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Three British art galleries will present a series of exhibitions and collaborations looking back at the past year to explore the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 30 Jun 2021
‘Art for Life’ is the result of a number of workshops with artists and people in frontline roles in the health and care sectors Credit: FirstSite/Anna Lukala
The Arts Council Collection (ACC) has called upon young people and NHS key workers to curate a series of exhibitions in the UK exploring the subject of health and wellbeing.
Working in collaboration with Firstsite in Colchester, Sunderland Culture and Newlyn Art Gallery, each of the projects will feature community-created pieces of art, which are set to sit alongside the works of high profile artists such as David Hockney.
A recent study from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health & Wellbeing: Arts on Prescription Gloucestershire, showed that programmes across four cultural organisations in the county resulted in a 37% drop-in GP consultation rates and a 27% reduction in hospital admissions. The exhibitions will further explore this, with ACC looking back at the past year, while also embracing the positive effects of art and its potential to improve people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
First, at the Newlyn Art Gallery in Cornwall, the scheme will be used to launch a new “Social Prescribing Programme”.
“It’s well understood that participation in cultural activities can make people happier and more content. We’re now building evidence that shows these tangible health benefits,” said James Green, director of the Newlyn Art Gallery.
“Our involvement in the ACC’s National Partners Programme has given us the resource and support to explore these benefits, hopefully paving a way for galleries and public collections to take a little pressure off the NHS as it continues to battle the consequences of the pandemic.”
Sunderland Culture is taking a similar approach, with plans to explore the experiences of the last year through artwork, community response and photographs taken by local residents.
The exhibition will also include works by artists such as David Hockney, Elizabeth Frink, Marc Quinn, Grace Schwindt and Hardeep Pandhal. Together, these works will invite visitors to consider themes including isolation, community, family, nature, systems of care, self-care, illness and loss.
Finally, Art for Life at Firstsite is the result of a number of workshops between artists and people in frontline roles in the healthcare sector.
Co-curated by NHS key workers from across the county of Essex, the exhibition examines personal experiences of the pandemic and the subsequent effects on their lives, “providing a creative record of this significant moment in our collective history”.
Arts Council Collection
Operating as a ‘museum without walls’, the Arts Council Collection is the largest national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art anywhere in the world, and includes important examples by all of the UK’s most prominent artists.
The series of exhibitions comes as part of the ACC’s National Partners Programme, which was first launched in 2016 to mark the organisation’s 70th anniversary by creating a network of regional galleries and museums to present and curate exhibitions.
Funded by the National Lottery, the programme aims to build a deeper relationship with regional audiences by building a UK-wide network across regional partners, connecting local visitors to the national collection.
“Working collaboratively has been key in the success of our national partners programme,” said ACC director, Deborah Smith.
“All three partners have worked with individuals, organisations and community groups in their local area, and have welcomed new voices to curate and produce exhibitions and projects that ensure galleries and museums reflect the richness of our communities. During our 75th anniversary year, Arts Council Collection is delighted to continue working with our partners to share the Nation’s arts collection.”
Museums and galleries
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