Launching on June 14, the Fresh Air Sculpture Show, located in Quenington at The Old Rectory, will open its doors for the last time.
Founded in 1992 by David and Lucy Abel Smith, this biennial event has become a fixture in the British art and garden calendar.
This year’s show, running until July 5, celebrates its history with a carnival-themed ‘last blast’ finale.
To honour the show’s legacy, representative sculptors from each of the last 17 editions will return, creating a cross-generational line-up, including Sally de Courcy, Steve Messam, Daniel Chadwick, Sally Fawkes and Richard Jackson, Ruth Moiliet and Carol Peace.
The exhibition has been guided by the curatorial expertise of Stephanie Cushing, a seasoned marble sculptor from the Cotswolds.
The Pool House Gallery is back and will feature a wide-ranging edit of British craft, including both new and previous artists, under the stewardship of Tracey Burgoyne.
The ECCO! initiative – Encouraging Children to Collect (art) Objects – also makes a return, providing young visitors with an opportunity to buy original small works and artist sketches at accessible prices.
Visitors can eat at the show with Josser, a roaming restaurant helmed by Ols Halas and Amber White, serving seasonal menus with produce sourced from The Old Rectory’s organic vegetable garden.
On June 25, there will be the Sculpture Supper evening, with an allotment-led menu and music, plus a garden tour by Ms Abel Smith.
The Fresh Air Sculpture Show is collaborating with the Quenington Sculpture Trust, hosting school workshops and supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special abilities.
The trust’s initiatives also include a schools sculpture competition in partnership with Gallery of the Giants.
All proceeds from the exhibition, catalogue and Pool House Gallery sales will go to support the Quenington Sculpture Trust, sustaining artist opportunities and education long after the garden gates close.
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