Sensory art for everyone this Summer in Jephson Gardens
Free, large-scale art installations are coming to Leamington Spa this summer for families to see, experience and enjoy.
From 17th July in Jephson Gardens, local artist Julia Snowdin will create ‘Summer Spot’ – two colourful, playful spaces that allow audiences of all ages and needs to explore, use their imagination and discover art in an accessible way.
The artist, Julia, is committed to inclusivity, working closely with children who have additional needs. For this installation, she collaborated with Evergreen School in Warwick, running a series of workshops with the children that encourged them to think about what would make art accessible to all.
“There just aren’t enough cultural offerings around that are accessible to everyone. The shape of Summer Spot has been designed specifically with the reachability of wheelchairs in mind, and there are ‘closed’ areas for children who might like to interact with art away from others, in their own ‘space’,” says Julia.
Open 7 days a week when the gardens are open, the exhibits are free. There will also be a ‘Play Worker’ on hand to support visitors each day, and also free, bookable workshops that will run every Thursday during the seven week installation.
In 2022, Julia created Dot Domes which formed a major part of Leamington’s Art in the Park festival. It was an accessible and immersive installation enabling audiences to be transported to their own colourful universe through imaginative play with colours and shapes. This new installation encompasses elements of Dot Domes and will also be open throughout Art in the Park 2023.
Speaking of her work, Julia said “I create unexpected and unimaginable spaces for communities, families, friends and strangers to come together for a shared experience and to leave with a story. I’m excited to be able to create this world of exploration and fun again for summer 2023 and for visitors to Art in the Park.”
Sustainability is important within Julia’s designs. She works with the manufacturers to understand the lifecycle of all materials she uses, as well as using locally-borrowed materials and fabrics from her previous art pieces. Funding dependent, Summer Spot will be hopefully gifted to a school at the end of the summer so that children can enjoy it as a permanent structure in their own space.
Summer Spot is open for visitors during Jephson Gardens’ opening hours, 17th July to 3rd September (Play Worker on hand 10.30am–5.30pm). It is free and unticketed, drop-in any time. Schools can arrange a visit during the first week of the installation by emailing julia@juliasnowdin.co.uk. Book tickets for the workshops via Ticket Tailor.
