JERWOOD SPACE AND VISUAL ARTS

Excellent facilities for the Work of Art

Opened in 1998 as the first major capital initiative of the Jerwood Foundation, the Jerwood Space is now established as one of the best rehearsal spaces for theatre and dance in the country.  Young dance and theatre companies develop their work at a greatly reduced cost, working alongside established professional companies who pay competitive rates.  

A beautifully refurbished Victorian school also offers a contemporary art gallery, café and striking glazed courtyard; these are all open to the public and available for events.

Jerwood Visual Arts (JVA) is a contemporary gallery programme of awards, exhibitions and events at Jerwood Space, which then tours nationally. Jerwood Visual Arts promotes and celebrates the work of talented emerging artists across the disciplines of drawing, painting, sculpture, applied arts, photography and moving image. It also aims to make connections and provoke conversations within and across the different disciplines. 

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

The Piazza, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7BB

Admission charge of £10 for students but ticket is valid for a year!!!!

Discover the story of London's transport system and how it has shaped the lives of people living and working in London. Showcasing original artworks and advertising posters, historic vehicles including the iconic Routemaster bus and the world's first Underground steam train. There are train simulators and interactive exhibits too.

OCTOBER GALLERY

October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AL

Tel: + 44 (0)20 7242 7367 Fax: + 44 (0)20 7405 1851

Artist Nnenna Okore returns to October Gallery, London for her second solo exhibition.

Okore continues to employ ordinary media like magazine and newspaper to highlight consumerism and excessive wastefulness in today’s society.

Along with the continued exploration of these themes in her work, Okore is also inspired by the concept of growth and metamorphosis.

Her sculptures explore rich earthly colours, textures and formations often resembling architectural structures and spaces. The application of various repetitive and labour-intensive techniques, like weaving, twisting, sewing, dyeing, waxing and rolling, only serve to further accentuate these elements and other visceral qualities embodied in these works.

BRODIE & MIDDLETON - Old school extenstive Art and Theatrical Suppliers based in Drury Lane, Covent Garden

 They also encompass Russell and Chapple who specialise in supplying the highest quality Fine Art, Scenic, and Digital canvases, sourcing and importing our canvas fabrics from all over the world.

The Art Workers Guild

The Art Workers Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3A

Is an independent charity and organisation that was founded in the 1880s and is closely associated with the Arts & Crafts movement. It now consists of roughly 100 architects and 250 designer makers, bound by good craftsmanship and design rather than style.

Visit their website to check out the wares of most of the designers in their fold - there are bookbinders, artists, sculptors, etchers, guilders and letterpress.

The Espresso Room, Bloomsbury, London

 A petite haven for artisan coffee...THE ESPRESSO ROOM: Open Weekdays 7:30am-5pm; Sat 9:30am-2:30pm - is a really efficient and cute little (little being the operative word!!!) coffee shop just opposite Great Ormond Street hospital.  

The cafe won my respect for being the only coffee house that I've visited (and there have been many...) that sells KeepCups!!!! - in all colours and combination's too. 

KeepCup was designed as an environmentally friendly alternative to replace the increased amount of disposable cups used by coffee houses. It's a stylish and practical lidded commuter cup that replicates standard takeaway sizes and fits under the group heads of espresso machines. They are BPA free and non toxic and they have pretty good thermal properties -  keeping beverages hot 20-30 minutes longer than disposable cups!!!

FYI: The paper cup is made from a composite of materials: kraft bleached paper sprayed with a polyethylene coating. Paper cups are often impregnated with toxic dyes which make them difficult to recycle. The plastic lining in disposable paper cups means they are not recyclable. Biodegradation of a paper cup can take 50 years or more. It’s not just the cup and lid that go into landfill. On average, each disposable cup contains 5% of the raw materials involved in the process of making and delivering it.

Small acts can make a big difference – for better and for worse.

People's Supermarket...for the people by the people

The Supermarket is a sustainable food cooperative that responds to the needs of the local community and provides healthy, local food at reasonable prices. They aim offer an alternative food buying network, by connecting an urban community with the local farming community.

Visions and Values:

• To buy British produce where possible, and produce local to London.
• Provide choice and information to our members to help them make healthy decisions.
• To create a community supermarket that highlights the possibilities of consumer power and challenges the status quo.
• To minimise wastage, by creating prepared dishes from food coming up to its sell-by date, and by composting all other waste material

Persphone Books...

Persephone Books reprints neglected classics by C20th (mostly women) writers.

Persephone prints mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women. The titles are chosen to appeal to busy women who rarely have time to spend in ever-larger bookshops and who would like to have access to a list of books designed to be neither too literary nor too commercial. The books are guaranteed to be readable, thought-provoking and impossible to forget.

With their distinctive plain grey jackets and cream 'labels' for the title wording, all their books look the same from the outside yet inside, each is different, with the endpapers chosen especially to match the date and mood of the book.

DARKROOM

 Darkroom is a concept store on London's Lambs Conduit St. Darkroom specialises in hard to find and one of pieces whilst also presenting beautifully classic pieces and offer an eclectic range of fashion for men and women, interior and lifestyle accessories.

Some pieces like the beautiful tan leather bags that are styled on fast food 'take away' paper bags  are simply stunning... and the hand-knitted large knitted poufs are soooooo gorgeous!

Independent and timeless...Lambs Conduit Street

Located in Bloomsbury just round the corner from Holborn Station is Lamb's Conduit Street and is a rare find in such close proximity of the commercial bustle of Holborn. This quaint little street comprises of several independent traders, boutique shops, an old fashioned bookstore + a great tapas bar & even a public house or 2!

Check out KENNARDS a lovely little deli and grocers who have a timeless display of wares outside and a rare village feel to the area - they stock a wonderful range of delicious local and organic food, fresh fish + pastries and make up gourmet chocolate hampers too!!!

All's Well That Ends Well...

SHAKESPEARE GLOBE THEATRE

The Globe Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the open-air playhouse, first built in 1599, where Shakespeare worked and for which he wrote many of his greatest plays.
Each year the theatre season runs from April to October with productions of work by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, as well as modern writers. Each year over 350,000 members of the audience experience the 'wooden O' sitting in a gallery or standing as a groundling in the yard, just as they would have done 400 years ago.
Current show is 'All's Well That Ends Well' a story of love and magic, where Shakespeare defies all expectations in this comedy. Students with valid ID get in to the show for £10!!!! 
Also housed beneath the Globe is an exhibition bringing to life Shakespeare's Globe and world as it would have been in 1599. Surrounded by raucous taverns and bawdy-houses the Globe was the centre of London's most notorious entertainment district.

Great Expectations...

Charles Dickens was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era and he remains popular, responsible for some of English literature's most iconic characters. His the name conjures up visions of plum pudding and Christmas punch, quaint coaching inns and cozy firesides, but also of orphaned and starving children, misers, murderers, and abusive schoolmasters. Dickens was 19th century London personified, he survived its mean streets as a child and, largely self-educated, possessed the genius to become the greatest writer of his age.

The Charles Dickens Museum - Located at 48 Doughty Street, Holborn, London. 

(Dickens and his family lived here from April 1837 to December 1839)

Festival of Britain at Southbank

Southbank Centre celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain with a four-month Festival of British culture and creativity.

Experience performances, new outdoor environments, talks and events by some of Britain’s leading artists and thinkers. Festival highlights include Ray DaviesMeltdown (June), Tracey Emin’s first major survey show in London at the Hayward Gallery (18 May to 29 August), plus appearances by Lang Lang, Heston Blumenthal, Billy Bragg, John Berger, Meera Syal and Tony Benn. Themed weekends celebrate just some of the highlights of British culture – from Stewart Lee’s curated weekend of comedy and music (27 to 30 May) to Light Fantastic in collaboration with the BBC (24 to 26 June), a hip-hop weekend (14 to 17 July) and Vintage Weekend at Southbank Centre (29 to 31 July).

Best of all though......

Experience a piece of the British seaside in central London - they have installed a 70-metre beach  on Queen’s Walk for the duration of the Festival of Britain celebrations.

Just don’t forget your bucket and spade!!!!!

SOMERSET HOUSE IN MAY: Ai Weiwei - Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads

12 May – 26 June Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court 

Free admission

I am fascinated by making public art. ‘Public’ does not just refer to the museum public; it’s for people passing by and using communal spaces. I think the public deserve the best. In the past, only a pope or an emperor had access to the artworks they commissioned. I want my work to be accessible to everyone. As Yuanming Yuan was being built, Somerset House was being constructed and for me this means that the Courtyard is the perfect setting for Circle of Animals.
Ai Weiwei, 2011

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s work will be the first ever contemporary art sculpture to go on display in the historic courtyard of Somerset House. It will also be the first outdoor public sculpture installation by the artist in London.

The monumental installation will comprise 12 bronze animal heads, re-creations of the traditional Chinese zodiac sculptures which once adorned the fountain of Yuanming Yuan, an imperial retreat in Beijing. The installation is part of an International Tour which will start in New York.

TalksTo coincide with the installation, Somerset House is running a series of talks inspired by the artist's practice and political activism. The talks will feature prominent speakers from the realms of art, media, literature and education. The talks are curated and chaired by writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun.

Dates and Themes:
Friday 13 May 2011 - The Art of Ai Weiwei
Monday 16 May 2011 - China: The End of the Revolution
Monday 23 May 2011 - Politics in the Age of Twitter
Monday 6 June 2011 - Art, Activism and the Avant-garde

Admission to talks: £10, Concessions £8 students
Price includes glass of wine!!!!!!
Places will be limited,  prior booking is essential.

COCKPIT ARTS...

Located in Cockpits Yard, just around the corner from Hatton Garden are the Cockpit Art Studios - an award wining social enterprise and the UK's only creative-business incubator for designer-makers. Focused on nurturing and supporting talented designers and artisans with a craft basis to their work it is a renowned hotbed of creative talent. It helps around 165 resident designer-makers to grow their businesses and hundreds more through their 'Making It' workshops and seminars.

The studios house all manor of artisans each producing a wide range of crafts; glass, ceramics, jewellery & fashion accessories, metalwork, silversmithing,  furniture & lighting designers as well as book arts and stationery and art led textiles. Although they don't encourage you just popping in on whim you can book appointments with individual studios or arrange for a tour to check out their wares.

As part of their incubator package as well as hiring a managed studio (including all services water/heating etc) in a creative environment from them at a reduced rate (presently £230 a month) they also offer the following services and support to get you going as an independent trader...

1. Open Studios public selling events
2. Promotional and selling opportunities
3. Office facilities and resource room
4. A team of on-site coaches
5. One-to-one business support
6. Workshops & seminars
7. Cockpit Arts Business Growth Loan Scheme
8. Access to our online networks
9. Broadband access 

INSPIRING...

Grey Annatomy by Fransisca Prieto - Between Folds is a series of three-dimensional wall hanging artworks made up from hundreds of envelopes, old sheet music, maps, books etc meticulously cut and folded into intricate and interlocking forms. Fascinated by the delicacy and diversity of these materials Francisca has transformed their ordinary life... find more of her work at www.blankproject.co.uk

EVENTS & FREEBIES...

As well as being actively involved in exhibitions and design shows Cockpit Arts Studios also hold their own 'Open Studios' twice a year where they throw open the doors of the studios to the general public and you can wander around & buy direct from the makers. 

Also a great opportunity to see who's doing what and be inspired by the best & brightest up and coming designers in their fields.

25th Birthday Open Studios

This June they will be having a special '25^th Birthday Open Studios' and makers will be selling designer pieces from their studios.

Special 25^th Birthday celebrations will include:

FREE ENTRY

- luxury pass-the-parcel for grown ups
- cava and cake in the cafes
- gorgeous party hat making for kids
- alumni ‘star’ showcase
- live music by Cockpit Arts / NADFAS Award winner Alex Bishop

Holborn: 10-12 June
Cockpit Yard, Northington St, London, WC1N 2NP
Fri 10 June (6-9pm) and Sat 11 – Sun 12 June (11am – 6pm)

Deptford: 17-19 June
18-22 Creekside, London, SE8 3DZ
Fri 17 June (6-9pm) and Sat 18 – Sun 19 June (11am – 6pm)

Cockpit Arts
Cockpit Yard
Northington Street, London, WC1N 2NP

T 020 7419 1959
F 020 7916 2455
E info@cockpitarts.com 

W www.cockpitarts.com