what’s on guide Autumn 2016 - Spring 2017
D ev el opm e n t s at WMA What a thrilling year so far! We have had some exciting successes with external funding which we are delighted to share. In addition to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s generous grant of £76,800 to create a Costume Trail across Worthing, we have been supported by the South East Museum’s Museum Development Fund to not only purchase six new state-of-the-art showcases for £27,400, which we would otherwise have been unable to afford, but they have also kindly funded the development of our Forward Plan. These new cases will eventually replace our tired, well-used cases. The new environmentally controlled cases will not only look beautiful but will give greater care to the artefacts displayed within. The Forward Plan is an exciting and much-needed piece of work, which not only outlines a 5-year plan for the museum, but also streamlines and focuses our plans for fundraising over the coming years. Through consultation with visitors, we have honed a vision for the museum that we know will encourage greater visitor numbers, provide opportunities for longer visits and enable us to programme even more exciting exhibitions. We are awaiting the outcome of a number of fundraising bids which we will share should we be lucky enough to secure the funding. However, in the meantime, please keep visiting and keep sending us your thoughts, ideas and comments.
STA Y IN TOU C H museum@adur-worthing.gov.uk 01903 221448 Worthing Museum & Art Gallery Chapel Road, Worthing West Sussex, BN11 1HP Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Worthing Museum & Art Gallery @WorthingMuseum worthingmuseum WorthingMuseum worthingmuseum.co.uk
WEL C OME Welcome to our new season and a new look for Worthing Museum and Art Gallery (WMA). With this new look brochure we are taking the opportunity to confirm our importance as the museum and art gallery at the heart of Worthing cultural life. Keeping true to our vision; to inspire, support, entertain and engage audiences we have curated a collection of work that is truly inspirational and through the power of great art we are able to bring you a programme that is full of challenges, exploration and passion. Our diverse collections will take you on a journey through the history of Worthing and Sussex, taking in the wonders of archaeology, art, design, fashion and local history, all under one roof. Highlights within the main gallery this year include Our Nature: Poetic to Grotesque Exhibition, an exploration of the constant struggle between good and evil ever present in both human nature and the natural world. Also this year the WMA Open returns offering a unique and thrilling opportunity to all regional artists both professional and aspiring to submit their work for exhibition. A truly thrilling addition to our programme this year and one I am really excited about will be the costume trail. A changing series of displays using WMA’s costume collection will be displayed in showcases hosted by local businesses across Worthing. This completely unique project will bring the stunning costume collection to life. This is the first time the costume collection will be displayed throughout the town, providing opportunities to engage with the collections outside of the museum. With so much on offer, we look forward to welcoming you to WMA and hope you can come on this journey of discovery with us, be it for an exhibition, workshop or just a pop in visit, we can’t wait to see you!
Ger ry
Gerry Connolly, Senior Curator
P er m a n e n t C o l l e c t i o ns WMA holds one of the most significant costume collections in the UK, as well as notable collections in fine and decorative arts, social history, toys, dolls and archeology. There are around 30,000 pieces in the costume collection alone, Princess Amelia’s slippers and Queen Victoria’s underwear being just two examples.
WMA hold over a thousand dolls, and an ever growing toy collection. Some of the dolls are very unusual, like the Westwood ‘fertility doll’. We also have fine examples by many of the major makers from Jumeau to Meech and Bru to Pierotti. We have bears of every shape and size, games and puzzles dating back to the nineteenth century, and an enthralling collection of children’s books. The Colin Mears Bequest of children’s books and associated material has helped to make this collection one of the best in the country.
Worthing was not only where Oscar Wilde wrote ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, it was also the site of major riots in the 1880s, a centre for smuggling in the 18th and early 19th centuries and has the only pier in the country to have been ‘blown down, burnt down and blown up’. In spite of this, the pier is still standing! Our enormous collections of local material including photographs, ephemera and three-dimensional objects offer key insights into local social history.
Did you know
You can see selected items all year round within our permanent displays situated on the ground floor. Due to the shear volume of our collections not all of these items will be on display at any one time, if you would like to see something in particular when you visit please contact us in advance. If the object is not on display we will do our best to make it available for you to view.
COSTUME TRAIL This September WMA are proud to launch the Costume Trail; a changing series of displays using WMA’s costume collection will be hosted in showcases presented and located at local businesses across Worthing. The trail of costumes will show how fashion can chart the history of Worthing, creating a visual reminder of the people who lived during various periods. We will exhibit our unique costume collection from 1740 to the present day, including our earliest item, a 1612 black-work jacket.
TRAIL
AUTUMN 2016 SUMMER 2018
Get Involved
Throughout the project, WMA and Creative Waves will be working with local groups of children and will host a number of workshops directly linked with the Costume Trail. For more information about volunteering opportunities and updates on the workshops, simply visit our website: www.worthingmuseum.co.uk
Workshops and Talks
Saturday 19th November | 10.30am to 12pm | £7.50 Costume Curator Gerry Connolly will tell the story of the changing shapes of fashion from the mid 1700s through to the beginning of the 20th century. Using the museum’s extensive costume collection the talk will illustrate the changes from 18th century court dress through the soft flowing princess line gowns of the Regency period to the corseted crinolines and bustle dresses of the Victorians.
Follow the Trail
Follow the Costume Trail using one of our trusty trail maps available for collection from the museum welcome desk. For your chance to win four cinema tickets to the Connaught Cinema just visit each of the sites and correctly answer the questions featured in the trail map. Once completed, simply hand in your trail at the Connaught Cinema box office for your chance to win! Good luck! For more information please visit: www.wmacostumetrail.com Share your pictures using: #WMAcostume @worthingmuseum *Terms and Conditions apply and exclusions apply to all live screen arts, opening weeks and one off events. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Our Nature: Poetic to Grotesque Saturday 3rd September to Saturday 5th November 2016
Our Nature: Poetic to Grotesque is a deliberately ambiguous title. It is an exploration of the constant struggle between good and evil ever present in both human nature and the natural world. The realisation that our nature is as brutal as it is beautiful. Ultimately, we tread a fine line between light and dark, and beauty exists on both sides. This work is the outcome of a collaboration between Debbi Mason and David Freud, who have recently been inspired through their work as Artist in Residence at Worthing Museum, and textile artist and technical coordinator Sophie Jelinek, who works with the London College of Fashion. You will find a mixture of textile art, painting and sculpture in this thought-provoking exhibition.
M ain G alle r y
M a in G a l le r y
Open 16 Saturday 26th November 2016 to Saturday 25th March 2017 The WMA Open returns for another year, offering a unique and thrilling opportunity to all regional artists both professional and aspiring to submit their work for exhibition. Artists of all ages and experience are welcome to submit their artwork together with their completed entry form. Now available to download on-line or to pick up from the Museum front desk. The exhibition is carefully chosen by judges from all entries submitted by artists living or working in Sussex. This year the judges include an international artist, an art tutor and lecturer from Northbrook College and a local councillor. The criteria for the selection process is to reflect a fair and representative mixture on the basis of quality and variety. This is a tough challenge, even for the most decisive of judges! Open 16 has no specific themes so the subject matter is open to artistic interpretation. Entries will be exhibited in the Main Gallery from 26th November to 25th March 2017.
Dates to remember for Open16 Friday 28th October Deadline for submission of entry forms and fees. Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th November All art delivered to the Norwood Gallery at Worthing Museum and Art Gallery for submission. Thursday 10th November Selection day, three external judges will choose the art work that will go on display. Wednesday 16th November Results of selection can be obtained by visiting www.worthingmuseum.co.uk Friday 25th November Launch event 6.30pm to 8pm (Private event)
NORWOOD GALLER Y
Freud, Friends and Family
Saturday 6th August to April 2017 The Norwood gallery is an intimate setting for a diverse exhibition of art works produced by the friends and family of Freud and Mason including children’s drawings, sculpture, prints, painting and photography. This is a rare opportunity to see this range of work which includes an etching of the art critic Martin Gayford by Lucian Freud, which was the subject of the literary artbook Man with a Blue Scarf.
NORWOOD GALLER Y LANDING
New Amusements
Saturday 24th September to July 2017 Nadia and Nessy, founders of Creative Waves, are working with Alan Martin on New Amusements funded by Arts Council England. As well as an exhibition on Worthing Pier, featuring Tank Girl, Alan has curated pieces from his collection of comic ephemera for an exclusive display cabinet in Worthing Museum until July 2017. “The lucky people will be able to see a very rare original copy of Atom Tan #1, printed on the Worthing Art college’s photocopier thirty years ago, featuring the first published work of Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett, and the very first appearance of the comic and movie icon Tank Girl.” - Alan Martin
STUDIO GALLER Y
Charles Walker Hazzard: Transitions Saturday 20th August to Saturday 17th September
Charles Walker Hazzard exhibited his striking life-size sculptures previously at Worthing Museum in the 2013 exhibition, Received Offspring. His figurative sculpture is becoming recognisably familiar in a variety of public spaces in Worthing and will, in future, be the subject of a sculpture trail. This Transitions exhibition in the Studio Gallery describes the journey from Received Offspring which explores the subject of procreation, pregnancy, childbirth and offspring to pieces such as Crawling Man through to the new work featuring George Brunt, a Special Olympian with Down’s Syndrome.
STUDIO GALLER Y Playland
Saturday 17th December 2016 to Saturday 22nd April 2017 Playland is a collaboration between international film maker Jivko Darakchiev, Worthing painter and poet Gary Goodman and customers from Coastal Enterprises. The exhibition examines how the coast and its communities have changed over time. Items from the Museum and Art Gallery’s collections, local camera clubs and historical societies will help to tell the town’s many stories.
Worthing Sculpture Trail Summer 2017
The launch exhibition of the first sculpture installation for Worthing’s new trail will take place during Summer of 2017. While the trail will be permanent, the sculptures selected will be long-term temporary pieces, with a view to changing every eighteen to twenty-four months. Sculptures selected for the trail may be of local, regional or international significance, but the focus will be on quality, and the subject matter will be thought provoking. We are proud to confirm that the first trail will be by Charles Walker Hazzard of life size figurative work featuring George Brunt, a UK Special Olympian.
HIRE A SPA C E Worthing Museum & Art Gallery is the perfect setting to entertain your clients in the heart of the town. The spacious galleries of Worthing Museum are particularly suitable for informal events, such as drinks and networking receptions with a capacity for up to 400 people. Its collections and exhibits provide a unique backdrop providing guests with something to chat about. Contact the Museum to discuss your event requirements in more detail by emailing: james.sainsbury@adur-worthing.gov.uk The education room situated within WMA is now available for hire, so whether you are looking to bring a larger group for a workshop or simply looking for a quiet space within a unique and inspiring location to meet with your team, this room offers a unique opportunity to do this. In the heart of the town and with parking and rail links nearby a large, bright room, with high ceilings and filled with natural light. Available weekdays, weekends and evenings. Complete with projector, screen, induction loop and Wi-Fi. EDUCATION ROOM - 9.4m x 6.4m (60.16m2) Room layout Maximum occupancy Theatre style 66 Boardroom 30 Cabaret 40 Horseshoe 36
AR C HAELOG Y & GEOLOG Y For more than a century, local archaeologists have been collecting information about the development of Sussex since the Old Stone Age over 100,000 years age. Thanks to their work, we have amazing collections of material, from the oldest flint mines in the country (New Stone Age), beautiful Bronze Age hoards, elegant Roman pottery and household items, exquisite Saxon jewellery and much, much more. Items within the permanent collections are frequently changing so be sure to keep an eye out for updates within the collection. This season we have a wonderful selection of talks for covering a range of historical and archaeological areas of interest.
Upcoming events John Pull & the Earliest Industry in Britain Saturday 1st October 10:30 - 12:30 | ÂŁ7.50
Join us at Worthing Museum for a special talk on Worthing’s local archaeological hero, Mr John Pull. For nearly 40 years, Mr Pull excavated local sites of international importance, being the first to fully uncover one of the hundreds of Neolithic flint mines around Worthing. Learn about his excavations at Blackpatch, Church Hill and Cissbury Ring, whilst having the rare opportunity to handle the 6000 year old flint tools, antlers and carvings from the subterranean world he uncovered! Refreshments included.
AR C HAELOG Y & GEOLOG Y Bronze Age Worthing – Barrows, Beakers & Hoards Saturday 22nd October 10:30 - 12:30 | £7.50
The Worthing area was a special place during the Bronze Age (2200-800bc) Even today there remain dozens of archaeological features from this period on the Downs, and countless finds on the Coastal Plain. Unique jewellery such as the “Sussex Loops” were created, alongside great changes in society, including the development of farming and the beginnings of tribal warfare. Come along to our talk on Bronze Age Worthing, with a very special opportunity to handle two rare hoards from Cissbury and Ferring. Refreshments included.
Norman Sussex – Conquest, Castles & Town Saturday 3rd December 10:30 - 12:30 | £7.50
We all know that William the Conqueror beat King Harold at Hastings – but what happened in Sussex in the aftermath of this momentous battle? Join us for an in-depth look at the huge changes wrought upon the county by the incoming Normans, the construction of castles, the growth of towns and the beginnings of modern England. Artefacts from Arundel and Bramber castles will be available for handling after the talk and refreshments are included.
A Photographic History of Worthing
Saturday 10th December 10:30 - 12:30 | £7.50 Come along to a special visual talk on the photographic history of Worthing and the local area. A large range of photographs from the 19th century through to the 1960s will be displayed on the big screen, including the 1911 Coronation celebrations of King George V to the wartime beach defences at Goring. Worthing Museum’s large archive of photographs will also be available to handle after the talk. Refreshments included.
AR C HAELOG Y & GEOLOG Y Saxon Sussex Weekend: Highdown to Hastings
Friday 7th & Saturday 8th October 2016 Join us at WMA for two days of events to recognise the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings - in partnership with the Gethisthas Englicas, Weorod and The South Downs Society, all events throughout the weekend are free to attend and offer a fascinating insight into the life and times of Saxon Sussex.
Saxon Church Walks
Friday 7th October, 9.30am / Sompting Church Led by local historian Peter Harris, take this rare opportunity to visit and be guided round three local Saxon churches situated around the Worthing area. This walk includes walks around the Saxon churches of Sompting, Botolophs and Coombes.
Saxon Day
Saturday 8th October, 10am Worthing Museum & Art Gallery Join us at Worthing Museum for four free talks on Saxon England and demonstrations of early Saxon life by the Weorod historical group. There will be an opportunity to handle Saxon artefacts on the day. In partnership with
Gesithas Engliscan, Weorod and The South Downs Society
Secrets of the High Woods Project
Tuesday 4th to Wednesday 26th October Beneath the wooded countryside of West Sussex and Hampshire lies a forgotten landscape, littered with traces of past communities who lived and worked in the South Downs. For the past three years, the Secrets of The High Woods project has been uncovering their stories using cutting edge LiDAR technology and an army of volunteer archaeologists, digging through archives and interviewing the people who live in the South Downs National Park today. This October we’re sharing the story of these people through an interactive exhibition and activity day. Discover people who, like us, lived and worked in and around the South Downs. View this landscape with new eyes. Sometimes a bump on the ground is just a bump, but sometimes it can tell a story…
Activity day
Saturday 15th October, 10.30am – 3.30pm As part of this project, we will be holding a children’s activity day. Suitable for ages 5-14, the drop in event will be free to attend but children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. The Secrets of the High Woods project is led by the South Downs National Park Authority, in partnership with Chichester District Council and supported by West Sussex and Hampshire County Councils and made possible thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
ADULT WOR K SHOPS
f a m i ly WOR KSHOPS
Representation of Printmaking Techniques
october half term WORKSHOPS
Sat 5 Nov, 10.30am-12pm | £7.50 Curator Emma Walder will select favourites from the Fine Art collection of prints and discuss the works looking at the printmaking techniques used. There will be a chance to look closely at some of the prints rarely seen in Worthing Museum’s Fine Art collection
Print Making Workshop
Sat 12 Nov, 10:30am-12.30pm £10 Lino printing for beginners. Come and explore a new way to create art inspired by lino prints from the museum collection. All materials provided.
Dress History Talk
Sat 19 Nov, 10:30am-12pm £7.50 Costume Curator Gerry Connolly will tell the story of the changing shapes of fashion from the mid 1700s through to the beginning of the 20th century. Using the museum extensive costume collection to illustrate the changes from 18th century court dress through the soft flowing princess line gowns of the regency period, to the corseted crinolines and bustle dresses of the Victorians.
Spooky Paper Mache Masks!
Tue 25 Oct, 10:30am-12pm | 5-11 years | £5 Scary Halloween mask making.
All things Gothic
Wed 26 Oct, 10:30am-12pm | 7-14 years | £5 Come celebrate all things gothic and make some spooky accessories.
Worthing Museum Eco Tapestry
Thu 27 Oct, 10:30am-3pm 7 years + | £2.50 | drop-in Come and ‘make’ history! Learn new techniques with recycled plastic to tell our local history.
Things that go Bump
Thu 27 Oct, 6pm-9pm 5-9 years | £10 Put on your scariest costume and come and experience the ghoulish goings on after dark at Halloween in the Museum. Supper included.
Family art Friday: Creepy Crafts
Fri 28 Oct, 10:30-3pm | All Ages £2.50 | Drop-In Come and make your own creepy crafts.
FESTIVE HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS DECKING THE HALLS
Wed 21 Dec, 10.30am-12noon | 7-14 years | £5 Be inspired by Victorian Christmas decorations in the Museum Collection and make your own.
f amil y WOR KSHOPS CHRISTMAS CARDS
SPRING HOLIDAY BONNETS
FEBRUARY HALF TERM WORKSHOPS
PRESS PRINT BUNTING
Thu 22 Dec, 10:30am-12noon | 5-11 years | £5 Look at our Museum Collection of Christmas and Seasonal Greetings Cards and make your own for your friends and family.
PUPPETS
Tue 21 Feb, 10:30-12noon | 4-9 years | £5 Look at puppets from our Museum Collection and create your own – try out your puppet in our table theatre.
TEDDY BEARS
Wed 22 Feb, 10:30-12noon | under 5’s | £5 Bring your Teddy Bear and see some very old Teddy Bears from our collection and make some bear based crafts and listen to a story.
FOSSILS
Thu 23 Feb, 10:30-12noon | 5-11 years | £5 Look at our amazing Fossil collection. Find out how fossils are formed and create a fossil cast from plaster to take home!
FAMILY ART FRIDAY: BIRDS AND BIRD BOXES
Fri 24 Feb, 10:30am-3pm | All Ages | £2.50 | drop-in Make a bird and help feed the birds in your garden this spring by making bird boxes out of Eco materials and decorating it.
EASTER HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS SPRING HOLIDAY DECORATIONS
Tue 11 Apr, 10:30am-12noon | 5-9 years | £5 Be inspired by Spring time and make Easter / Spring Decorations to celebrate. Think Easter eggs, chicks, spring flowers and more!
SPRING HOLIDAY POP UP CARDS
Wed 12 Apr, 10:30am-12noon | 7-14 years | £5 Come and make some bright and beautiful pop-up cards for Easter/Spring using recycled materials to give to your family.
Thu 13 Apr, 10:30am-12noon | 5-9 years | £5 Be inspired by our collection Spring /Easter Bonnets. Design and make your own colourful creation to wear! Tue 18 Apr, 10:30am-12noon | 7-14 years | £5 Be inspired by our Museum Collection and explore press printing using a variety of fun techniques. Print your very own bunting to use to celebrate birthdays and events.
MINI BEASTS HOMES AND HABITATS Wed 19 Apr, 10:30am-12noon | 5-9 years | £5 Make some marvellous mini beasts and create their habitats out of recycled materials.
MAKE A SPRINGTIME SKETCHBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOKS
Thu 20 Apr, 10:30am-12noon | 7-14 years | £5 Using a variety of paper and techniques, learn how to make a foldout fabulous sketchbook or scrapbook. Personalize and perhaps try sketching around the Museum!
FUN ART FRIDAY: MAKE YOUR OWN TOYS
Fri 21 Apr, 10:30am-3pm | all ages | £2.50 | drop-in Create some toys based on our Toy Collection at the Museum. Learn some basic construction techniques using recycled plastics and card.
D ia r y Exhibitions Location Date Freud Friends and Family Norwood Gallery 6 Aug 2016 to Apr 2017 Charles Walker Hazzard Transitions Studio Gallery 20 Aug 2016 to 17 Sep 2016 Our Nature: Poetic to Grotesque Main Gallery 3 Sep 2016 to 5 Nov 2016 New Amusements Norwood Gallery Landing 24 Sep 2016 to Jul 2017 Secrets of the High Woods Decorative Arts Landing 4 Oct 2016 to 26 Oct 2016 Worthing Costume Trail Throughout Worthing Autumn 2016 to Summer 2018 Open 16 Main Gallery 26 Nov 2016 to 25 Mar 2017 Playland Studio Gallery 17 Dec 2016 to 22 Apr 2017 Worthing Sculpture Trail Throughout Worthing Summer 2017 Events Date Open 16: Submissions and key dates 28 Aug-25 Nov Archaeology & Geology: John Pull & The Earliest Industry in Britain 1 Oct Saxon Sussex Weekend: Highdown to Hastings 7 & 8 Oct Saxon Church Walks 7 Oct Saxon Day 8 Oct Secrets of the High Woods: Activity Day 15 Oct Archaeology & Geology: Bronze Age Worthing 22 Oct Workshop: Spooky Paper Mache Masks! 25 Oct Workshop: All Things Gothic 26 Oct Workshop: Worthing Museum Eco Tapestry 27 Oct Workshop: Things That Go Bump 27 Oct Workshop: Family Art Friday: Creepy Crafts 28 Oct Workshop: Representation of Printmaking Techniques 5 Nov Workshop: Printmaking Workshops 12 Nov Workshop: Dress History Talk 19 Nov Archaeology & Geology: Norman Sussex 3 Dec Archaeology & Geology: A Photographic History of Worthing 10 Dec Workshop: Decking The Halls 21 Dec Workshop: Christmas Cards 22 Dec Workshop: Puppets 21 Feb Workshop: Teddy Bears 22 Feb Workshop: Fossils 23 Feb Workshop: Family Art Friday 24 Feb Workshop: Spring Holiday Decorations 11 Apr Workshop: Spring Holiday Pop Up Cards 12 Apr Workshop: Spring Holiday Bonnets 13 Apr Workshop: Press Print Bunting 18 Apr Workshop: Mini Beasts Homes and Habitats 19 Apr Workshop: Make a Springtime Sketchbook and Scrapbook 20 Apr Workshop: Fun Art Friday – Make Your Own Toys 21 Apr