History
Year opened to the public: 1989
Wysing Arts Centre is a former farm set in 11 acres of rural Cambridgshire in the UK. The Centre opened to the public in 1989 but has been substantially re-develeoped in the last five years; with a re-focussed artistic programme and a purpose built facilities designed by HawkinsBrown architects that opened in 2008. Wysing now operates 10 separate buildings including artists’ studios, a gallery, project spaces, educational and specialist new media facilities, and residential accommodation in its 17th century farmhouse.
Wysing was founded to provide support to visual artists and continues to support up to 30 artists working from studios through professional development programmes over three year periods. Wysing also delivers ongoing artistic retreats through a formal partnership with the Royal College of Art’s MA in Curating Contemporary Art that reach over 100 artists and curators from across the UK every year.
Programming
Wysing’s residency programme is the key focus of our work, with around 20 artists in residence over the period of one year. In recent years the programme has included, amongst others, artists Asli Çavuşoğlu, Celine Condorelli, Luca Frei, Andy Holden, Christodoulos Panayioutou, Bik van der Pol and Bedwyr Williams. All residency programmes are themed and contextualised through gallery based exhibitions and events. In 2010 Wysing explored The Improbable through a Camp for Improbable Thinking a residency model lasting three months and which included artists working alongside researchers from Cambridge University to create improbable events. The Camp included a festival of artists’ music that included performances by Martin Creed, Bob and Roberta Smith and Juneau Projects and for which the sculptor and curator of the festival, Andy Holden, created a giant Boulder Stage sculpture that is now a permanant addition to Wysing’s site.
In 2009 Wysing launched Wysing Arts Contemporary, a programme of curated selling exhibitions that platforms emerging artists and brings works to art fairs. The initiative also develops and provides ongoing support to collectives of collectors.
Most outstanding projects of the last 3-5 years: Be Marginal, Be a Hero, Jan Ð June 2007 (exhibitions and public event series) with five international artists collectives: Danger Museum, i-cabin, La Culpable, Platoniq, Mess Hall
Amphis, summer 2008 (residency and events programme) a residency by artists Folke Köbberling and Martin Kaltwasser that engaged 200 people in the creation of a two story building made entirely from found and donated materials.
Minus Roof, summer 2009 (residency and events programme) with artists A Kassen whose final project was a public event that involved the removal of Wysing’s gallery roof and flying light Cessna aircraft over it.
Generosity is the new political, September 2009 (residency series culminating in a gallery exhibition) with artists Bik Van Der Pol, Libia Castro & Ólafur Ólafsson, Celine Condorelli, FREEE art collective (Dave Beech, Andy Hewitt & Mel Jordan), Luca Frei, Tellervo & Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen, Christodoulos Panayiotou and Kateřiina Šedá
Camp for Improbable Thinking, summer 2010 (residency and events series) with artists Asli Çavuşoğlu, Andy Holden, Fabiano Marques, Emily Rosamond, Studio Weave and Bedwyr Williams
Be Glad For The Song Has No End, September 2010 (a festival of artists music) curated by artist and musician Andy Holden and with over 100 performers including Mark Leckey, Martin Creed, Bob and Roberta Smith, Long Meg, Sue Tompkins and Juneau Projects.
Educational Programming
Wysing aims to works with artists at every stage in their careers and recently launched Wysing Young Artists, a talent development programme for young people wishing to pursue an artistic career.
Publishing
Wysing aims to explore new ways of working and has commissioned the artist and curator Jeremy Millar to fictionalise the traces left by the artists in our Camp for Improbable Thinking. The publication will be launched in January 2011.
Spaces
Outdoor space: 11 acres
Gallery space: 7 x 14 x 3m
Flexible/project space: 7 x 10 x 3m
Studio space: 1500m2
Administrative structure / Management
Director: Donna Lynas
Chief Curator: Lotte Juul Petersen
Curator: Gareth Bell-Jones
Operations: Elinor Morgan, Louise Thirlwall, Richard de Cordova and Sarah Wells
Press and Marketing: Tracy Harding
Education: Kirsten Bicknell
Chair of Trustees: Sara Garnham
Artist Trustee: Kathrin Böhm (public works)
Financing
Annual turnover 2009/10: £704,714
Income Public: £572,228
Income Other: £132,486
