Over one thousand people in Jersey have pre-booked to see ArtHouse Jersey’s new exhibition, the Skipton Forget Me Knots art installation, within the first week of its opening at The Jersey Maritime Museum in St Helier. Organisers say they expect at least twice that number before it comes to a close on 5 December 2020
Since the project’s inception in Spring of this year, the team at ArtHouse Jersey have continued to navigate the ongoing restrictions by finding solutions to help ensure the show can go on and benefit as many islanders as possible. The exhibition is the result of a large-scale community project that employed creativity to help thousands of young people process and navigate their emotional journey through COVID19. Over 3,400 children created flowers that make up the final immersive installation, which is set to a soundscape from musician Thomas Gandey.
“This isn’t an easy time to be delivering any kind of event, so we’re delighted that so many people have embraced our Covid-adapted booking system and come along to this free art exhibition”.
Director of ArtHouse Jersey, Tom Dingle
ArtHouse Jersey devised a simple process for members of the public to book, offering free sessions of 45 minutes with a maximum of 20 people at any one time via the events website Eventbrite. The system has been designed to ensure all current guidelines are met and the public’s safety is accounted for at all times.
Director of ArtHouse Jersey, Tom Dingle, said: “This isn’t an easy time to be delivering any kind of event. Ordinarily, Skipton Forget Me Knots would have been operated on a simple open door policy where people could stroll in and enjoy the art without any forward planning needed at all, but in these difficult times we’re delighted that so many of Jersey’s public have embraced the booking system. It’s encouraging to see that our community has a thirst for cultural activity and a willingness to adapt to the current guidelines and new ways of supporting and enjoying art.”
Lorraine Mclean, Mortgage Sales Manager at Skipton International, said: “To have had such an overwhelming response in the first week of the exhibition is extraordinary, especially given the current restrictions which we are all having to operate under. It is great to be part of something that has obviously touched a chord with so many islanders and hopefully offered people a visually beautiful and calming place to reflect on their own emotions and those of our younger generation.”
VISITING SAFELY
The health and safety of visitors to the exhibition is our first priority and pre-booking is essential for all visitors. The exhibition runs until Saturday 5 December 2020. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10.45am to 4.45pm and it will be open until 5.30pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. A maximum of 20 people can enjoy the installation at any one time, and people can pre-book their free 45-minute here
