Support the art of excellence at Holton Lee (From Bournemouth Echo)

Support the art of excellence at Holton Lee

9:00am Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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I am writing following your story about the (hopefully temporary) closure of respite facilities at Holton Lee (Daily Echo, March 13).

Alongside the wonderful respite facilities and fully accessible holiday accommodation, Holton Lee provides a national centre of excellence for inclusive arts facilities.

It is home to an internationally award-winning gallery, Faith House, similarly award-winning artists’ studios and other fine art and craft facilities.

It also currently houses the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive, where I have been lucky enough to be artist-in-residence since 2006.

I was particularly glad to be appointed to this position because I had already heard about the very special atmosphere of Holton Lee from many other disabled people and artists who had all derived enormous benefits from staying there.

Readers may remember my science-themed exhibition at Bournemouth Library, Abnormal, which took place this time last year.

Being based part-time at Holton Lee has enabled me to explore my first love, landscape work, in their 350 acres of fully accessible nature reserve. As with many other disabled artists, Holton Lee has enabled me to produce some of my very best work, at the same time as giving me more independence than I have in any other environment.

All of this is due to the extremely hard work over many years by a team of committed staff, trustees and most importantly of all, volunteers.

I know that I speak for the national disability arts community when I say that Holton Lee is well worth the support of funders, both private and public, and should be a source of pride for the whole community.

Dr Ju Gosling, Kildare Road, London