Art for Guernsey was founded by David Ummels as a direct response to the level of integrity that he found when he moved to the island. Art for Guernsey is a charitable initiative managed by a team of passionate professionals who share a belief in the transformative power of art to bring communities together, provide educational opportunities, promote cultural diplomacy and create an artistic legacy for Guernsey.
The team has a strong remit to bring art where it is most needed, to inspire people and try to make them happy. Art for Guernsey is driven by a strong desire to create opportunities for islanders to discover high-quality art for free, and to create catalysts within the art, educational and charitable sectors.
EXHIBITIONS
We have an impressive track record of curating groundbreaking exhibitions for everyone to enjoy. Through our artist in residence programme, we invite international artists to come to Guernsey and produce artworks inspired by the island. These artworks are then shown at free exhibitions, engaging our community and constituting an artistic legacy for Guernsey. We are also proud to support local artists by collaborating with them and inviting them to produce artworks to feature in exciting and inspiring exhibitions with the highest curation standards.
EDUCATION
We believe that investing in our youth is investing in Guernsey. Our innovative art-lending and Cultural Enrichment programmes take place within schools, and we provide a resource for home educators as well as running after-school and holiday clubs throughout the year. The AFG Academy is a first-class resource for those preparing for art schools or a career in the creative sector, and we provide an annual scholarship for finalists in the Sovereign Art Foundation Student Prize competition.
COMMUNITY
Together, Art for Guernsey and Arts for Impact have created numerous community projects. These have taken place in the hospital, at the home of many charities, in community centres and in our own gallery. We are truly inclusive, and believe that engaging with art improves quality of life, stimulates creativity and promotes lateral thinking and problem-solving. Working with the community, for the community is what defines us, it’s in our DNA.
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY
We believe in the power of art to bring communities together and promote Guernsey in a positive and engaging way. At the heart of this is cultural diplomacy, a soft power that includes the exchange of cultural ideas in order to foster mutual understanding. Through our artist in residence programmes we create ambassadors for the island, and we wish to support our hospitality and tourism industries by bringing more visitors to our shores, and providing activities and content for them once they arrive.
Each year Art for Guernsey invites an internationally renowned artist to visit and be inspired by Guernsey, and to produce related artworks to constitute an artistic legacy for the island. Art in School, our innovative art-lending programme, makes available artworks of museum quality to any Guernsey school willing to develop project-based learning opportunities and use the artworks in a multidisciplinary context (creative writing, geography, science, maths, history, technology and so on). This programme has been incredibly successful: to date 18 Guernsey schools have engaged with the initiative. Art for Guernsey also has a strong remit to support local artists in various ways and to invest its resources to support various inventive art and education-related local charitable projects.
GALLERY SPONSORS
WITH KIND SUPPORT FROM
International Partners
Media Partners
