ESSEX SUMMER OF ART
Essex is celebrating its annual Summer of Art, which was launched in 2009 as a countywide showcase of art across Essex. Local artists will be exhibiting their work on Art Trails in the county in rural, coastal and urban settings.
Taking place from May 2010 to October 2010 Summer of Art encourages people to visit the Essex art trails and explore the landscapes that have inspired generations of artists.
Business Support
Essex FSB is supporting the Essex Summer of Art by encouraging businesses to participate and display works of art by local artists on their business premises.
Essex FSB supports the Art Trails as part of the 
Keep Trade Local Campaign.
The following towns are participating in the Essex Summer of Art:
Basildon
2010 sees the launch of the first Basildon District Art Trail which runs from Thursday 16 September 2010 until Monday 20 September 2010.
The trail was organised by a group of artists who were concerned about the limited exhibiting opportunities in the District.
Artists will be showcasing their work and promoting their practice throughout the district, including Basildon town centre, Barleylands, The Fold, Billericay and Wickford. There will also be a range of different art events featured throughout the trail.
Visitors will be encouraged to enjoy a variety of different artwork featured in local businesses and the public art that Basildon town centre has to offer. There will be a variety of original artwork for sale.
More details from Kymberley
Braintree
‘Windows' is a celebration of visual arts activity in and around the Braintree district which runs from Saturday 03 July 2010 until Sunday 11 July 2010.
It provides a unique opportunity to see the range of artwork being carried out in the area.
More than 30 venues, including shops, cafes and public places, are showcasing the work of local artists, many of whom have responded to the industrial history in the district and the broad theme of ‘Windows'.
This theme has been chosen to reflect the important local heritage of the Crittall Window Company, as well as the fact that much of the work will be exhibited in shop windows.
The trail is organised by Braintree District Arts with George Yard Shopping Centre, and curated by Elaine Tribley.
Brentwood
The Brentwood Art Trail, which runs from Sunday 30May 2010 until Sunday 13 June 2010, has been developed to bring together local artists, talented young people and local businesses, to create an arts experience whereby local people's art can be recognised and appreciated, and people from all over Essex can enjoy what art and culture Brentwood has to offer.
The scheme aims to bring local people's art into local public places for all the community to enjoy.
For more information contact Lucy Gill, Culture, Community and Youth Development Officer at Brentwood Council on 01277 312645.
Burnham-on-Crouch
Artwork is on show at venues throughout the town from Saturday 19 June 2010 until Sunday 27 June 2010 and includes those in private gardens and at artists' own studios, with all venues being within easy walking distance.
Copies of the 2009 Art Trail Guide can be picked at the Library, Tourist Information Centre or Burnham Museum.
Chelmsford
Chelmsford Art Trail which runs from Saturday 11 September 2010 to Sunday 26 September 2010 to attract more customers to their stores.
The trail is being masterminded by Chelmsford Borough Council and Interior Angle Art Design Gallery, working in collaboration with Activate - Chelmsford's visual arts group. Interior Angle aims to encourage active collaborations between local, independent artists and businesses, as well as showcase hidden local talent within their gallery.
More details are available from Chelmsford Borough Council's Arts Development Officer, Amy Mountney .
Businesses are being inviited to participate in this project.
Download details on how businesses can be involved in Chelmsford Art Trail here
Leigh-on-Sea
The Leigh Art Trail, which runs from Saturday 12 June 2010 until Sunday 20 June 2010, features more than 40 local artists the event is now in its 14th year.
It was originally established in 1997 by a group of local contemporary artists as a showcase for the prolific artistic talents at work in the town of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.
Maldon
Stroll around Maldon from Saturday 18 September 2010 until Sunday 26 September 2010 on the Maldon Art Trail to take in this exciting, informal display of artwork by more than 50 local artists.
From shops and cafés to public buildings and art galleries, the venues are as diverse as the work itself, which ranges from paintings, pen-and-ink drawings and photographs, to sculptures, stained glass, textiles and collage.
Pick up a programme from Maldon Tourist Information Centre and plan your route around the numbered venues.
Rochford
The Rochford Art Trail, which runs from Saturday 23 October 2010 until Sunday 31 October 2010, brings together a diverse range of artworks, created by experienced artists, alongside community artists and local art groups working to promote health, well-being and community learning.
A selection of businesses, cafés and public venues will open their doors as temporary gallery spaces, for members of the public to view the breadth of Rochford talent, with artworks including paintings, photographs, prints, sculpture and crafts. Other activities include workshops for children, families and young people, linked in with The Big Draw initiative, and a launch event at Rochford Library.
The Rochford Art Trail follows a route around the charming and historic market town of Rochford.
More details from Roxie Curry.
Westcliff-on-Sea
The Westcliff Art Trail, which runs from Friday 14 May 2009 until Saturday 22 May 2009 and is centred on the Hamlet Court Road area, aims to raise awareness of art in a population which might not otherwise visit art exhibitions and to encourage outsiders to explore the area, bringing business to the many restaurants, cafes and shops.
Above all, the Trail aims to showcase work by local artists allowing the viewing public to enjoy art in a familiar, convenient setting and to discover that they may purchase an original piece for a modest outlay.
More information from Jane Sealy.
Latest News
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Comments
If you have comments on this issue please send your views to Essex FSB Development Manager, Keith Brown.