possible venues
herts open studios community projects funding
The following are possible venues that could be used for an interesting visual arts event or project funded via this initiative. The list has been put together based on suggestions received from Arts Officers and other sources. It is intended to provide some ideas and initial contact details but it is not an exhaustive list and we do not guarantee the suitability of any particular venue. Artists should make their own enquiries. We would also encourage artists to find other new and different community venues in Hertfordshire (both indoor and outdoor) that would meet the aims of the initiative. We are particularly keen for you to come up with unusual ideas that will interest and involve the community who do not usually visit galleries.
list of possible venues
| Venue |
Contact Details |
|---|---|
| Chorleywood Community Arts Centre (CCAC), Colley Land, Common Road, Chorleywood (a meeting place for the practice of a wide range of arts and crafts) |
Anne Wright 01923 282730 Dorothy Hughes 01923 283034 |
| Fleetville Community Centre, Royal Rd, St Albans www.fleetville.org.uk | Cathy Budd 01727 836843 |
| Jubilee Centre, Catherine St, St Albans (also incorporates restaurant service for elderly people) | Sandra Wallmer 01727 851584 |
| Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans | Angela Varley 01727 844222 |
| Pump House Theatre, Watford | Roger Martin 01923 241 362 |
| Roaring Meg Retail Park, Stevenage (Community Arts Centre run by Stevenage Arts Guild) | Hilary Spiers 01438 350217 |
| RSPB Rye Meads Nature Reserve, Rye Road, Stanstead Abbotts, SG12 8JS A secure site receiving 20,000 visitors a year | Joan Childs 01992 708381/07885 798856 Joan.childs@rspb.org.uk They are interested in a joint venture – possibly involving production of a trail of art installations. |
| Sopwell Youth Club, off Cottonmill Lane, St Albans | Beki 01727 827667 |
| St Thomas’ Church, Langley Rd, Watford – a large community centre with a variety of spaces from small rooms to full-size gymnasium. Own car park. | David Lawrence, Minister 07738 008824 davidlawrence_39@hotmail.com |
| The Summerhouse, Chorleywood House timber building, 10m x 4m, in 160 acres of public parkland http://chorleywoodhouse.org.uk. Used as a venue for Open Studios 2007 – brochure no 111. | Tim Venner (Secretary, Chorleywood House Estate Community Partnership) 01923 284320 email TimVenner@aol.com (or contact OS artists who used the venue in 2007 – see brochure for contact details) |
| Watersmeet, High Street, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 1EH (A performing arts venue with lots of lobby space and an upstairs bar/meeting room) | 01923 727366 |
| Watford Museumwww.watfordmuseum.org.uk | Jeremy Akerman 01923 232297 |
| Watford Town Hall, Customer Services Centre (space for about 12 pieces of 2D work) | Sarah Priestley 01923 278 341 |
A full list of Community Centres and other venues to hire across the county, with descriptions of facilities and contact details etc, is available on the Herts County Council website at:
www.hertsdirect.org/comdirectory/comvol/venue2y/vncomm3y
It has also been suggested that artists may wish to consider a project associated with the Big Draw – a nationwide event held annually in October, see www.campaignfordrawing.org
If you have any queries or suggestions for other possible venues to include on this list, please email openstudios@hvaf.org.uk or phone 07813 100651.