The Wooden Box Gallery
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The new independent Artist led gallery at 92 High Street, Ramsgate, Kent -
Just down the road from the train station, you'll pass us as you walk to the beach!
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We opened in December 2022, turning an empty shop into a nice sparkly white box of a gallery; complete with good lighting, an easy to use hanging system and delightfully flat walls!
When we first thought about opening a gallery in Ramsgate, we knew it was important to us to create an environment that was relaxed yet professional & that comfortably bridges the gap between creatives of all abilities & backgrounds, ways of working & reasons for working. We wanted all artists to feel inspired to show their work, promote their work & sell their work. Equally important for us, was that we wanted the gallery to be a welcoming place for visitors to experience a wide range of quality work, styles & themes all easily accessible on the High Street.
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The WBG is a living, breathing work in progress; evolving as we learn what works, what is needed, what is possible and most importantly what feels interesting!
We welcome discussions & applications from all creatives & we thrive on new ideas, unlikely partnerships, interesting collaborations & weird friendships that happen when artists, makers, writers, curators, researchers & visitors share time & space together; all with different skills, questions to ask & stories to tell.
Everyone is treated the same & if the work is good, then that is good enough for us!
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The 9.5mL x 5.5mW x 2.5mH space has 4 main walls, 4 moveable walls (optional) & a large High Street frontage, all of which can be utilised to create the best space for showing a wide range of work whether that be paintings, sculpture, installation, performance, projection or video.
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The Gallery space can be hired as a whole, 1 wall or artist's can apply to be part of our themed Artist Open Call shows that we hold throughout the year. Hire periods usually last for 7 or 14 days, although this can be longer if required & we accept applications for shows from individuals, collaborations, groups & touring shows.
The gallery space can also be hired for photography/videography shoots & performances or utilised as a communal space for workshops, events, meetings, focus groups and Artist's Talks. Plus there is a private space for vlogging, podcasts and counselling/therapy sessions as well.
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We are also very proud to be able to provide Curators with a blank canvas in gallery form, so if you have a plan, an idea or a bit of dream to create & curate a show of your choosing, where you get to call the shots & your creative decisions become a reality for audiences to enjoy & engage with; then please get in touch to discuss how we can support you in making your ideas a reality.
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As the sister company to The Wooden Box Cafe (across the road) we can easily cater for your events or offer your guests coffee house refreshments.
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All the 2022 exhibition spaces are taken but the 2023/2024 diary is now open.
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With special focus & the spotlight on young* talent, the WBG offers opportunities to help young* artists, curators & researchers as they learn their craft & understand their own ways of planning, producing, exhibiting & developing their work. We use the term *young not just as a marker of age but rather as a marker of attitude, energy, curiosity & hope. Therefore, alongside the students of local schools & colleges, we welcome applications for exhibitions & projects from creatives of any age & experience who have the desire to make & show novel, dynamic work.
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As working artists, we know it is easy to be confident & driven by your own creativity when you are established, connected or successful. So we try where possible to champion & support artists who are starting out, working in secret or are yet to have found what they feel are like-minded people.
Equally, for those who feel that they have lost their flow, their edge or inspiration & maybe in need of individual or group support to overcome or understand their creative or expressive blocks; please come in for a chat & see if we can help you. We don't promise to have all the answers but if we cannot help we might be able to signpost you other groups, classes, networks or professionals that may be better equipped to help.
Also, for artists who want to challenge themselves to be brave, unapologetic, uncensored & authentic in their creative or personal journey; whether driven by self expression, mastering skills, overcoming hardships or fulfilling a creative urge then again please get in touch & we can see what we can do together to reset your art practice.
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People ask why the name "The Wooden Box" ?
Many important, personal & precious things have been kept in a wooden box; a container made from a once living tree; chosen, felled, cut & crafted. Deeds of houses, Wills, Marriage Certificates, family photos, love letters, children's first drawings & locks of hair, all kept together within a wooden box. Delicate fruits, when ripe are placed within wooden boxes for protection & transportation to market. Fancy pants wine is laid down in a humble wooden box, affording it time for change and maturity. However, all that being said; we all, will end up in a wooden box of one kind or another.
The name The Wooden Box Gallery serves as a exultant reminder, that what we do before we end up in that final wooden box is very special, exciting and up to US!
Rebekah Sunshine
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