Sherborne House Arts (SHA) is the management committee responsible for developing and curating the visual arts programme at Sherborne House in Dorset. With an overarching aim of making contemporary visual art more accessible to a diverse audience, SHA develops and presents exhibitions and projects that reflect current visual art practice, encourage dialogue and develop opportunities for the creation of new work. SHA creates a platform for engaging with current visual arts and media practice in and outside the region.
Whilst preparing for an eventual return to curating the programme at Sherborne House SHA is continuing to explore ways in which visual art can be shown in non gallery spaces. Our current projects have a Cultural Olympiad focus and involve artist commissions presented through the b-side festival and the Exploratory Laboratory project. To read more, visit our current projects page.
SHA is actively seeking partnerships with host organisations and will investigate new ways of curating and presenting the visual arts, and providing the support and environments within which visual arts practice can flourish.
Big Picture
SHA is a founding member of Big Picture, a collaboration of visual arts organisations in Dorset working with Dorset County Council to sustain and develop vibrant visual arts in the county.
Visit the Big Picture website: www.bigpic.org.uk
Dorset Loves Arts
SHA also contributes to the wider collaboration of county based arts organisations – Dorset Loves Arts.
Visit the Dorset Loves Arts website: www.dorsetlovesarts.org
Turning Point
SHA is contributing to and supporting the work of Turning Point South West (TPSW), part of the national Turning Point Network advocating for the visual arts. The overarching aim of TPSW is:
To raise the level of critical dialogue and engagement across the region in order to support a dynamic and sustainable visual arts sector, especially within the current economic climate.
Visit the Turning Point South West website: www.tpsw.squarespace.com
The Sherborne House Trust and Sherborne House
After protracted negotiations ownership of Sherborne House and surrounding land passed to Redcliffe Homes in the autumn of 2011. Work has now begun on clearing land for the development of 44 new homes. Work on the restoration of the historic house and Thornhill mural will also begin soon. Included in the plans are the development and refurbishment of part of the building as gallery, sculpture garden and cafe The Sherborne House Trust, supported by The Friends of Sherborne House, is working towards taking on the lease of these spaces to create an inspiring environment for engaging with visual art in a unique historical setting.
Sherborne House will be a dynamic new arts venue where people can enjoy the visual arts. It will be a meeting place, a place for art lovers and for art collectors and a unique focus for contemporary creativity and understanding responding to the stunning heritage. Sherborne House Trust is working with the building and restoration team at the House to realise this exciting ambition to make a regional centre for the visual arts in Dorset. The elegant spaces and sumptuous features of the building will be restored and preserved. Embedded in the heritage of the oldest part of the building will be the new state of the art gallery and access to a tranquil walled sculpture garden and courtyard. The project is an imaginative mix of private and public interests set to be available to everyone in autumn 2013.
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