Gallery Space at the Great Western Hospital
Guidelines and Information for Artists
The Great Western Hospital main site has two temporary exhibition spaces
Main Gallery Space
The opportunity to exhibit visual art
in the Main Gallery is open to
qualified Fine Artists who can
demonstrate their skill, recognised
through the provision of a CV. One
of the purposes of the Main Gallery
is to support the conviction that Fine
Art is recognised as being able to
make a significant contribution to
the quality of life and environment
for patients, visitors and staff.
Previous exhibitions have included
work from the V&A and the Swindon
Collection.
Tim Carroll, Streets of Swindon 2012
Barbara Dixon, Origami Box 2013
Community Gallery Space
The opportunity to exhibit artwork in
the Community Gallery is open to staff,
visitors, patients and groups from the
local area. There is no specification for
style or skill and all applications will be
considered against the exhibition
criteria. There is space to exhibit up to
20 images (based on size of
50cmx50cm) although this is open to
discussion. It is possible to match
together several artists to show at any
one time or have an exhibition of a
single artist’s work.
Previous exhibitions have included
work from local artist Tim Carroll and
digital media organisation, Create
Studios
Suitability
Art in hospital settings has the ability to impact on the well-being of patients, visitors
and staff. Both galleries have an audience who have not necessarily chosen to attend
the exhibitions and will be able to view the images as the use they hospital corridors.
Decisions about the programme of exhibitions will be made by the Great Western
Hospital Arts Committee (of hospital staff and patient representation).
Criteria for content of all exhibitions
 Engaging and appealing to a wide public audience
 Positive and inspirational
 Non-offensive; no explicit language or nudity; nothing that could be considered
blasphemous or insulting by any cultural or religious group; no violent or
aggressive themes or imagery
 Art focused as opposed to promotion or marketing
The content of exhibitions does not need to be related to health care and it is not
appropriate to show images of illness, injury or similar themes which could cause
distress to patients, visitors and staff.
Length of exhibitions
The usual length of any exhibition is 3 months.
Hanging
Pictures must be ready for hanging and framed in line with Health and Safety and Fire
regulations (unless agreed otherwise by the Exhibition Organiser/Art Committee
Administrator). Frame fixtures must be mirror plates where possible – fixed on either
side of the picture to ensure the safe and secure installation of your work.
Transportation
The artist will be responsible for transportation of artwork to and from the hospital and
the wrapping of work if required
Charges
There is no charge to the artists to exhibit.
Sale of artwork
If the artist wishes to sell his/her artwork, the artist should provide information and
contact details to the Art Committee Administrator. The commission charged by the Art
Committee is 20% of the sale price, which goes to support the charitable trust which
runs The Gallery and supports art across the hospital.
Insurance
Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust cannot be responsible for the loss, theft
or damage to artworks. Artists must make their own insurance arrangements if felt
necessary
How
How to
to apply
apply for
for exhibition
exhibition
Please
contact
the
Please contact the Art
Art Committee
Committee Administrator
Administrator by
by emailing
emailing rose.leather@gwh.nhs.uk.
rose.leather@gwh.nhs.uk.
Artists
will
be
asked
to
submit
images
of
the
actual
work
they
Artists will be asked to submit images of the actual work they wish
wish to
to exhibit
exhibit for
for
consideration
by
the
Art
Committee
(if
digital
images
are
not
available
consideration by the Art Committee (if digital images are not available please
please provide
provide
hard
copy
photographs
no
larger
than
A4)
hard copy photographs no larger than A4)
Thank
for your interest.
The Artyou
Committee
will aim to give a decision within 8 weeks; however, there may be a
wait for a date when the gallery is available.
Thank you for your interest.