Fund-raising exhibition shows breadth of community programme talents
A new fundraising exhibition is once again a key part of Pallant House Gallery’s community programme’s activities this year, offering a wide range of works created by its members.
Free to view in the gallery’s studio, the exhibition runs until March 29, with all artworks available to buy.
The new exhibition features watercolours, photography, oil pastels, acrylic and mixed media collage. Every artwork has been made and donated by artists in the gallery’s community programme, with more than 70 artworks available to buy through the welcome desk. Visitors can collect most artworks after the exhibition closes in March whilst some are available to take away on the day.
Now in its third decade, the community programme at Pallant House is widely respected for providing long-term creative opportunities for more than 200 people in the local community with a range of support needs. By focusing on each artist’s individual ambitions and fostering creativity within a welcoming and inclusive environment, the programme builds confidence and can be truly life-changing.
“This new exhibition brings together works that reflect and celebrate the personal creative journeys of the programme’s artists, their talent and the diversity that makes the programme so distinctive,” says community programme manager Emily Robson.
“The community programme exhibition is a really important part of our year. It gets people's
artworks onto the walls of the gallery, people who have maybe not exhibited that much before. They're coming weekly to our studio and they are producing amazing artwork, and it is really satisfying for people to show their work to the public. It gives you a real boost. Visitors compliment their work, and it's a real way of giving back to the programme. Our artists very generously donate their works.
“Last year we raised more than £6,000 through the exhibition. It's a really good fundraiser for us. We have people with all sorts of different support needs, and by raising money it means that we keep the costs of our workshops really low.
“We would like to raise another £6,000 this year. That would be the target. We've got 76 artworks on the walls for sale. I think that's slightly more than usual and it is certainly jam packed. One of the strengths is that it is just so varied. It's also very colourful. The work is really varied from abstract to portrait and to landscapes and it is just so vibrant. People walk in and they just go ‘Wow!’”
One of the community programme members, Belinda, is proud to have work included in this year’s exhibition. She said: “I'm very excited. Everybody where I live wants to come and see it. They're all coming to visit to have a look.’
All artworks in the exhibition have been donated by the artists to help sustain the community programme, which relies on long-term sustainable funding. Every piece is available to purchase, with proceeds match funded and reinvested directly back into the programme, ensuring it can continue to support future participants. Previous exhibitions have raised more than £4,000, enough to pay for more than 40 workshops.
The Pallant House Gallery Community Programme Fundraising Exhibition is free to view in the gallery’s studio. Visitors can view and buy available artworks until March 29.