A partnership that was meant to be – Chichester Community Development Trust (CCDT) is working with Outside In to create the living exhibition that will form an integral part of the Graylingwell Chapel interior, and you could be a part of it. The exhibition will both reflect the pioneering work that was carried out at Graylingwell Hospital throughout the past century and present the relevance of that work relating to today’s mental health challenges. Those creating the exhibition will be a team selected from Outside In artists and local community members keen to develop such a project. All those interested are invited to attend an Open Day from 11-3pm on Monday 28th October, at Roussillon Park’s Community Hall to find out more. Additional information and the application form can be found here.
Founded in 2006, Outside In is an established national charity that aims to provide a platform for artists who face significant barriers to the art world due to health, disability, social circumstance or isolation. Critically, the understanding and empathy created by having individuals that have lived experiences of mental health challenges on the research and curation team, will ensure the chapel’s exhibition is created with compassion and true understanding. This combined with local residents’ presence will ensure the longevity of the exhibition with the chance to not only create the exhibition but continue its evolution after the opening of the new Graylingwell Chapel development. In partnership with CCDT, Outside In is developing and delivering two consecutive courses: Exploring Collections and Curating Exhibitons. The courses will guide participants through first exploring the collection that is available to them, and then curating it, comprising of 14 workshops from January to July 2020. The courses are part of Step Up, Outside In’s training and professional development programme.
The work that will be carried out on the exploring, and then curating exhibitions workshops will culminate initially in a reduced version of the display that will be featured in the Novium Museum from July to December 2020. This will then be moved and expanded to form the complete exhibition to be featured in Graylingwell Chapel on its opening. This will be a key part in the development of the chapel that has secured almost £2 million funding to conserve and nurture the heritage within the chapel and surrounding area, and create a community building that will enable all in the region to enjoy and explore that rich heritage.
The courses will give up to seven participants the opportunity to explore and discover objects and art works related to Graylingwell whilst gaining new skills in research, interpretation and curation. Participants will be encouraged to produce their own creative response to their research findings. At the end of the Exploring Collections course, there will be the opportunity to participate in Curating Exhibitions, a new Step Up course focusing on what goes into organising an exhibition. This course will cover the practical and conceptual sides of designing an exhibition.
Those interested in finding out more about the project, Outside In and the work that they are involved in, or who would like some support in completing the application would be very welcome to visit the Open Day at the Community Hall. There will be tea and coffee provided, and people are welcome to visit on a drop in basis, without the need to make an appointment. More information and the application form can be found here.
