are working with artists Dr. Chris Wright and Connie Burley looking at the themes of Home, Identity and Kindness. They are doing plenty of activities such as creating self-portraits and Coats of Arms as well as using television, script writing and cartoons to help think about kindness. It has been amazing being able interact and develop ideas with students in their schools too!

Our final Maze Experience workshops will take place in May and we cannot wait to co-create them and reimagine spaces with the students! We are also very eager to rebuild our pods looking at home, imagination and pathways as they were a big hit when we created them at Pear Tree Junior School earlier in the year.


- Future Endeavours

We have completed our block of six Future Endeavours workshops on Zoom with artist Fiona Adamson looking at Creative Growth. Each week, we were amazed by the fantastic work that our participants made in such a short space of time using tricky techniques. Soon, we can get all their finished pieces fired in the oven here at Artcore! 

Excitingly, we are starting a new block of classes on 8th May in person at the Artcore building!  Artist Kathryn Borg will be using paper, natural materials and clay to creative structures inspired by our surroundings. There are still spaces available so please sign up below. We can't wait to get started!

For more information on the project, you can visit: https://www.artcoreuk.com/future-endeavours
Sign up to join at: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme 


- Express Yourself

In March and April, artist Magdalena Aron worked with our participants encouraging them to think about personal expression and ideas behind making artworks. We had lots of fun in the sessions creating cartoons, fantasy windows, landscapes and mottos using painting and pastels. These have been  added into scrapbooks that everyone can keep and continue to use to express themselves! 

Starting on 4th May, we will have a new block onsite at Artcore with artist Jane Dearden. We will be working on abstract self-portraits, exploring texture and creating a giant group mural. Sign up below to join us - it's going to a wonderful six sessions.  

For more information this project, you can visit: https://www.artcoreuk.com/express-yourself
Or Visit: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme to join our next workshops.


- Shape Your Future

Despite having a two-week break for the Easter Holidays, our lovely students from Horizons Sixth Form have made amazing progress on their papier-mache hot-air balloons which are almost complete! They have been working with artist Fiona Adamson to understand more about emotions and consequences through art. 

We are can't wait to see the final pieces exhibited from our ceilings at Artcore!


- Un-Aware

We have had a great month so far working with artist Dawn Campion and our fantastic Un-Aware participants focusing on creative ways of saying no to discrimination and sharing the proud things that make us of who we are! We are working towards creating a symbolic, abstract coat using painting and upcycled textiles to highlight our identities. 

Thank you to our participants and to Dawn who have been working very hard to empower one another and themselves on Zoom each week! This is such an important project funded by Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Hardyal Dhindsa.

The next block starts on 26th May with photographer Ray Gumbley.

Sign up to join at: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme

For more information on the project, visit: https://www.artcoreuk.com/un-aware


- Creative In Common

We had 4 wonderful sessions for our Creative In Common Project, where we did activities like Rock Painting, Origami and Art and Mindfulness at Arboretum and Normanton Park with Artist Jane Dearden and Pam Sidhu. These are the sessions for adults to join us in staying connected and getting creative together. Adults of all abilities and ages are welcome to Create, Connect and Come Together and all our sessions will be now conducting onsite from May. 
 
Sign up using the link and get yourself enrolled in the programme at: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme
Or Visit: https://www.artcoreuk.com/creative-in-common for more information.  


- In Our Thoughts

Artcore volunteers and artists are constructing a memorial sculpture in response to Covid-19 and we need your input to make this a piece that truly represents the Derby and Derbyshire community.  We need photos, newspaper articles, poems, stories or memorials that symbolise your experiences during the last year.  Within our sculpture, we want to acknowledge and remember those who have kept us safe, those who may no longer be with us, those who have supported us, those who were born during the pandemic and everyone else who has made an impact on you during such a difficult time! 

Please send your responses to catriona@artcoreuk.com or submit it to us at the Artcore Shop on Albert Street or to our office at 3 Charnwood Street, Derby.  

You can also sign up at: http://bit.ly/MayProgramme to join us for one hour each Thursday to contribute to building the sculpture.  
Find out more at: https://www.artcoreuk.com/in-our-thoughts


Support for Sharon

Sharon Sewell has been an instrumental part of the journey of Artcore and made significant contributions in securing funding for our organisation so that we can continue to offer free activities and engagement in our local communities. Sharon has always worked so hard and gladly given so much to other people but now she needs our help at this difficult time. 

"In January, Sharon Sewell was rushed to Glenfield hospital for emergency surgery to repair a tear in her Aorta (Aortic Dissection). Since then, she has undergone numerous lifesaving procedures to deal with major complications and life threatening internal bleeding. Sharon also caught Covid whilst in hospital, adding to what was already an extremely traumatic time for her and her family. As a result of the Aortic Dissection and all of the surgery Sharon has been through she will now live her life as a Paraplegic."

Please give anything you can to help to raise enough money to purchase the essential equipment required to allow Sharon to continue to do the things that she loves in life.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-sharon-sewell-live-life-to-the-full?utm_campaign=p_cp_url&utm_medium=os&utm_source=customer


Welcome to New Starter

Meet our newest volunteer - Conor Smith!

Hi, I'm Conor, I have just started out as a volunteer at Artcore helping to prepare the Artcore Gallery for reopening on the 17th of May. I have a background in woodwork and painting/decorating, I am also very passionate about art and have attended Gorey School of Art in Ireland. I am looking forward to seeing the exhibitions at Artcore and helping the artists install their work.


YouTube Channel
Missed our facebook lives? 
You can catch up everything on our Youtube channel to view at your leisure! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClGguDIZgJG4KkN2bGWpqKg


Donate
Please donate to Artcore

Times are very uncertain at the moment, but despite having to shut our doors to the public, we are still working hard to reach out to the people who need us the most.

We are delivering packs of art materials and running Stay Connected workshops for people who feel isolated and older people in care homes. We are making online resources for young people and families. We've even been running sessions on Facebook, Zoom and You Tube.

Can you help us to Stay Connected with people through creativity? A small donation to Artcore could make a difference to the well-being of people who really needs a creative boost at the moment.

Help Artcore to spread the joy of creativity! Just £10 would cover the cost of a person being able to participate in one of our courses.

Thank you for your support.

 

Back to news