Black Swan Arts Event Archives

Black Swan has a diverse range of exhibitions across the building, including the Round Tower and Divas Cafe. Long Gallery preview nights are always lively, with the whole building open for you to explore 6-8pm, have a drink and meet up with friends.

See Round Tower Gallery and Long Gallery Exhibitions for upcoming dates.

There will be an artists’ panel discussion in the Long Gallery featuring MA students who will explain the context of their work.

‘The Future Can’t Wait’ addresses the issue of uncertainty in a time of political, economic and environmental upheaval.  Dr Andrea Medjesi-Jones, course leader on the MA Fine Art course and an artist herself, says: “It is hard to envisage what the future holds or indeed looks like.  Can the future exist at all, and if so when does it start?  There are no easy answers, but one thing is certain – the future can’t wait.”

It promises to be a fascinating discussion and a great chance for young creatives to consider their future within the creative sector.

Black Swan Arts will be taking part in BBC’s nationwide Get Creative event on Saturday 8 April, from 2-4pm, alongside ‘The Future Can’t Wait’, an exciting show of exhibits from 30 MA postgraduate students across four disciplines – ceramics, fashion and textiles, fine art and visual communication.

The MA artists will work with young people offering activities for children of all ages, exploring concepts of their current exhibition at Black Swan ‘The Future Can’t Wait’ (18 March-15 April).  All welcome!  BBC get-creative-weekend.

The Bath Spa artists will offer unique creative activities and sensory experiences for children to make and be inspired, including origami, textured collages or mini sculptures.  Children will be encouraged to look, touch, participate, have conversations with the students artists, explore their ideas and be part of the exhibition. The children’s creations will be exhibited online as the exhibition progresses – a chance to collaborate and expand the show together.

BSA Artisans will offer free drop-in taster workshops for adults and children. Have a go texturing metal, forming intricate patterns and adding gold to silver (keum boo) in Linda and Yasemin’s interactive jewellery-making demonstrations (ages 8+).  Lila will be painting flowers and fruit, welcoming visitors to ‘have a go’.  Jack will demonstrate pen and watercolour techniques to bring flair to drawings – encouraging you to try.  Suzi’s porcelain bead painting taster-workshop will demonstrate bead decorating – ages 10+ can have a go!

As this year’s Young Open exhibition comes to a close, a reminder of the prize winners and workshop providers- huge thanks to everyone involved with this and for making it such a successful exhibition!

WORKSHOP PROVIDERS

Each winner receives a bespoke half-day workshop with a professional artist, this year the artists kindly donating their time are:
Jenny Ford – Print maker
Jenny Barton – Ceramics
Belinda Brownlee – Ceramics
Fiona Hingston – Textiles and drawing
Candace Bahouth – Mosaic
Suzie Gutteridge – Felt-making
Fiona Campbell – Wire sculpture
Duncan Cameron – Sculpture with found objects
Bronwen Bradshaw – Etching
Rosie Hart – Graphic design / website
Gladys Paulus – Felt sculpture
Mayumi Kaneko – Natural dyes for artwork
Sara Parsons – Drawing, painting, photography

On Saturday 30 April from 6- 7.30pm there will also be a creative facilitation workshop, exploring public perceptions around the refugee crisis and how they relate to domestic politics in the UK and EU.

All welcome.

An evening of discussion arising from a talk by Alison Harvey, barrister and legal officer and former general secretary of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association.

Alison has for decades been informing and engaging with Parliamentarians, lawyers and the public about refugee and immigration law and policy,

She will define the term ‘refugee’ and speak about the experience of becoming caught up in the UK asylum system, and draw on her work with UNHCR in West Africa and with displaced people. In addition, she will inform the audience about the wide swathe of free/forced movement that the term ‘migration’ encapsulates.

Then in dialogue with artist Ricky Romain, Alison will consider the questions;

1) Does art make you care more about whether something you read or hear is true or not? If so how?

2) Does art help you to sort out what is true from what is not true?

This will be followed by contributions to the discussion from the audience chaired by Heather Fallows.

Ricky Romain has performed regularly throughout the West Country, Nationally and in Europe over the last forty years. In 1972 he became a residential pupil of Punita Gupta, disciple of Ravi Shankar. He continued to study Indian classical music by the traditional master/pupil method, eventually becoming proficient in the understanding, and use, of Rag and Tal, (Melody and Rhythm), and with the improvisational techniques associated with Northern Indian classical music conventions. In addition, he has worked with practitioners from other musical and artistic genres including Jazz, Rock, Folk, World and Western Classical Music, Dance, and Movement.

https://fromefestival.co.uk/event/?eventid=948

As part of the Frome Festival, this year’s Art Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday 16th July in the Cattle Market Car Park from 10-4pm. It’s a great opportunity to meet artists, craftspeople and makers direct, discuss their work and buy something local and lovingly made!

Half-day sketchbook workshop led by artist Duncan Cameron and curator Aya Kobayashi.  Aimed at young people aged 8+.

In response to the exhibition of sketchbooks and Duncan Cameron’s work, participants will work from an array of interesting objects provided, linked to nature.  The workshop will cover observation, collecting evidence, mark making and annotation through an experimental booklet of sketches in mixed media.

As part of the national touring exhibition ‘Sketch’, showing at Black Swan Arts, 22 July – 3 September, and sponsored by Visual Arts South West to give young people the chance to get creative during the summer holiday.

Half- day workshop led by Greg Stephens (Cornelius Clifford puppets) and artist Fiona Campbell, aimed at children aged 5+ accompanied by adults.

Making simple glove puppets initiated by sketches inspired by the exhibition ‘Sketch’ and resources provided, using found materials eg fabric, faux fur, foam, beads, buttons, wire, pipe cleaners.

As part of the national touring exhibition ‘Sketch’, showing at Black Swan Arts, 22 July – 3 September, and sponsored by Visual Arts South West to give young people the chance to get creative during the summer holiday.

Organic forms using soft natural materials

An experimental workshop exploring natural materials and forms. Weave, plait, bind or stitch grasses, sedge leaves, twigs, and willow to create bowl-like, leaf-like and abstract forms.

In conjunction with Somerset Art Weeks Festival ‘17 ‘Prospect’: ‘Ephemeral and Eternal’ Exhibition

£30 ticket price includes materials and refreshments.

Organic forms using found and reclaimed materials

A family friendly workshop making experimental organic forms with reclaimed and found materials including wire, twine, wood, netting, steel and plastic components. A chance to explore new ideas and techniques in response to the natural environment and inspired by work in the exhibition. All ages welcome, children accompanied please.

In conjunction with Somerset Art Weeks Festival ‘17 ‘Prospect’: ‘Ephemeral and Eternal’ Exhibition

Ticket price includes materials and refreshments.