BAR 30th Birthday Exhibition
Press Release
25 July 2014
BAR 30th Birthday Exhibition
Members Exhibition 2014
9th August – 30th August
Preview Party: Saturday 9th August 6pm-10pm
Free Entry
BAR Gallery / 4-5 Queens Parade, Walm Lane, NW2 5HT
www.brentartistsresource.org.
‘Brent Artists Resource: Supporting artists since 1984’
Brent Artists Resource (BAR) is celebrating its 30th year! As part of the celebrations it will be hosting a special Members Exhibition showcasing the extraordinary talent and breadth of work created by its Members, most of which are local to Brent.
BAR has been supporting local artists, delivering high quality arts and working with the community throughout Brent since 1984. It occupied the popular gallery in the old Willesden Library site for over 12 years and was nominated one of the top community galleries in London by the BBC in 2011.
“This show is a fantastic opportunity to not only celebrate BAR’s 30 year commitment to delivering arts in Brent but to highlight the exceptional creative talent the borough has to offer.”
Laurie Cesek (Exhibition Curator)
It has had hundreds of members throughout it’s 30 years and has been a supportive body in which artists have been able to connect with other artists, engage with projects in the community, develop their practice and in many cases go on to achieve artistic success.
The BAR Gallery is now housed temporarily as part of the Meanwhile Space initiative on Queens Parade, Willesden. The galley vacated the old library space in April last year to make way for the re-development of the site. The Gallery was able to move into the local Community Creative Hub at Electric House and then into the current temporary space. Brent Council has been exceptional in its longstanding support and commitment to BAR from the 12 years at the old Willesden Library to its more recent project BAR Lab.*
BAR has delivered hundreds of projects and events throughout Brent, being actively involved with the community, schools, other arts organisations and local projects including Queens Park Open Gardens and Studios, Queens Parade, Queens Park Day, Black History Month, Brent Museum, Brent Interfaith Week, Harlesden gallery and Stables in Exile. BAR was awarded Heritage Lottery Funding for the project Testimoniesand more recently received Community First Funding for it’s community portrait project We Are Willesden.**
BAR has had a vast array of volunteers and interns over the years providing community engagement, pathways to employment and opportunities for the public to be involved in creative activities and projects.
This exhibition is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate BAR’s extraordinary 30 year history of delivering arts in Brent. Looking forward, the future is uncertain but we hope BAR will continue growing and providing a valuable creative space in the community.
-Ends-
Notes to Editors
*The Library Lab Scheme, the brainchild of Architecture 00 was piloted at the old Willesden Library Centre and provided the blue print for the current BAR Lab offering workshops and lectures and a pop up co-working space aimed at accelerating local entrepreneurship in the Brent Community
**We Are Willesden builds on the 30 years of artistic and cultural activities of BAR. BAR has been awarded funding from the Community First Fund to carry out a photographic portrait project based in Willesden. It will be an opportunity for 4 photographers to deliver a body of work that will consist of 4 residencies that will be aimed at attracting a diverse audience. This could include local shopkeepers, young people, older people - in fact anyone who lives, works or plays in Willesden! The project engages local communities through a series of photographic portraits and audio recordings.
Exhibition Curator
Laurie Cesek is BAR’s Deputy Chief Executive. Previously she has worked as Curator of Arts and Culture for Newham NDP and in Contemporary Exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She obtained her MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths University. Laurie specialises in Arts Programming, Events/Projects and Operations Management.
Chief Executive
Pete Webster has been a director of BAR since 2006 before becoming Chief Executive in 2014. He is a professional photographer with a background in project management and regeneration schemes.
BAR Board Directors
John Blandy (Chair) is a landscape painter trained at the Royal College of Art represented by Francis Kyle Gallery (1983-95) and Cassian de Vere de Cole (2001-3). One of the founding members of Brent Artist Register, and present chair of Brent Artists Resource
Sally Buchanan is a multimedia artist, her recent work reflects and records pathway traces on an intuitive journey in response to unconsciously perceived energy sources.
Clare Gordon is an artist and a designer working on buildings. Her work ranges from the external refurbishment of several housing estates for Brent Housing Partnership to highly detailed interior decoration in residential and commercial properties. She is also an educator and founded the Hampstead School of Art, where she taught for ten years.
Charles Foster Hall (Treasurer) Studied microbiology and molecular genetics at University of Bristol after which hung up lab coat and went to paint in France. In 1997 moved from Paris to New York where I painted murals, ceiling paintings and worked for New York artist Jeff Koons. Returned to London in 2005 to paint, and travel when the opportunity arises.
Deryck Sealy is Co-Founder and Director of London Business Partnership Ltd a social enterprise, launched in 2012, focused on supporting businesses through funded European Projects. Formerly a business adviser for 3 years at Brent Business Venture and Keeping IT Simple Training working with the Prince's Trust. Prior to this he had a 20 year career in Banking, dealing primarily with small businesses. His last role was as a Commercial Relationship Manager for 3 years.
Michael Speechley is a visual artists working with still and moving images, sculpture and sound.
Gabriel Parfitt is a freelance Exhibitions Manager and Curator, as well as being Director of the Harlesden Gallery and Brent Artist Resource (BAR). He is also the Exhibitions Manager and lead Curator for the Free Painters and Sculptors Group. Gabriel specialises in arts development and project/event management and has an established portfolio of artist and gallery links throughout London and internationally.
Visitor Information
Opening Times: Tuesday – Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 2pm-6pm
Free Entry
BAR Gallery, 4-5 Queens Parade, Walm Lane, NW2 5HT
Nearest Underground Station: Willesden Green
brentartistsresource.org.uk
Press Information
For further information please contact
Laurie Cesek, Deputy Chief Executive
Email info@brentartistsresource.org.
25 July 2014
BAR 30th Birthday Exhibition
Members Exhibition 2014
9th August – 30th August
Preview Party: Saturday 9th August 6pm-10pm
Free Entry
BAR Gallery / 4-5 Queens Parade, Walm Lane, NW2 5HT
www.brentartistsresource.org.
‘Brent Artists Resource: Supporting artists since 1984’
Brent Artists Resource (BAR) is celebrating its 30th year! As part of the celebrations it will be hosting a special Members Exhibition showcasing the extraordinary talent and breadth of work created by its Members, most of which are local to Brent.
BAR has been supporting local artists, delivering high quality arts and working with the community throughout Brent since 1984. It occupied the popular gallery in the old Willesden Library site for over 12 years and was nominated one of the top community galleries in London by the BBC in 2011.
“This show is a fantastic opportunity to not only celebrate BAR’s 30 year commitment to delivering arts in Brent but to highlight the exceptional creative talent the borough has to offer.”
Laurie Cesek (Exhibition Curator)
It has had hundreds of members throughout it’s 30 years and has been a supportive body in which artists have been able to connect with other artists, engage with projects in the community, develop their practice and in many cases go on to achieve artistic success.
The BAR Gallery is now housed temporarily as part of the Meanwhile Space initiative on Queens Parade, Willesden. The galley vacated the old library space in April last year to make way for the re-development of the site. The Gallery was able to move into the local Community Creative Hub at Electric House and then into the current temporary space. Brent Council has been exceptional in its longstanding support and commitment to BAR from the 12 years at the old Willesden Library to its more recent project BAR Lab.*
BAR has delivered hundreds of projects and events throughout Brent, being actively involved with the community, schools, other arts organisations and local projects including Queens Park Open Gardens and Studios, Queens Parade, Queens Park Day, Black History Month, Brent Museum, Brent Interfaith Week, Harlesden gallery and Stables in Exile. BAR was awarded Heritage Lottery Funding for the project Testimoniesand more recently received Community First Funding for it’s community portrait project We Are Willesden.**
BAR has had a vast array of volunteers and interns over the years providing community engagement, pathways to employment and opportunities for the public to be involved in creative activities and projects.
This exhibition is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate BAR’s extraordinary 30 year history of delivering arts in Brent. Looking forward, the future is uncertain but we hope BAR will continue growing and providing a valuable creative space in the community.
-Ends-
Notes to Editors
*The Library Lab Scheme, the brainchild of Architecture 00 was piloted at the old Willesden Library Centre and provided the blue print for the current BAR Lab offering workshops and lectures and a pop up co-working space aimed at accelerating local entrepreneurship in the Brent Community
**We Are Willesden builds on the 30 years of artistic and cultural activities of BAR. BAR has been awarded funding from the Community First Fund to carry out a photographic portrait project based in Willesden. It will be an opportunity for 4 photographers to deliver a body of work that will consist of 4 residencies that will be aimed at attracting a diverse audience. This could include local shopkeepers, young people, older people - in fact anyone who lives, works or plays in Willesden! The project engages local communities through a series of photographic portraits and audio recordings.
Exhibition Curator
Laurie Cesek is BAR’s Deputy Chief Executive. Previously she has worked as Curator of Arts and Culture for Newham NDP and in Contemporary Exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She obtained her MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths University. Laurie specialises in Arts Programming, Events/Projects and Operations Management.
Chief Executive
Pete Webster has been a director of BAR since 2006 before becoming Chief Executive in 2014. He is a professional photographer with a background in project management and regeneration schemes.
BAR Board Directors
John Blandy (Chair) is a landscape painter trained at the Royal College of Art represented by Francis Kyle Gallery (1983-95) and Cassian de Vere de Cole (2001-3). One of the founding members of Brent Artist Register, and present chair of Brent Artists Resource
Sally Buchanan is a multimedia artist, her recent work reflects and records pathway traces on an intuitive journey in response to unconsciously perceived energy sources.
Clare Gordon is an artist and a designer working on buildings. Her work ranges from the external refurbishment of several housing estates for Brent Housing Partnership to highly detailed interior decoration in residential and commercial properties. She is also an educator and founded the Hampstead School of Art, where she taught for ten years.
Charles Foster Hall (Treasurer) Studied microbiology and molecular genetics at University of Bristol after which hung up lab coat and went to paint in France. In 1997 moved from Paris to New York where I painted murals, ceiling paintings and worked for New York artist Jeff Koons. Returned to London in 2005 to paint, and travel when the opportunity arises.
Deryck Sealy is Co-Founder and Director of London Business Partnership Ltd a social enterprise, launched in 2012, focused on supporting businesses through funded European Projects. Formerly a business adviser for 3 years at Brent Business Venture and Keeping IT Simple Training working with the Prince's Trust. Prior to this he had a 20 year career in Banking, dealing primarily with small businesses. His last role was as a Commercial Relationship Manager for 3 years.
Michael Speechley is a visual artists working with still and moving images, sculpture and sound.
Gabriel Parfitt is a freelance Exhibitions Manager and Curator, as well as being Director of the Harlesden Gallery and Brent Artist Resource (BAR). He is also the Exhibitions Manager and lead Curator for the Free Painters and Sculptors Group. Gabriel specialises in arts development and project/event management and has an established portfolio of artist and gallery links throughout London and internationally.
Visitor Information
Opening Times: Tuesday – Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 2pm-6pm
Free Entry
BAR Gallery, 4-5 Queens Parade, Walm Lane, NW2 5HT
Nearest Underground Station: Willesden Green
brentartistsresource.org.uk
Press Information
For further information please contact
Laurie Cesek, Deputy Chief Executive
Email info@brentartistsresource.org.
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