A new lease of life will be brought to a Twickenham building when it is transformed into a temporary pop-up art gallery and workshop space as part of Richmond’s Open Studios Festival ARThouse.
The Council building, formally the Art Deco Lyric Palace Cinema, at 1-3 Richmond Road opposite York House in Twickenham, will come alive with colour and culture when the ARThouse Festival takes over next month. The pop-up shop has open its doors on 2 June until 10 July 2015. This temporary exhibition is in partnership with Arts Richmond, and has received funding from the Mayor of London’s High Streets Fund, and Awards for All.
The pop-up shop at the former Cinema will exhibit a small taster from each ARThouse artist Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4.30pm, during the weeks running up to and throughout the actual Open Studios Festival. Pop in and have a browse, pick up a festival brochure and plan to visit your favourites during the festival weekends themselves. The space will also host workshops and events for the local community - visit www.arthouseopenstudios.co.uk or find ARThouse on Facebook and Twitter for further information of the activities taking place and how to book.
This is the borough’s 20th ARThouse Festival (June 26-28 and July 3-5) which sees artists from across the borough open their homes and studios for visitors to buy artwork directly from local creative from the environment in which they are made! The festival features a wide range of artists, artist groups exhibiting a huge variety of artwork from printmaking to portraiture, wood sculpture, mosaics to nail art and bag making. Settings as diverse as boathouses, churches, gardens, and listed buildings will serve as a backdrop for one of the biggest cultural events of the year.
Richmond Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Cllr Meena Bond, said:
“ARThouse is a perfect chance for everyone to enjoy experiencing Richmond in the summer, exploring new neighbourhoods and creative communities. Art and culture is held close to the hearts of Richmond residents which is why this festival is always tremendously successful. Richmond’s council run Arts Service should feel proud that its festival is now in its second decade, flourishing and still going strong!”