Chichester’s Artisan Gallery celebrates successful first year
Chichester’s Artisan Gallery in North Street is celebrating a highly successful first year as a permanent business with a special drop-in event on Saturday, August 31 including bubbles and a competition to win a £100 voucher to spend in the gallery.
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00:00Yeah, go again.
00:02Good afternoon. My name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers.
00:06Lovely this afternoon to speak to Mim McCann.
00:08And we're speaking about a really significant first anniversary,
00:12a birthday party for Chichester's Artisan Gallery in North Street, isn't it?
00:17And it's a gallery that's done really, really well in what would appear to be a tough economic situation.
00:24But as you say, the gallery is flourishing.
00:27Just explain to me how it works, because it's a group of artists, isn't it, who are running the gallery?
00:35Yeah, there's 25 local artists and artisans, and we are...
00:41There's a main core of artists that look after all the in and out, you know, all the ins and outs of running the gallery.
00:51You've got a steering group, haven't you?
00:53We have a steering group, yeah.
00:55And then the rest of us all support the steering group.
00:59So we've got, we take it in turns to steward.
01:03We also have roles within the gallery that we are sort of either responsible for or we are part of.
01:11So things, yeah, things just to kind of keep the gallery running.
01:15So it's a local art, local art gallery run by local artists.
01:20And the interesting thing is it started as a pop up gallery, but then became permanent.
01:26That was a moment of confidence at the very least, wasn't it?
01:32Yeah, and that was really exciting. I wasn't part of the pop up, but I really, really loved the idea.
01:38And I just thought it was such a lovely opportunity.
01:43And when I was, I think it was last August, I saw the post to apply to be part of it.
01:49I couldn't wait to sort of put my name forward. And it's such a nice group of people.
01:55And there's lots of talented artisans within the group.
02:00We've got all sorts from painting, painters, ceramicists, glasswork, woodwork,
02:05decorate arts and high quality jewellery. What else is there?
02:13But the point is, the way that you run this does make you a little bit different to other galleries, doesn't it?
02:20Yeah, I think so, especially in the city and with everything sort of, you almost need a niche sometimes,
02:29something that makes you a bit different. And yeah, and it seems to be working pretty well.
02:37And without wanting to jinx it, when you say it seems to be working, why do you think it's worked so well in this first year?
02:44I think a lot of it is to do with customers come in and they have a look round at things.
02:51We greet them. We're all very friendly. And when they find out that we actually are the artists,
03:01that seems to be like a little light bulb moment. And it's just like, you know, they love it.
03:06It's nice for them to be able to have the chance to talk to us.
03:10You know, it might be we might be the one that is their favourite one.
03:13So we can, you know, we can really get stuck in or they'll learn something new, you know, at the time.
03:22And let's mention, as your son, let's mention to the birthday party then, the first anniversary celebration,
03:34which is Saturday, August the 31st. What are the times and just in a nutshell, what will happen on the day?
03:42So from our opening hours of 10 o'clock, and I say 10.30, from 10 o'clock until three o'clock,
03:49we're open until four. But the raffle, we're having a raffle and that's going to be called at about three o'clock.
03:56You can pop in, come and have a glass of bubbly with us and sort of see what we're about.
04:03If you've not been in before, come in and say hi if you've been in before.
04:06And you can enter the prize draw to win a £100 voucher, which can be spent in the gallery.
04:15So that'd be quite an exciting prize.
04:19It sounds like a nice way to enter into your second year of operation then as a permanent guy.
04:26Brilliant. Lovely to speak to you and congratulations on the success so far.