The new season of Kids Club gets underway at Gracefield on Saturday 13 September 2014, giving a chance to enjoy a range of activities from painting and drawing to jewellery and craftwork.
Led by professional artist and makers, the Kids Club for age 5 to 12 year old runs from 10am to 12noon each Saturday of term time and Wednesday 10am to 12 noon in the October school holiday.
For younger children, why not try the baby and toddler club? Run the first Saturday of the month from 10am to 11.30am, it’s a great chance to get messy and try out arty skills without having tidy up!
Kids’ club costs £5.50/ BTC £3.50, but there are also free workshops to enjoy – call us for details or see the brochure on the council website at www.dumgal.gov.uk/gracefield.
While you are Gracefield, it’s also a great chance to engage with the current exhibitions: Artist Rooms: Dan Flavin, and Colour & Light: Art from the Permanent Collection from 1880 to present day. The exhibitions are free and you can try the Art Detective quiz.
Gracefield Art Centre in Dumfries is the first ARTIST ROOMS Associate venue in the UK to present works by American artist Dan Flavin (1933-1996). The installations have transformed the Gracefield gallery spaces with white light and colour and offer audiences a unique chance to engage with this challenging and fascinating body of work.
The exhibition includes ‘untitled (to Don Judd, colorist) 1-5, 1987’ and a group of four ‘monument’ to V. Tatlin sculptures, Flavin’s extensive series of ‘monuments’ dedicated to the Russian constructivist artist Vladimir Tatlin. Flavin’s fluorescent light sculptures grew out of the traditions of post–war American art. The movement to which Flavin’s art is often associated is minimalism, although Flavin always rejected this label. Flavin’s work is closely concerned with the space in which it is shown and he said of his work “It is what it is and it ain’t nothing else…it’s very easy to understand”
The collection exhibition features some fascinating works from the Scottish Colourists and Glasgow Boys to more modern prints – including two by French artist Matisse and the late great, Scottish artist, Alan Davie. It’s an ideal introduction for art students and those interested in the more traditional approaches to art.
Opening hours: exhibitions Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm; The Craft Shop Tuesday to Friday 10.30am to 3.30pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm; and Cafe Hubbub Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm.
For more info contact:
Dawn Henderby, Arts Officer Gracefield (working days: 9am to 1pm on Wednesday, 9am to 5pm Thursday and Friday)
Gracefield Arts Centre, 28 Edinburgh Road, Dumfries DG1 1JQ
e: [email protected]
t: 01387 262 084
Photographic Opportunities: by appointment
Image: artwork : Dan Flavin ‘untitled (to Don Judd, colourist) 1-5’, 1987 with Young visitor, copyright Mike Bolam
Dan Flavin (1933–1996) was born in New York City. He lived and worked in New York City and Long Island, NY. Since his breakthrough work in 1963, Flavin dedicated his sculptures to other artists, philosophers, collectors, and dealers. He greatly admired early Russian avant-garde art, particularly the work of Tatlin, who he described as ‘the great revolutionary, who dreamed of art as science.’ In 1964 he embarked on a series of tower-shaped sculptures dedicated to Tatlin. Flavin continued to produce these ‘monuments’ until 1990.
The works on display are taken from ARTIST ROOMS, an inspirational collection of modern and contemporary art acquired for the nation by Tate and The National Galleries of Scotland through the generosity of Anthony d’Offay with additional support from funders, including the Art Fund. The ARTIST ROOMS tour programme, now in its sixth year, is showing at 18 museums and galleries across the UK in 2014. The tour is made possible thanks to the support of Arts Council England, the Art Fund, and in Scotland, Creative Scotland.
Working with an artist facilitator, Gracefield will be offering curatorial tours and arts activities for young people looking at Dan Flavin’s work by exploring new technology. Participants will also be able to get involved in developing and organising events during the exhibition – by and for young people. For more information contact Kate Davies, [email protected] or Joanne Smithers, [email protected]
To find out more information about ARTIST ROOMS On Tour please visit www.artfund.org/artistrooms. To see the full ARTIST ROOMS collection please visit www.tate.org.uk/artistrooms and www.nationalgalleries.org/artistrooms
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ARTIST ROOMS
ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions and displays are from the collection assembled by Anthony d’Offay. ARTIST ROOMS is owned jointly by Tate and National Galleries of Scotland and was established through The d’Offay Donation in 2008, with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund and the Scottish and British Governments. ARTIST ROOMS On Tour has been devised to enable this collection to reach and inspire new audiences across the country, particularly young people.
Arts Council England
The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2011 and 2015, we will invest £1.4 billion of public money from government and an estimated £1 billion from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk
The Art Fund
The Art Fund is the national fundraising charity for art, helping museums to buy and show great art for everyone. Over the past 5 years we’ve given over £26m to help museums and galleries acquire works of art for their collections and placed hundreds of gifts and bequests, from ancient sculpture and treasure hoards to Old Master paintings and contemporary commissions. We awarded £1 million towards the original acquisition of the ARTIST ROOMS collection and have been instrumental in ARTIST ROOMS on Tour since its inception in 2009. We are independently funded, the majority of our income coming from over 100,000 members who, through the National Art Pass, enjoy free entry to over 220 museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK, as well as 50% off entry to major exhibitions.
Find out more about the Art Fund and the National Art Pass at www.artfund.org.
Please contact Madeline Adeane, the Press Relations Manager, on 020 7225 4804 or [email protected]
Creative Scotland
Creative Scotland is the national organisation that funds and supports the development of Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries. Creative Scotland has four objectives: to develop and sustain a thriving environment for the arts, screen and creative industries; to support excellence in artistic and creative practice; to improve access to and participation in, arts and creative activity; and to deliver our services efficiently and effectively. In 2013/14 we will distribute over £100m in funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information on Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
