Island Projects is working in partnership with Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust and the Promenade Festival 2016 to create a platform for contemporary art on the Isle of Sheppey. The mobile art space ‘Room’ has been installed behind the Sheerness Dockyard Church, and will be host to a range of artists’ project in the coming year. ‘Open Aviary’ is the first of such exhibitions, split over two venues (Rose Cottage & Room) and will bring together a selection of high quality artworks which respond to the theme of Flight.
This year’s Summer Arts Festival called ‘Sheppey Promenade’ celebrates the Island’s strong connection to the idea of flight both aviation and avian flight. The Isle of Sheppey is home to two bird sanctuaries; Shellness and Elmley. The river Swale provides habitat for many hundreds of species of rare and migrating birds. From Nature to Human innovation; the Isle Sheppey played a crucial role in aviation history, being home to the airfield for many early flights in the UK.
With these two strands in mind, Island Projects is interested in works which embody diverse ideas of flight, both historic and contemporary, mechanical or organic, metaphorical or real. It could be art which talks about imaginary flights, winged beasts, looking towards the sky, being on top of the clouds. We are looking for art which provokes discussion, is visually spectacular and/or site specific.
The exhibition will be selected by Laurie Harpum, Nicole Mollett and Allison Young.
Important Dates
Email Submission Deadline Midnight June 12th
Selection Notification by 20th June
Artwork Delivery Dates (Rose Cottage) Friday 1st or Saturday 2nd July
DOWNLOAD THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES HERE:
Open Aviary 2016 -Island Projects