About Us
The E17 Art Trail is an artist led project which provides a framework for E17's and Waltham Forest's artists and makers to exhibit and promote their work and art practice. It was started in 2005 by two Walthamstow artists who wanted to find a way to help motivate and strengthen the local artistic community as well as find interesting and creative solutions to the shortage of dedicated arts spaces.
2012 will be our 8th year and the E17 Art Trail is firmly established on the cultural calendar for Waltham Forest. Last year, Walthamstow really outdid itself: 10 days, 160 venues, 300 exhibitions and over 1200 artists and contributors we are looking forward to seeing what 2012 brings.
The trail founding artists now work with a team of people to deliver the E17 Art Trail under the umbrella of Artillery.
Utilising every possible space as a venue, art can be found in galleries and museums, in shop windows, streets and alley ways, restaurants, cafes and pubs, trees and hedgerows, aviaries, on rooftops, places of worship and schools, in gardens, in sheds, artist studios and artists homes. The art forms you will find are equally diverse, including; architecture, ceramics, craft, design, drawing, dance, film and video, installation, live arts, music, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, puppetry, sculpture, spoken word and textiles...
What takes place during the E17 Art Trail is determined by the participants. There is an open submission process and the whole community can take part in whatever way suits their artwork. Artists use this annual event to show new work, test out ideas, improve portfolios and update websites. Having the E17 Art Trail deadline to work to is an important motivation helping prepare work ready for future opportunities. Professional artists value the opportunity to show work in their locality. Local residents take part through many exhibitions organised by community groups, faith groups and social clubs. Adult education programmes use this opportunity to showcase their students work and courses to new audiences. Schools adorn their perimeter fences. Businesses move stock aside to make space for artworks. Public buildings and residential homes open their doors to the general public. Neighbours encounter artist studios in their street, enjoy an excuse for conversation and, lets be honest, a nose in each others houses!
Artillery aims to create more opportunities for visual arts in the area, continuing to establish ongoing relationships between artists, audiences and business and supporting the local network of artists that has grown up around the E17 Art Trail.
www.artillery.org.uk
