Collaborating organisations' feedback for The Other Side Gallery

Quotes from Collaborating Organisations

Maria Bertha, Community Focus	The gallery, you are proposing, would be of great interest for our members, many of whom have difficulty in visiting or exhibiting in galleries, as they are rarely wheelchair accessible. We work with many individuals as well as voluntary and statuary organisations most of whom would welcome the opportunity to exhibit their client's work at public venues. We wish you all the best with your gallery project and hope to be involved with is development.

Keith Simmonds Arts Coordinator Artscope	I write to give my full support to your new initiative to provide a much needed arts resource for artmakers with mental health problems, physical or sensory disabilities, learning difficulties and others disadvantaged or excluded from society. London has a wealth of provision for mainstream arts, but artmakers working outside of this arena, are often excluded or find it extremely problematic to access high quality arts services. For organisations like Artscope, who have been representing artmakers with disabilities for seven years, it is our belief that resources like that proposed by The Other Side Gallery, are much in demand and would fill a much needed gap in current arts provision.

Nichola Charalambon General Manager Action Space	It is a wonderful idea and something that Action Space has been talking about recently.

Mary Oley Art Psychotherapist Pine Street Day Centre	Vitally important to expand notions of what is 'acceptable' in art. This forum would provide a voice for the many people making art within excluded institutions enabling them to frame and reframe their experiences of art and being heard in a more fundamental way. A very exciting platform.

Simon Powell Hackney 180°	I am writing to give my full encouragement and support to The Other Side Gallery venture, a project which I feel 100% underpins the work I am trying to do at Hackney 180° - Hackney's last remaining day centre for the homeless - where I run the arts project, collectively called Vision Impossible. The art studio is particularly busy, nurturing, in total, the creative talents of about 20 artists. Besides being successful in terms of quality of output the studio is also commercially successful in that we are continually locating markets for the work and making significant sales (originals and prints). The success that we are most proud of is in the development and improvement of the lives of those that engage with the project. There is no doubt that there is increased self-esteem, a stronger sense of purpose and motivation and a general betterment in the overall mental health of the studio users. An essential element of this process is the selling of work, which validates the artists. They are not just being encouraged by staff at Hackney 180° (which is part of the job description and which all concerned would expect) but they are, by the way of sales, being concretely supported and encouraged by the wider community too. Sales particularly give huge amounts of esteem to the artists and being involved in the economic side of things encourages self-reliance and self-dependance. The Other Side Gallery is perhaps the only forum that recognises the success of our programme and then is able to promote the artists, including selling the artists' work, which goes such a long way to promoting their mental well-being, continued progress and personal transformation. Hackney 180° would like to offer its support to The Other Side Gallery recognising the potential for extremely productive partnership.

Ben Neal Arts Facilitator The Creativity Centre	This initiative, which originated from the Creativity Centre users themselves, has a great potential for positive change for the artists who use The Gallery's facilities From my experience the difference for a user when they have exhibited, and particularly if they sell a painting, is huge. There is a positive effect on their self confidence, self-worth and there is renewed energy to their creativity and output. So for the users of The Creativity Centre and other organisations to have access to a gallery that is dedicated to their needs and that actively promotes their work on an equal footing to the work shown in other commercial galleries is essential.

George Alderson Islington Mental Health Forum	We strongly support the founding of a gallery in North London, to promote and show the work of people with mental health problems, and socially excluded groups. The gallery would enable the artist to have a wider audience, and also do much to counter the negative images and stigma that can surround this group of people. It would encourage a wider participation in the arts involving the community, and hopefully breakdown some of the social barriers that prohibit those with mental health problems from integrating with the wider community as a whole. We feel these activities would encourage them to lead valid and valuable lives. It would also create voluntary/employment/training/opportunities, which the forum would welcome and fully support.

Adrian Chappell, Director, Arts Learning Partnership	Art works created by those labeled 'Outsider Artist' have traditionally been ignored in this country. A gallery dedicated to their needs and aspirations, which also supports them in their professional, artistic development seems an excellent idea.

Rt Hon Chris Smith MP	Thank you very much for writing to me about your project to establish a Gallery to promote, foster and exhibit "Outsider Art". This is a very exciting initiative, and I want to send you my very best wishes for its success. There is huge benefit to be derived from art that comes from outside the mainstream of society - both for those creating the art and for everyone else who can enjoy it. Good luck with your initiative.

	Feedback for Web Site Residencies
Simon Powell Arts Coordinator Hackney 180°	The residency was very professionally run. It has empowered the artists considerably. The business cards are a great idea. Karin very professional in organising the sessions. The website is a brilliant idea. There is no gallery space specialising in marginalized artists most of whom are unable to self-promote. The website does this job, allowing many artists - as talented as most of those within the contemporary art scene – to show their work and generate interest. The feedback from the artists was enthusiasm, excitement, pride and praise. At least 2 are talking about taking further courses (one a degree course) as a direct response to the confidence and esteem generated by seeing themselves and their work on the website.

Amanda Whittle Studio Manager Studio Upstairs	People were very impressed by the efficiency of delivering of the service. Would like other opportunities to see you again – some people missed you. Very impressed by standard of website, business cards. Karin very approachable and friendly.

Keith Simmonds, Arts Coordinator Artscope	The support was essential to make sure all was achieved, particularly photographing the work. The website is clear and accessible, this is really important for the artists to navigate the site. It has worked as an excellent introduction to using the web. All the feedback from the artists has been positive.

Deborah Foley Outcome Islington MIND	Very Good all very proud to have art on Internet and especially to have business cards etc.

Esmeralda Arts Worker Hackney 180°	I thought that the residency was very successful all the clients were excited about the project. It was well organised. The website is a good medium to promote the work of the artist; it’s a good idea. Everyone is happy with the residency. They love having their own cards; it gives an air of professionalism.

Alistair Roberts Freelance Art Facilitator Islington MIND	Karin was very friendly and accommodating there was a very strong response here. The website is simple to use, easy to negotiate, direct and visually impressive.

Nancy Willis Workshop Leader Weekend Academy	It is a great project. Karin took time to explain to the group and to each individual student/artist how the website works and she showed what their work would look like using a laptop computer. The website is easy to use and the students'/artists' work looks beautiful. Taking part in this project was a positive experience for the students - their is a sense of pride in what has been achieved individually and as a group.

Eliana Ferraris Project Activities Worker St Mungo's Housing Association	I think that the residencies has a really positive impact on the general well being if the residents. Many residents have got traveling issues, but thanks to the residencies they have been able to display their own art work to the general public, without having to travel to another venue. The website is great! It is easy to use and shows the variety of art work that these artists are able to produce as well as their amazing skills. By having a chance to display their art work to the general public on this web site resident's self confidence, artistic creativity and sense of inclusion have incredibly improved. Residents have enjoyed the residencies and appreciate the opportunity they have been given. The business cards are a great idea and Karin's positive and encouraging attitude is admirable.

Andrzej Wdowiak Centre Manager Holy Cross Centre	A very impressive scheme. The idea is very good and simplifies the process of exhibiting art works. Because of the way it is organised it removes barriers that some of our service users could not pass before. I hope the scheme continues and operate the way it does at the moment. People generally feel encouraged to create more art; this often contributes to a more positive approach to life.

Jennifer Burnham Capital A St Mungo's Argyle Street	This was a great occasion for artists at St Mungo's Argyle Street. They were dynamised! This kind of contact (purposeful) with sympathetic outsiders (outside the hostel environment) is the best thing that can happen and the best therapy they could have. The website is excellent and well managed. We are starting a magazine and having digital images on disc (supplied to each client by The Other Side Galley) will help this project. We all look forward to a real gallery! The personal business cards supplied are much appreciated and seeing work on the computer impressed everyone. Someone will be sending images to his father (sad that so few have anyone to send them to). Everyone liked Karin and everyone in our artgroup participated.