Keep Art it

COMMUNITY ART Keep Art It! A gallery inside The Galleries written by //Kabbo Hue Ferdinand

Ifound a curious case the other day and could not help but appreciate the irony in it. I was walking around

The Galleries shopping centre and found an art gallery, Keep Art It inside. I found it peculiar, walked inside, loved it and now I’m a resident artist preparing for an exhibition in January 2022.

Well, this story is not about me[sic]. It’s about how an artist visioned, dreamed, seeked, planned and created an opportunity for himself and other artists. He’s now living his dream and running a vibrant, eclectic, multidisciplinary arts gallery stocked with amazing artists’ paintings, sculptures and, of course, me. All jokes aside, here’s a few words from the visionary himself. All photos were taken by Douglas. in general. Keep Art It was born as a beacon to share the inherent good that art creates in a world that is so full of pain.

What is the state of the Arts scene now?

The art scene post pandemic is, like most things, in massive flux. This is scary but also an amazing opportunity to re-write the rules of the game. I am so excited to see so many people engaging with art for the first time. A lot of people turned to creation during the pandemic as a way to deal with anxiety and help their mental health. Additionally, as so much business is in flux, high streets are suffering, it is a great time for art and makers to shine like beacons of hope on what can be done to fix and add value to some of these pressing issues.

Tell us about Keep Art It.

I am Douglas Karson. I am the founder and director of Keep Art It. KAI has the simple mission of sharing art with as many people as possible. Making art has helped me heal, cope and hope through the worst times of the pandemic and my life

Why The Galleries for your gallery?

The Galleries is perfect for the location and opportunity it offers in an opportune time. The management team, led by David Wait, has been unbelievably supportive and they need us as much as we need them.

We give fresh life to unused spaces, fresh vision to unimagined possibilities and hope where there was once despair. What inspires you to do this work? I am passionate about art. You should see my house! It is floor to ceiling full of colour and life. I want to make the world better through art. I want to see creators back on the high street. It’s a love of mine, seeing artists make their living doing what they love.

Dream for the future?

Keep Art It works and is beautiful. It is a way to see the community engaged and gives artists a voice and space to create. I dream of a Keep Art It that grows nationally but keeps the local flavour of the artists in the area who populate it. Imagine a Keep Art It Photos where photographers work in the shop and provide services to the Keep Art It Gallery painters.

What exciting news is coming up?

We have loads of exciting plans and aim to host many more. By the time this goes to print we would have hosted a successful book launch for the fantastic poet Helen Shepard. That will be live streamed on September 30th. We are super excited as it will be our first launch event and hope it will set us on a glorious path. Then, we will host an amazing solo arts performance by Andrew Burns Colwill. We are thrilled and honoured to have such a high profile and talented artist choosing our platform to launch his next series of brilliant works on the 2'nd of October for three weeks.

How to get involved?

We are constantly looking for new ideas. So if you have any, bring it forward and we’ll collaborate! We are also looking for volunteers to man the shop, engage with the public, run workshops and more. Or just pop in, come enjoy some of the amazing art, music and we can even share a cuppa. One of our key aims is to run workshops that will encourage the public to engage in and create art. We’ve started this process every Friday 1pm-4pm with our ‘Drop in Art Friday’s’. It is free and anybody is welcome. See you there soon! Please spread the word through liking, following, commenting and sharing on our socials @keepartit to stay informed and engaged! Did you spot any typos or errors? Fancy proof reading for vocalise? if so please get in touch... your support would be appreciated. info@vocalisemagazine.org

Then we will be having the tattooed traffic warden. An amazing artist we are thrilled to endorse for his first major show namely, Nathan Kitchen. And then of course we have you, //Kabbo Hue at in January next year taking over the space to create some amazing works and performances with artists and the public, the fantastic storyteller that you are. (Me, blushing)