Foxlowe Arts Centre

Despite being closed on and off for the most of the past year, there ’ s been lots going on behind the scenes at the Foxlowe Arts Centre in Leek.

The community-owned and run venue has been running as an arts centre since 2011 when the then newly formed Foxlowe Arts Centre Trust took on a lease with the then owners of the Georgian building.

Over the next decade, the trust took on a private mortgage with the owners, before setting up the Foxlowe Loan Scheme this year which has enabled members of the community to help purchase the building outright for the town.

The Foxlowe Arts Centre has gone from strength to strength since first opening with a gallery exhibition in 2011 followed swiftly by the opening of its community cafe.

The building is now almost – accept for it’ s cellar space – used to it’ s full capacity with: The Drawing Room Cafe, Bromfield Function Room, bar area, cafe and corridor galleries, first floor main gallery, meeting rooms, creative workshop space, as well as the top floor Creative Hub which is home to many local independent creative businesses. Plus the Fox & Crow Gallery has it’ s base in the ground floor Cruso Room.

And then there are the glorious gardens and patio area to the back of the Foxlowe, as well as the Gateway Shed project.

Pre-Covid, the team at the Foxlowe Arts Centre, which is mainly volunteers with a small number of paid dedicated members of staff, had helped to build the centre up into a thriving venue, with a well-used cafe, ever changing gallery exhibitions, as well an extensive programme of music, comedy, film, talks, and theatre events, and all that’ s not including all the private functions, such as weddings and other family events, which have taken place at the venue.

The Drawing Cafe re-opened in May, and entertainment is now finally making a comeback at the Foxlowe. Already, the Foxlowe team has successfully hosted two social-distanced

comedy nights and a number of music gigs, and the programme of events is building back up once more. Most of the events take place in the now named Bromfield Function Room which has had a refurbishment during the past 12 months, with many socialdistanced volunteer hours being put into redecorate and reconfigure the room to be able to seat more audience members, once restrictions allow. Refurbishment works have also seen the completion of the Heritage Lottery Funded new roof project, revamp of the lobby and stairs which are used to get to the Creative Hub, as well as much-needed maintenance work and redecoration of the front door and pillars – the latter two projects being carried out purely by volunteers. Now the team at the Foxlowe is aiming, as the lifting of Government restrictions allow, to get the venue back up to a thriving arts centre once more. To find out more about the Foxlowe Arts Centre, go online to: www.foxloweartscentre.org.uk. See our What’s On feature on pages 20 and 21 for what’s coming up at the Foxlowe Arts Centre

One bigHUG for the Foxlowe

With hugs making a comeback as the Government eases Covid-19 restrictions, The Foxlowe Arts Centre is set to get its very own big fat hug!

The team at Moorlands Climate Action (MCA) are hosting the HUG Green Arts Festival on Saturday, June 26. Teresa Pattison, Events Coordinator for MCA, explains more about the event:

At Moorlands Climate Action Group, we are pleased that the HUG Green Arts Festival will take place at The Foxlowe Arts Centre in Leek this year. We were disappointed when we had to cancel last year ’ s event but Saturday, June 26, 2021 is now booked in and looking promising.

We would be delighted if you could join us between 10am and 4pm.

At the start of the day there will be the unveiling of the new Foxlowe Garden Dragonfly sculpture situated next to a designated picnic area in the garden.

There will be stalls downstairs and the café, the shop and the art gallery will be open. Upstairs in the Rainbow Room and craft room there will be a range of activities and workshops including children ’ s craft workshops, Yoga, Qigong, Shiatsu, a dance rehearsal for a flashmob (ER ‘Stayin ’ Alive ’), short environmental films and a Q&A to follow.

In the afternoon we are very excited to be joined by PHD students and working scientists who will introduce our very own Climate Question Time. The panel will be able to answer questions from the audience.

Outside there will be circus activities for children, a drumming workshop and a singing workshop. On the terrace, a willow artist will be doing a public demonstration of his art and a visiting bee keeper will be talking about keeping bees. In the bar, local poets have been invited to read or perform their own poetry.

The stalls will include advisory groups on all things environmental including waste, energy and transport. Sustrans, The Woodland Trust, Moorlands Climate Action, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Earth, The RSPB and the Co-operative bank will be represented and you can browse stalls of vinyl, upcycled product ranges, plants, preloved treasures, work from local artists and see an exhibition of art. Several of the art stalls will be running drop-in workshops during the day, free and open to all.

Anyone who would like to find out more about Moorlands Climate Action and join us would be very welcome.

All monies raised from an exciting raffle for hampers of goodies and donations will go towards the cost of insulating The Foxlowe which is aiming to achieve carbon neutral status by 2030. Cash donations will be welcome.

Creative work on display in cafe

The Foxlowe Art Centre ’ s Drawing Room cafe currently has an inspirational exhibition of creative works by local Fine Art and Portraiture artist Gavin Bowyer.

Gavin, who produces detailed black and white of British wildlife and portraiture, is a ‘Grisaille ’ inspired visual artist and an awardwinning advanced skills teacher.

For over three years he has worked as a professional visual artist and designer in his secondfloor studio within the Creative Hub at the Foxlowe Arts Centre.

Gavin ’ s dedication to his work has recently seen an opportunity to display his work in London; and he has received national recognition and been invited to display two portraits this July at the Society of Graphic Fine Art Open Exhibition and The Pastel Society 122nd Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries in London.

He said: “I’ ve waited 35 years to break through and here I am preparing to visit London to see my work in two national exhibitions. “It doesn ’t seem real. My family, especially my mum, are so proud and excited. ”

Gavin has developed a style of artwork that is inspired by the ephemeral fragile natural world and his love to capture vivid poignant pictures in a realistic format. Usually, he gravitates to ordinary people and domestic interior scenes. Gavin states that he is a true advocate for the importance of ‘ good drawing. ’

He said: “I believe that black and white art allows the observer to concentrate on elements such as composition, value, lighting and form. It’ s raw, it’ s stripped back, it’ s honest and it allows you to show the true person. ”

Currently, Gavin is busy in his studio completing pet and family portrait commissions, collaborating with On the Horizon Counselling Service therapeutic community art sessions. He also provides one to one art tuition and group workshops.

Visitors to the Foxlowe can view his creations in the Drawing Room Cafe until July 16, or visit his studio in the Foxlowe Creative Hub.

For further information go online to: www.gavinbowyerportraitartist.co

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