The Artz Centre delivered yet another “Artz First” this weekend, as the Artz Team and Centre supported an Art and Poetry exhibition event entitled Journeys.
The event showcased the visual artwork of several local people, including their paintings, sketches and fine art. Each of the artists’ pieces utilised the visual arts as a vehicle to explore both the physical and emotional concepts of “journeys”; particularly in relation to the difficult journeys faced by refugee communities, a theme which many of the artists exhibited at the event, had either personal, or shared family experiences, of.
The event saw over 200 people in attendance across the two viewing afternoons, and through the sales of the bespoke Journeys Exhibition poetry book, and many pieces from the exhibition itself, the event raised over £1000 for two charities; both of whom work internationally to provide support and guidance to disadvantaged individuals and families. On the success of the event, Lawrence Smye-Rumsby, chief curator and co-ordinator of the exhibition, commented: “The Journeys event took months to plan and shape, but through the exhibition of quality image and word, I feel the event really offered an international dimension to the sense of a ‘journey’ that we all have in common. The exhibition also provided quality art in the heart of Skelmersdale in a forward looking Art Centre, and our shared aim is to hopefully repeat this idea again in the future, with greater diversity and a wider range of individuals and groupings”.
The exhibition weekend also featured live music performed by Artz Student of the Year, Amelie Galbraith and local musician, James Jackson, who provided the perfect melodic backdrop to the event.
One artist from the event, said: “The exhibition provided me with a wonderful opportunity to create more art and meet other people with inspiring stories about their creative journeys . It united people from different cultures whilst remembering the work of two artists who had passed away; and encouraged people of all backgrounds to express themselves through art”.
Whilst one of the events poets, commented: “It was a real privilege to be given the opportunity to share my thoughts about Uganda and my work with refugees through my poetry. Thank you to everyone who attended. I loved being able to converse with so many different people from so many different walks of life, and I hope that the exhibition provided inspiration and encouragement to anyone beginning their own creative journey”.
The Artz Team were massively humbled to have played a part in providing the venue for this special community event, and extend a huge congratulations on the success of the Journeys Exhibition to Lawrence and all of the artists involved.
