Mission statement
The Yard is a collectively run organisation dedicated to the promotion of contemporary fine art within the Winchester district. It was set up in the winter of 2007 by a group of local artists assisted by Winchester City Council.
There is a general perception that it is difficult for less established artists and in particular contemporary fine art to obtain an audience in Winchester. The city has a vibrant art school from which over 100 fine art students graduate every year. However the ratio of this cohort who remain in Winchester after graduation to practise as fine artists, and add to the cultural currency of the city, is very disproportionate to those who migrate to cities such as London, Bristol, Brighton etc, where the opportunities for new artists are perceived to be greater. Our group believes that this perception is misguided. We believe that the competition in these cities is a great obstacle to fledgling art careers, and that Winchester, when seen as blank canvas, holds much greater potential for aspiring artists.
There is also a substantial body of artists resident within the Winchester district, eager to contribute to the culture of the city, for who finding affordable studio space and a creative environment suitable for their practice is a real problem.
The Yard's primary project for accomplishing its aims was the establishment of a group studio in the Wharf Hill area of Winchester in which early-to-mid-career artists could obtain affordable working space in which to develop their art practices. This studio provides space and amenities for up to 14 artists. Although the studio is finite in its ability to provide immediate support in terms of space, our organisation also seeks to support less established artists external to the Yard by securing opportunities within the city for them to exhibit. In so doing we hope to promote a culture within the city in which contemporary fine art can flourish.
Furthermore we view the studio in Wharf Hill as the first stage of an ongoing objective. We will seek to establish further studio developments in order to progress our aim of providing working space for Winchester artists. We propose the creation of a database of suitable studio spaces, be it in a disused garage or shed, with a corresponding list of prospective occupants. These interconnected projects will form the basis of a vibrant creative community, a platform for cultural exchange and a shared experience of creative investigation. This collective body will initiate an ideological conversation within the city in order to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of visual culture in the 21st century.
The Yard Artists, May 2008-
Aims and objectives
1. To provide an affordable studio environment to aspiring creative practitioners based in the Winchester district*, that would be unable to practise otherwise, and retain talent within the city, by providing an affordable shared workspace within which they can continue and develop their work. We feel it is important for artists to have the opportunity to work together, interact and share ideas.
* For the purposes of the Yard, the Winchester district encompasses Winchester city, its suburbs and its immediate surrounding villages. In order to be eligible to rent a space of the Yard, a candidate must be resident within this district or be able to demonstrate a strong and recent connection creatively to the Winchester district. Example - a recent graduate from one of the creative education institutions in the Winchester district, who may not be resident but has a strong desire to work creatively within and add to the city's creative community.
2. Promoting the studio artists' work through group exhibitions and other outlets and, where possible, giving emerging Winchester artists the opportunity to promote their work.
3. To engage an audience with new visual art and develop public appreciation with a programme of exhibitions of visual arts. Create a vibrant visual art culture. As individuals and as a group, we hope to promote understanding of the value of visual art practice within Winchester.
4. To develop present premises. We will be working with other artists and local agencies to secure more long-term accommodation for artists' groups in Winchester.