Grizedale Arts is a

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic ...

s residency and commissioning agency sited in Grizedale Forest in the central

Lake District The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests, and mountains (or '' fells''), and its associations with William Wordswor ...

in rural

Northern England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angles, Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Scandinavian York, K ...

. It conducts cultural projects locally, nationally and internationally from its bases at Lawson Park farm and the Coniston Institute. Its focus is on developing emerging artists and producing experimental yet accessible projects that demonstrate the purpose and function of art as an everyday aspect of a worthwhile and productive life. The organisation is financially supported by

Arts Council England Arts Council England is an arm's length non-departmental public body of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It is also a registered charity. It was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three s ...

. Adam Sutherland, the director, guest-curated 'The Land We Live In, The Land We Left Behind' for

Hauser & Wirth Hauser & Wirth is a Swiss contemporary and modern art gallery. History Hauser & Wirth was founded in 1992 in Zurich by Iwan Wirth, Manuela Wirth, and Ursula Hauser, who were joined in 2000 by co-president Marc Payot. In 2020, Ewan Venters was ap ...

Somerset in 2018, a major historic and contemporary survey of rural cultures that attracted over 40,000 visitors to the galleries in Bruton.

History

The predecessor of Grizedale Arts, the Grizedale Society, was founded by Bill Grant OBE in 1968 to further the arts within the Grizedale forest. Bill worked as Head Forrester for the

Forestry Commission The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the management of publicly owned forests and the regulation of both public and private forestry in England. The Forestry Commission was previously also resp ...

at the time. It initially concentrated on theatre and the visual arts. Bill created the Theatre in the Forest, a unique 230-seater venue, which attracted top entertainers such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dame Judi Dench, Julian Lloyd Webber and jazz player Kenny Ball. In 1977, Bill also established the Grizedale Sculpture Trail, which became world renowned for its siting of

environmental sculpture Environmental sculpture is sculpture that creates or alters the environment for the viewer, as opposed to presenting itself figurally or monumentally before the viewer. A frequent trait of larger environmental sculptures is that one can actually en ...

s by young upcoming sculptors. Artists were given a 6 month residency in the forest to create sculptures in keeping and inspired by the location. Notable sculptors include David Nash, Robert Koenig and

Andy Goldsworthy Andy Goldsworthy (born 26 July 1956) is an English sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist who produces site-specific sculptures and land art situated in natural and urban settings. Early life Goldsworthy was born in Cheshire on 26 Ju ...

. These sculptures are now maintained by the

and are accessible to the public. In 1990, the Society was awarded the Prudential Award for the Arts. "In tribute for a leap of imagination that has enriched our perception and understanding of art in the landscape.” Grizedale Arts website, history page
/ref> Bill retired in 1997. Diana Walters and David Fenn followed as directors until Adam Sutherland was appointed in 1999. Not long after for financial reasons, the board closed The Theatre in the Forest and The Gallery in the Forest, deciding to concentrate on exploring new approaches to artistic production and exhibition. The residency programme was also ended, and no longer did artists use natural found materials to create sculptures inspired by the location, instead man made materials such as plastic and metal were brought in. The artworks produced at this time were not popular with visitors who sent complaint letters and even damaged Sutherland's car. The local residents of Satterthwaite, after being offered the chance to create their own artwork for a Billboard sculpture in the forest decided unanimously to burn it down instead. In 1999, Sutherland formed Grizedale Arts, merging with the Grizedale Society to form a new organisation. In 2007, the organisation moved its base from Grizedale Forest to the historic hill farm of Lawson Park, overlooking Coniston Water. Once owned by

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...

and a working farm until the 1950s, architects Sutherland Hussey were employed to transform the farmhouse and barns into an artists' residency base, opened in 2009 by Sir Nicholas Serota of

Tate Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...

. The surrounding land is being returned to productive use, and the extensive gardens – designed by artist / film-maker Karen Guthrie – have opened under the

National Garden Scheme The National Garden Scheme opens privately owned gardens in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Channel Islands on selected dates for charity. It was founded in 1927 with the aim of "opening gardens of quality, character and interest to th ...

Projects

Grizedale Arts' projects have included:
A Fair Land
(2016)
The Coniston Institute Honest Shop
(2013)
Wantee (for the Turner Prize) by Laure Prouvost
(2013)
Gralsbaby D'Annunzioz
(2009)
Happy Stacking
(2008)
Agrifashionista
(2008)
Creative Egremont – A Public Art Strategy
for Egremont

(2006–2008)
''Seven Samurai''
(2006) within the Japanese Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial. Also shown at the Lucy Mackintosh Gallery, Galerie Lucy Mackintosh (2007

''Romantic Detachment''
(2004) at the

P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center MoMA PS1 is a contemporary art institution located in Court Square in the Long Island City neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City. In addition to its exhibitions, the institution organizes the Sunday Sessions performance series, the ...

in New York
The Festival of Lying
(2000)

Artists

Artists who have been involved with the Grizedale Arts programme include: Anna Best, Jordan Baseman,

David Blandy David Blandy (born 1976) is a British artist. He was educated at the Slade School of Fine Art and the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. Blandy produces video, performances and comics that deal with his problematic relationship with p ...

Kathrin Böhm Kathrin Böhm (born 1969) is an artist who is operating in and outside of the art world. Her work is defined by collaborations and the co-production of culture and change within everyday situations, such as businesses, villages or urban neighb ...

, Simon Poulter, Marcus Coates, Karen Guthrie & Nina Pope,

Duncan McLaren Duncan McLaren (12 January 1800 – 26 April 1886) was a Scottish Liberal Party politician and political writer. He served as a member of the burgh council of Edinburgh, then as Lord Provost, then as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Edinbu ...

Olivia Plender Olivia Plender (born 1977) is an artist based in London and Stockholm. She is known for her installations, performances, videos, and comics. Life and career Plender was born in London. Her work is often based on historical research and she ...

, Lorrice Douglas, Juneau/projects, Kerry Stewart,

Daniel Sturgis Daniel Sturgis (born 1966) is a British painter living and working in London, England. Life and work Daniel Sturgis was born in London, and studied art at the London College of Printing, Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts before going to G ...

Emily Wardill Emily Wardill (born 1977 in Rugby, England), is a British artist and film maker. She studied fine art at Central St. Martins College of Arts and Design in London. In 2010, Wardill was awarded the Film London Artists' Moving Image Network Jarman A ...

, Graeme Roger, Rob Kesseler,

Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films in the main were liberal adaptation ...

, Kevin Reid, Jen Lui, Tim Olden, Simon & Tom Bloor,

Matt Stokes Matt Stokes (born 1973 in Penzance) is an artist and film-maker. Stokes had a residency at Grizedale Arts in 2002 during which he researched the history of rave culture in the Lake District. In 2006, he won the Beck's Futures art prize for his fi ...

, Nathaniel Mellors,

Bedwyr Williams Bedwyr Williams (born 1974) in St. Asaph is a Welsh artist. He works across varied media including drawing, painting, writing and video.. Biography He studied at St Martins School of Art and Ateliers, Arnhem. In 2004, he won a Paul Hamlyn Awar ...

, public works, myvillages.org,

Mark Wallinger Mark Wallinger (born 25 May 1959) is a British artist. Having previously been nominated for the Turner Prize in 1995, he won in 2007 for his installation ''State Britain''. His work ''Ecce Homo'' (1999–2000) was the first piece to occupy the ...

Jeremy Deller Jeremy Deller (born 30 March 1966) is an English conceptual, video and installation artist. Much of Deller's work is collaborative; it has a strong political aspect, in the subjects dealt with and also the devaluation of artistic ego through th ...

, Tim Olden,

Olaf Breuning Olaf Breuning (born February 16, 1970)SIK ISEAOlaf Breuning/ref> is a Swiss-born artist, born in Schaffhausen, who lives in New York City. Works *''Home 1/Home 2'' (2004/7)--30 minute video starring Brian Kerstetter. ''Home 1'' is presented ...

, Mark Gubb,

Pablo Bronstein Pablo Bronstein (born 1977, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine artist based in London. He attended Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, at the University of the Arts London, the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, and graduated from Goldsmi ...

, Bryan & Laura Davies,

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

, Spartacus Chetwynd, Harold Offeh, Jay Yung, Dorian Moore, Alex Frost, Guest Room & Barnaby Hosking. Notable successes among Grizedale alumni include Jeremy Deller and Mark Wallinger winning the

Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award). ...

in 2004 and 2007 respectively; Marcus Coates,

, Ryan Gander, Graham Gussin,

Giorgio Sadotti Giorgio Sadotti (born 1955 in Manchester, UK) is a conceptual artist based in London. In 1993, Sadotti exhibited at City Racing, and in 1996 participated in a group show organised by City Racing at Bricks and Kicks in Vienna run by Muntean and ...

and

receiving Paul Hamlyn Awards;

was the Welsh artist in residence at the 2005

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale (; it, La Biennale di Venezia) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The biennale has been organised every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of ...

;

representing Great Britain in the 2001 Venice Biennale;

Paul Rooney (artist) Paul Rooney (born 1967 in Liverpool) is an English artist who works with music and words, primarily through installations and records. He studied painting at Edinburgh College of Art. In the late 1990s his art practice shifted from painting ...

winning 2009's Northern Art Prize; Karen Guthrie and Nina Pope winning the Northern Art Prize in 2008.

References

External links

Grizedale Arts Official site

Lawson Park, Grizedale Arts' hill farm

Toadball.TV: Television Project

History

Projects

Artists

References

External links

Artist links