Cheltenham Art Open Air Exhibition Imperial Gardens 2007

Cheltenham Art

Art in the Park 2007

The 2007 Exhibition was exceptionally wet! Like a couple of damp book-ends, disasterous rainfall levels blighted weeks one and four, the latter leading to some of the worst flooding ever to affect the county of Gloucestershire. To the credit of the organisers, the event remained open for much of the time, and the artists braved if not hell then definitely highwater to get their work on show! And thanks to the people of Cheltenham the event appears to have been as succesful as ever.

This year, the Exhibition was opened by the Honourable Martin Horwood MP, to whom we extend our grateful thanks.

Martin also made a presentation to last year's Artist of the Year winner, Mark Bennett:

The Exhibition ran into some early controversy locally when several members of the visiting public objected to some of the work exhibited by one of our younger artists, who happens to be doing a degree in fine art. Her work included controversial material involving the Twin Towers, and also a dead sparrow. When continuing objections from the public led us to regretably withdraw one of her works of art (the Exhibition is in a park and accessible by all, including children), the decision was met by a large protest by the artist herself, which ended up making the front page of the Gloucestershire Echo. We found it rather ironic that they chose to go with this rather negative story, rather than covering our opening ceremony (despite having sent a photographer and reporter to the event), but there we go. There's a common saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity!

We do remain committed to givingyoung artists the opportunity to exhibit their work. We are not able, or willing, to pre-judge art before it is exhibited. That is not the point of our event. However, we also have a duty of care to our visitors, and are not able to warn them of the content of the work we present. As such, we must rely on a degree of common sense when deciding on what is acceptable to display in the Imperial Gardens. Clearly, the views of our visiting public have a strong impact on those decisions. And the decision of the committee member each day must be final!

Artist of the Week 1

Smiles all round as Annie Rowcraft wins Week 1

Artist of the Week 2

Committee member Jane Ware shows the beautiful figurative work of week 2's winner, Luke Vercombe. Well done, Luke!

Artist of the Week 3

The very popular and diverse work of Jenny Sterry won week 3. Here she is seen with her husband Issy.

Artist of the Week 4

Mike Kingston 's ever-popular work topped the bill during Week 4, for the second year running!

Cheltenham’s Annual Open Air Art Exhibition

Every summer, for as long as many people can remember, Cheltenham has played host to the Open Air Art Exhibition. Set in the beautiful Imperial Gardens, opposite the prestigious Queens Hotel, the art exhibition shows the work of over 120 local artists. It has proven highly popular with local folk and tourists alike.

The success of the event is in no small part due to the remarkable talent on show. Over the years, the people of Cheltenham and the Cotswolds have enjoyed a sedate stroll along the length of the exhibition. It has become one of the summer traditions for shoppers visiting the town, and tourists to flock to. As a result, the exhibition is always over-subscribed by the artists, who range in experience from hobby painters right through to professional artists engaging directly with their public. This admixture of talent and style creates a colourful display, full of surprises and interest.

The exhibition is managed by a voluntary committee of artists from the area, and the event itself is run on a not-for-profit basis. Its aim is to provide an accessible interface between local artists and the public. As a result, the paintings on offer are available at prices very much lower than in the county’s commercial galleries. But it isn’t just the cost that makes the exhibition such an attraction. Accessibility of art is of paramount importance to those organising the event. The public can walk straight up to the exhibition from the town’s wonderful “Promenade”, and take as much time as they want wandering through.

Without doubt, the Cheltenham Open Air Art Exhibition is the most accessible art event in Gloucestershire, and brings art to the attention of many people who would not normally consider visiting a gallery.

For the artists, the Imperial Gardens are annually transformed into a mini-Montmartre. There is a chance to compare the work of many diverse talents; water-colourists, oil painters, and acrylic artists. Work varies from traditional Cotswold landscapes to portraiture and wildlife scenes. Some reproduce the work of Old Masters, others create colourful abstract work. The variety means that there is always something that appeals to everyone, and provides plenty of inspiration for the art of future years.

This year the Cheltenham Open Air Art Exhibition runs from Saturday 24^th June to Sunday 23^rd July. A different set of artists show their work during each of the four weeks of the event, maintaining a weekly turnover of variety and interest. A list of Cheltenham Art's participating artists will be posted on this page nearer the time so regular visitors seeking the work of their favourite artist can plan ahead.

Since 3rd August 2007