Digswell Arts Trust - 50th Anniversary Heritage Exhibition
An exciting exhibition is coming to the Letchworth Museum from 29th November 2008-3rd January 2009. Digswell Arts Trust is a dynamic arts charity which has a long and distinguished history supporting arts and artists in the community. The exhibition describes the history of the Trust and its artistic activity illustrated with screens and photographs of artists and some of their art work. The exhibition is part of a project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund that enabled the Trust to research and catalogue their 50 year archive (1957-2007) now stored at Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS) at County Hall Hertford and produce a DVD-rom designed for secondary schools which gives details of the artists and the many community activities the Trust has supported. The DVD-rom includes interviews with artists and film and TV material produced about the Trust.
The Trust was set up in the late 1950’s by the educationalist and creative entrepreneur Henry Morris. From his passion and love for the arts, came the start of creative careers for over 200 artists who have had fellowships with the Trust since 1957. Henry Morris also at the time had good relations with the artist Henry Moore, who played an important role at the early stages of the Trust, offering advice and support for the then next generation of sculptors. Originally the artists lived and worked at Digswell House (a grade II listed building), in Welwyn Garden City, making good use of the space, which also housed their families. At the beginning of the 1980’s the artist’s had to leave the house after the New Towns Commission realised the value of the house and land and it was sold off for refurbishment as apartments.
For some of the artists this gave them the opportunity to work in a studio setting in the old Attimore Hall Barn (another listed building) also in Welwyn Garden City and later the Trust were able to negotiate another building in 1993 at Fairlands Valley Farmhouse from Stevenage Borough Council. The Trust left the Attimore Hall Barn in 2006 but successfully moved into purpose built studios in the village of Digswell, generously provided by English Partnerships. Many now distinguished artists started their careers with Digswell Arts Trust such as: the late Michael Andrews RA, John Brunsdon, Hans Coper, Peter Collingwood, Elizabeth Fritsch, John Mills, Astrid Zydower, Mike Davis, Ralph Brown RA. John Wragg RA. The touring exhibition gives local people the opportunity to view some of the Trust’s archive and artists work that has been and is being shown at various venues within Hertfordshire.
Letchworth Museum, Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, is next to the Public Library, and open from 10am - 5pm daily (except Wed and Sun). Admission Free. For further information contact Letchworth Museum
