Artists First

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About Us

Artists First is a group of 16 disabled visual artists with learning difficulties based in Bristol.
We have been working together since 1988; we are used to running our own studios and have organised, or have been part of many exhibitions, residencies and open studio events.

Artists First includes artists who met while attending Social Services' Day Centres and artists who have lived in long stay residential hospitals. We believe that as a group we can support each other and that we can do powerful work together, things that we could not do alone.

Since 2005 we have been working to re-establish ourselves in the Bristol North area where most of us live. We are working towards getting our own studio and gallery; as part of that journey we are making new work for exhibitions so people can see who we are and what we do. We also plan to work with disabled and non-disabled young people who attend local schools and with other disabled people in the area.

To watch a short film introducing Artists First, go to www.redweather.co.uk/artistsfirst

Exhibitions and News

New Studio Space In January 2010, Artists First moved into a new studio space in The Bristol Centre for Music and the Arts, Stanton Road (off Pen Park Road), Southmead, Bristol BS10 5SJ.

Flux Arts Festival, Somerset Saturday 24th April to Saturday 5th June.

Artists First will be exhibiting at The Brewhouse Gallery in Taunton alongside many other celebrated artists, including Jon Adams, Tony Heaton and James Lake. Flux Contemporary Arts and Disability Festival will include large scale sculpture, installations and paintings.

Recent Exhibitions

Boundless - Connecting Artists 4th to 28th November 2009
Grant Bradley Gallery, Bedminster Parade, Bristol, BS3 4AQ

Artists Brian Davis and Carol Chilcott meet Gareth Chilcott (probably no relation!) at The Grant Bradley Gallery.

After the success of Boundless at the Bankside Gallery, London in July 2008, a second Boundless exhibition was held in Bristol. Fourteen artists from Artists First exhibited 19 pieces of work alongside other UK artists. Boundless was opened by international rugby player Gareth Chilcott.
The exhibition was reviewed by Michael Prior in Bana's December 2009/January 2010 newsletter.

Artists First group show at Pallant House, Chichester.December 2009 - 4th January 2010.

Artists First's exhibition at the prestigious Pallant House Gallery, came down on Monday 4th January after a month long exhibition. We were all very pleased with the exhibition, which represented every artist and most of us managed to visit the exhibition before Christmas. We have had some great verbal feedback and we hope to feedback comments from visitors to Pallant House later, please watch this space.

Bringing People Together
An exhibition of Artists First's work,
supported by workshops at Lawrence Weston Community Farm. Sat 27th June until Thurs 16th July 2009

The exhibition was a great success, over 200 people visited. Artists First ran 5 workshops with local schoolchildren from Bluebell Valley Nursery, Kingsweston School and Henbury School. Artists First sold 15 of the 24 pieces of work in the exhibition.

It was great to have an exhibition that friends and family could visit. It was great to sell our work because it tells us how much people like our art. We learnt a lot from the children. They were very focused and helped us to think about being an artist.

This work was supported by Bristol City Council, Quartet's Grassroots Fund and Lawrence Weston Community Farm.

Who We Are and How to Contact Us

Artists

Steve Canby, Carol Chilcott, Joan Clews, Brenda Carr, Brenda Cook, Brian Davis, Tom Hodson, Kevin Hogan, Tina Kelly, Liz Lane, Jacky Long, Sarah McGreevy, Claude Rimmer, Nicholas Selway, Kathy Stewart and Peter Sutton.

Artists First Coordination

Andy Harris and Jane Sallis.

Artists First Trustees

Donna Baber, Michele Farmer,
Amanda Harman, Michael Prior,
Ann Pugh and Kathryn Thomas.

Contact Details

Artists First
13 Friendship Road
Bristol
BS4 2RW

Tel: 0117 9775077 or 07890 524226

Text: 07821165608

Email: artists-first@blueyonder.co.uk

Funding

Thanks to The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, The Coutts Foundation and Charitable Trust, The David Solomons Charitable Trust, The Foyle Foundation, Bristol City Council Single Project Fund and Grassroots funding via The Quartet Community Foundation for supporting the work of Artists First during 2009 and 2010.
Artists First is also supported by donations and the sale of work.

Artists First is pleased to be part of the Creative Learning Agency's network of artists.

All paintings © Artists First
Photographs courtesy of David Gilliland and Amanda Harman.
Website courtesy of Ben Spencer and Redweather Productions.

Artists First is a Registered Charity - Registration Number 1128115
Artists First is a Limited Company - Registration Number 6015649