We are delighted to announce that we are now occupying a 2nd venue in the Quedam Shopping Centre!  We will be closed for now while we move and will open to the public in our new venue from Wednesday 31 May. 

Located at Unit 13-15 (opposite Primark), our brand new venue will be the only art gallery in Yeovil designated for publicly-funded contemporary art and heritage projects, including an exhibition space, a gallery shop for cards, prints and small handmade gifts from our member artists, with more space for creative activities for all including workshops, talks and events.

The new venue will be opened to the public on Wednesday 31 May with a brand new exhibition View of Yeovil, showcasing more than 100 photographic works from Yeovil residents, artists and young people, alongside archive images and objects from the South Somerset Heritage Collection, with a programme of events, talks and activities for all ages.  View of Yeovil is part of the Story of Yeovil, a creative project exploring Yeovil’s heritage and social history through the voice of local communities, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and supported by a partnership of organisations and individuals.

Plans for the new space include:

31 May – 8 July : View of Yeovil Exhibitions and Events
15 July – 26 Aug : Evolver Prize 2023 Exhibition
1-4 Aug : Summer Creative Club for 7-13 year olds
16 Sept – 11 Nov : Sound of Yeovil Exhibitions & Events
17 Nov – 23 Dec : Christmas programme
20 Jan – 9 Mar 2024: Taste of Yeovil Exhibition & Events

Opening times for the new space are:
WED to FRI (10 – 4) & SAT (10 – 5)

Our current venue at Unit 23 will be temporarily closed to the public.  Plans are for it to become a production hub and gathering place for the Yeovil Creatives (our charity membership body), including artist studios and pop-up exhibition space.  Our new ventures are already underway with our member artists Celia Brokenshire, Dawn Handy, Ali Mauger, Katy Armstrong, Stuart Speer and Jess Egan setting up their studios and opening the doors to the public as part of the Somerset Open Studios event (16 September – 1 October).

The expansion brings Yeovil Art Space into a new phase celebrating our 3rd birthday on 27 May.  We are also excited to see the expansion of our team with Mark Pender, Sara Dudman and Tamsin Mendelsohn joining Rhiannon Cross and Carolyn Lefley on our Board of Trustees from April this year.  Zoe Li and Jess Egan are stepping down to take up the role of Executive Director and Communication Manager respectively, joining our Engagement Director Natasha Rand to form a leadership team taking Yeovil Art Space towards a sustainable future. 

We thank the support from our member artists, supporters, volunteers and visitors, also our current funders and partners, including Yeovil Town Council, Somerset Council, Quedam Shopping Centre and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for believing in us to bring a positive impact to Yeovil and its community.

Join us in this brand-new series of Art History Sessions with Samantha Hann, art history lecturer, artist and fellow Yeovil Creatives member.  These sessions will be a light-hearted, whistle-stop tour, looking at and discussing a small selection of works of art from 1900 to the modern day. These works have changed the direction of art history in some capacity, and each poses the continuous question, what is art? Fun and informative tasks will be part of the sessions, allowing for conversation, and embedding the concepts and ideas through practical application!

Talk 1: Wednesday 19 April 6-8pm
We will begin by looking at art from 1900, exploring how art has developed from the Victorian period and the influences which may have initiated these changes. We will focus on introducing ready-made and the roots of Surrealism, to the origins and impact of Vorticism/Futurism.

Talk 2: Wednesday 17 May 6-8pm
In the second session, we will be looking at the emergence of Pop Art, the influences on the imagery, through Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn for their use of materials and subject matter, to Land art, exploring work by Andrew Goldsworthy.

Talk 3: Wednesday 21 June 6-8pm
In the final session, we will look at diverse artists such as Yinka Shonibare, collective art and Anika Yi, discussing how their work is interpreted by the viewer, questioning, what next for art?!

Book your place
The event will be part of our monthly Yeovil Creatives meetings in April, May and June.  It is £10/session.* If you are interested in joining us but are not a member of the Yeovil Creatives, please contact us on info@yeovilartspace.uk

*This event is made possible with funding from Somerset Skills and Learning. FREE of charge if you are living in Somerset (not including Bath and North Somerset), aged 19 and above, living in UK/EU OR has refugee status OR leave to remain, earning under 20K/year.

We are looking for a group of individuals to work with the Yeovil Art Space team and the South Somerset Heritage Collection (SSHC) to produce a series of heritage displays as part of the Story of Yeovil Public Programme responding to three themes: View of Yeovil, Sound of Yeovil and Taste of Yeovil.

Participants will be part of a self-led group, working collaboratively with fellow group members and us to identify collections and artefacts that connect to the stories of Yeovil. We hope the group will also help us to identify gaps in the collections and discuss different ways to share heritage stories with the public in the future. 

By taking part, you will:
– Be invited to visit the South Somerset Heritage Collection
– Attend regular meetings and work collaboratively to identify objects and materials for the display
– Have the chance to bring your ideas and share these with your fellow participants and the wider public
– Learn more about the curation and interpretation of heritage exhibitions and gain hands-on experience in creating heritage displays
– Meet other like-minded individuals and make positive contributions to the town

Yeovil Art Space can offer volunteer expenses to cover the cost of travel, childcare and meeting refreshments. We welcome people from different backgrounds and ages to join us. You don’t need any previous experience in working with heritage collections, as long as you are keen to learn, be creative and willing to share Yeovil’s heritage with more people.

Participants also have the opportunity to join the volunteer group at the South Somerset Heritage Collection. 

If you are interested in joining the group, please fill in the online form via the link below. You will be also invited to attend the introductory session on Friday 14th April from 2pm to 4pm at South Somerset Heritage Collection to find out more about the project before fully committing. – There will still be opportunities to get involved throughout the Story of Yeovil project, for more information please contact our Engagement Coordinator Emma on emma@yeovilartspace.uk

SIGN UP HERE

Click here to find out more about STORY OF YEOVIL

Take a photo of your View of Yeovil for the Story of Yeovil project and be in with a chance of having your photo selected for the View of Yeovil exhibitions in May.

Yeovil Art Space is looking for modern photographs, creative, imaginative and inspiring pictures which share your View of Yeovil, and can be shown in this multi-site public event as part of Story of Yeovil.  Winning images will be displayed in the View of Yeovil Photography exhibition (31 May until 8 July) in our gallery space in the town centre. 

Inspired by the South Somerset Heritage Collection which has over 6000 photographs reflecting the heritage of Yeovil, this open call will help to create a new archive of photographs made in and about Yeovil.  

There are a few ways to interpret the brief: View of Yeovil. 

• You can submit photographs of views in and around Yeovil: residential, rural, the high street, or favourite recreational locations such as Ninesprings at Yeovil Country Park. 
• We would like to see your view of Yeovil, where you live and work: home interiors, your workplace or your educational setting. 
• The view doesn’t have to be a perfect postcard shot but gives an essence of what Yeovil means to you. 
• Your photograph could communicate your ‘view’, feelings or opinion on an area.
• Your images could reimagine views from the South Somerset Heritage Collection photography archive.
• We are interested in seeing photographs representing different cultures, communities, beliefs and backgrounds.  

How to take part

The deadline for entries is 15 April.

It is Free to enter and welcome to all. 

Sharing your photos using on the following ways:

• Share on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #ViewOfYeovil and tag @yeovilartspace.
• emailed to storyofyeovil@yeovilartspace.uk

Terms and conditions

• Free to enter.
• How to enter – Using the #ViewOfYeovil on Instagram or Facebook. By using this hashtag you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.
• Open to both amateur and professional photographers.
• Unlimited amount of times to enter.
• Photographers retain the copyright to their images.
• Privacy: try to avoid identifying where you live. For example photographs including the front of your home. 
• If submitting work on behalf of children, the parent or guardian is responsible for the content of the images, and by submitting a photograph has consented to these terms and conditions.
• Winning images will be selected by the Yeovil Art Space team to be exhibited in the View of Yeovil Photography exhibition. May 2023 at Yeovil Art Space.
• Yeovil Art Space will print all of the winning photographs. If your image is selected you will be contacted to provide a high resolution version of your submission.
• Yeovil Art Space will produce a ‘View of Yeovil’ postcard collection. Selected photographers who submit entries to this competition will be approached to ask permission for their images to be on one of the cards.

DATE: Saturday 25 Mar & Saturday 22 April
TIME: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Venue: Yeovil Library

 ‘A Day in Yeovil’ is a creative writing project as part of Story of Yeovil.

We would like to invite people from different generations to attend, from age of 10 to 100! Bring your family and neighbours!

Lead by tutor Kara Bignell Bird, the writing workshops will be based around the publication ‘Louisa’s diary’*, an interesting local document kept and looked after by the South Somerset Heritage Collection, written by a young woman born in Yeovil in 1887.  Participants will be encouraged to think of their own experiences of living in and visiting Yeovil and to write about their own memories, ideas or suggestions.

Writing will be gathered and shared in our upcoming public programme from May online and in print.

We welcome everyone who would like to share their stories, you don’t have to be brilliant at writing, but willing to have a go!

Places are limited, booking essential.

If you would like to read ‘Louisa’s diary’, copies are available at the Yeovil Library, Yeovil Art Space and South Somerset Heritage Collection. Original Louisa’s Diary is kept in the South Somerset Heritage Collection.

In March, as part of the Story of Yeovil project, we would like to invite you as members of the community to share your stories about Yeovil.

We would like to gather these stories about Yeovil from different parts of the community and from diverse perspectives; whether they are related to your family histories, your heritage or any of your connections to the town.

We welcome everyone, from people who have lived here for generations to those who have just arrived.

Thursday 2 March, 2 – 4pm
Yeovil Library

Limited places, booking essential. Click the button below to book:

The following forums will be on a drop-in basis, and we welcome residents in the area to attend.

Join us to have a cup of tea and have a chat, either to find out how to get involved, or bring with you the objects, photos or anything that relates to your story. No booking is required, just drop-in. You do not have to attend the full duration of each event, perhaps 20-25mins, depending on your available time and details of the story you would like to share. If you are not sure and would like to find out more, please contact Emma@yeovilartspace.uk

For residents of Westfield and surrounding areas: WED 1, 22 & 29 March, 10 -12 at St Peter’s Community Centre

For residents of Birchfield and surrounding areas: WED 1, 22 & 29 March, 2 – 4, The Great Lyde (Please note the forum has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, if you would like to attend the forum in this area, please contact Emma@yeovilartspace.uk)

NOTE: Gathered stories will be woven into our three themed public events starting in May. You could be invited back to record your story in audio, writing or other creative media with your permission. We respect the confidentiality of individuals and privacy matter to us so we will also discuss the matter of protecting privacy information with you and respect the ownership of the material shared.

What’s your story?

What matters to you about Yeovil’s history and heritage?

What is your story in Yeovil?

Join us to launch the Story of Yeovil at a public forum event on Friday 20 January, 3-5pm at the Johnson Suite, Octagon Theatre Yeovil. An opportunity for everyone to share their knowledge and interest on Yeovil’s history and heritage, or to find out more about Story of Yeovil and the fascinating stories from our partners, including:

Professor Steve Poole, Dr Rose Wallis and Dr Laura Harrison from the Regional History Centre at the University of West of England will be discussing ‘what is heritage?’, and why community heritage matters now.

Local historian Bob Osborn, founder of Yeovil’s Virtual Museum will be sharing his personal journey of collecting and researching the history of Yeovil.

Joseph Lewis from the South Somerset Heritage Collection will tell us more about what’s in store.

This will be an open event for conversation, idea exchange and to share connections. FREE event, all welcome.

To attend, please email us info@yeovilartspace.uk or fill in the booking form below:

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Steve Poole is professor of History and Heritage at UWE, Bristol and Director of the university’s Regional History Centre. He has published on digital applications for heritage and on contested histories and is a member of the Mayor of Bristol’s History Commission. He has many years experience as a teacher of heritage and public history and as a collaborator with community organisations and museums.

Dr Rose Wallis is Associate Professor of British Social History and Associate Director of the Regional History Centre at UWE. She is a collaborative practitioner working with heritage organisations and community partners across the south west. Her practice-led research and teaching focuses on engaging public audiences with historic research in ways that are meaningful in the present.

Dr Laura Harrison is a senior lecturer in history at UWE, Bristol. She is a social and cultural historian specialising in youth and youth culture, urban space, and oral histories. Laura is a core member of the Regional History Centre, and has worked with community organisations in Bristol and Manchester on collaborative heritage projects.

Joseph Lewis is Heritage Co-ordinator of the Accredited South Somerset Heritage Collection, where 30,000 objects and 6,000 photographs range from significant archaeological pieces including a Roman mosaic to a notable costume and fine art collection. Joseph is assisted by the Heritage volunteers and the South West Heritage Trust, arranging new object donations, guided tours and outreach projects with the Community Heritage Officer.

Bob Osborn Yeovil Historian and Author. Since retiring in 2009 Bob has spent almost everyday researching Yeovil and it’s history. In 2014 he created the A-to-Z of Yeovil’s History website, re-branded Yeovil’s Virtual Museum in 2019. Bob has had nine books on Yeovil’s history published and will be talking about the results of his research.

Yeovil Art Space has been awarded £96,403 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to carry out a new community arts and heritage project on behalf of the Yeovil Art and Heritage Working Group – a formal partnership between Yeovil Art Space, Yeovil Town Council, South Somerset District Council, Yeovil’s Virtual Museum, EPS Yeovil and Yeovil Press, supported by the South West Heritage Trust.

Working with the University of the West of England Regional History Centre, and a number of local organisations, groups and schools, STORY OF YEOVIL will bring a programme of events, talks, educational resources, displays, workshops and publications to Yeovil residents and visitors from further afield in the next 18 months until March 2024. Information: www.yeovilartspace.uk/storyofyeovil

We are looking for enthusiastic, passionate and self-motivated individuals to join us to deliver this exciting project. The following positions are now open for application. Application deadline; 5pm on 6 December, 2022.

Freelance Engagement Coordinator
Hours/Days: 72 days (Flexible hrs)
Salary: £100/day x 7 hrs/day (Freelance contract)
Contract Duration: subject to availability – 30 March 2024

Click here for application details and Job Description

Paid Project Intern (2 positions)
Hours/Days: 1days/week x 36 weeks
Salary: £10/hr x 7 hrs/day (PAYE)
Contract Duration: Post 1 (December 2022 – August 2023) Post 2 (July 2023 – March 2024)

Click here for application details and Job Description

We are looking for 2 project interns to join our team to deliver a brand-new art and heritage project ‘Story Of Yeovil‘.

As a project intern, you will be working closely with our Engagement Coordinator and Programme Producer, supporting different aspects of the project in order to gain valuable experience working in the arts and heritage setting. This position is primarily for aged 18-24, but we welcome applications from any age, who graduated in arts and heritage-related subjects recently and are in an early stage of their career in the art and cultural sector. 

Job Title: Art & Heritage Project Intern (2 posts)

Responsible to: Engagement Director
Hours/Days: 1days/week x 36 weeks
Salary: £10/hr x 7 hrs/day (PAYE)
Contract Duration: Post 1 : December 2022 – August 2023 / Post 2 : July 2023 – March 2024

Application Deadline: 6 December, 2022. 5pm
Please download the Job Description and application details via the file below