ArtWorks x Wentworth Woodhouse Arts Programme

We are working with Wentworth Woodhouse to create an arts programme at the prestigious stately home in 2022. Through this call out, we are seeking three artists who will exhibit their artwork in the space for a period of around one month. 

The exhibitions at Wentworth Woodhouse are a new project through which we want to provide our artists with the experience of managing and curating exhibitions, doing all the ‘behind-the-scenes’ work, to further develop their professional skills. Our artists on the curation teams have selected the three exhibition themes of: “outside”, “change” and “interactive textures”. We are seeking applications of work that fit within those themes. Based on these applications, the ArtWorks curation team will select the artists who they want to work with. The ArtWorks curation team will produce digital marketing material and design the exhibitions collaboratively with the selected artists. 

The exhibitions will take place in the Pillared Hall at Wentworth Woodhouse on the dates outlined in the timetable below. Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed stately home first built in 1735, although it has been greatly developed and changed since then. It attracts visitors through its rich history, 87 acres of beautiful gardens, including a deer park and lakes, and the longest façade of any country house in England. The visitors to Wentworth Woodhouse average at about 40,000 per year, and the Pillared Hall is in a great central position which is passed by all visitors to the house, its gardens and the cafe, and it is wheelchair accessible. This makes the space a fantastic opportunity for artists to promote their work. 

​

Outside

The first curation team is seeking work that fits the general theme of Outside. This can be taken literally, or it can be abstracted. The team was inspired by the vast array of gardens and outside space which can be found at Wentworth Woodhouse. This could be the starting point for artists making applications for this theme. Alternatively, artists are invited to go as abstract and ‘outside’ the box as they wish. 

Change

The curation team working with the theme of Change has derived this subject from research into the history of Wentworth Woodhouse. They found themselves primarily discussing how the grounds and how its uses have continued to change over the years- from being a family residence, to a teacher training college, a base of coal mining operations, headquarters of the Intelligence Corps in WWII, a part of Sheffield City Polytechnic etc.. The team realised that having to continually adapt to change is a principle that is easy to identify with, as a common experience we could all relate to. 

For applications related to the theme of Change, artists are invited to respond to the following thoughts:

We all become different people through our lives as our circumstances change, and we all must adapt to things out of our control. 

How do we feel about that? How do we rationalize it? How does it affect us? 

This theme could resonate particularly effectively in light of the universal shifts we have all experienced in the past two years. This is an integral part of the spirit of Wentworth Woodhouse, as well as a common emotional experience. 

Interactive Textures

The final theme is based on transforming the Pillared Hall into an interactive space by using materials that trigger sensory stimulation. Contrary to the ‘no-touch’ rule in most exhibition spaces, this team is interested in allowing the public to explore artwork through the sense of touch. This theme is inspired by the sensory stimulation techniques used in activities which support the development of disabled individuals and people with neurocognitive disorders. According to the sensory stimulation theory, stimulation of the senses is crucial for the effectiveness of learning. 

This team is also particularly interested in artists creating an effective juxtaposition between their artwork and the traditional space in which it will be exhibited.

Eligibility

This call out is open to all artists based in the Yorkshire area who are over 18 years of age. Artists can be at any stage in their career and can apply as individuals, collaborations or groups. 

The selected artists must be able to facilitate their own travel and transport of artwork to Wentworth Woodhouse in time for installation of the exhibitions. 

The artwork which will be displayed can be new work, made specifically for this project, or it can be older artwork which will be newly contextualised inside the Pillared Hall. As Wentworth Woodhouse is a listed building, all artwork must be appropriate for superficial install, without making any long term changes to the building. 

All 3-dimensional work must stand up safely on its own, without the need for drilling into the ground. 

All 2-dimensional work will be displayed using means such as the metal frames shown in the photograph above, without drilling into the walls. 

Appropriate space will be left around the artwork, ensuring safe access for the public inside the building. 

We are open to imaginative ideas for new ways of displaying artwork and creating captivating experiences for our audiences without compromising the safety of the public and of the building. 

Artists are welcome to make an application for each theme of the call out, but we will select different artists for each of the exhibitions. 

​