the greenhouse is the Guernsey Arts Commission’s dedicated space committed to the nurture, cultivation and exhibition of ideas and projects. As a non-commercial space the greenhouse has the opportunity to bring the more unique and innovative to Guernsey.

Centrally located in the Guernsey Information Centre (where the Arts
Development Team Offices are housed), the greenhouse remains focused on providing a diverse programme while also giving the opportunity, through a far reaching workshop programme, to increase participation in a wide range of arts activities.

If you would like to discuss a potential project / exhibition for
the greenhouse please do contact the Arts Development Team via:
info@arts.gg or telephone (01481) 709747.

the greenhouse
Guernsey Information Centre
North Esplanade
St Peter Port
GY1 2LQ

Opening hours:

Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm,
Saturday 10am – 12:30pm
Free Admission

Next Exhibition

Dictating the Style

17th February – 30th March

This Design Matters exhibition is an exploraton through the work of internationally acclaimed set-designer Maurice Strike. “Styles will vary according to the chemistry of the setting, budget and people involved……As an actor, director or designer, we are all servants of the play; with respect, the interpretation of the play will dictate the style.” Maurice Strike, Dec 2011

There are six productions that the Dictating the Style exhibition focuses on:

• 1963: Colombe by Jean Anouilh – First production by Maurice Strike which was staged at the Wimbledon School of Art
• 1965:The Lower Depths by Maxim Gorky – Wimbledon School of Art
• 1971: Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll – Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg, Canada
• 1975: Coppélia – National Ballet of Canada (Toronto, New York, London, European Tour)
• 1981: Past of the Future – National Ballet School at the St Lawrence Arts Centre, Toronto, Canada
• 1982: The Wonderful Lamp – Polka’s Children’s Theatre, Wimbledon

 Also featured are the more recent ecclesiastical designs that Maurice did for the altar frontals and vestments for Wells Cathedral.  

This exhibition is the latest in the series of Design Matters projects in the greenhouse . It is the first time that this series, which explores how art and design work together, has looked at costume and set design and the GAC is delighted to have someone of the calibre of Maurice Strike who has worked professionally in this field for many years.  “With over 120 productions and projects designed over the past 50 years in several countries, this exhibition is an opportunity for me to see the broad sweep and direction of one’s life. At times productions have been wildly romantic and gothic, others have been earthed in the joy and suffering of people. I have strived over the years to bring a little joy and colour into people’s lives.” Maurice Strike, December 2011

Maurice Strike was based for more than ten years in Canada where he worked with the National Ballet School and was instrumental in setting up the Shaw Theatre at Niagara on the Lake in Ontario.  “Thankfully dreams have been fulfilled in the building of a theatre in Niagara, in designing operas, ballet, musicals and plays but also in church re-ordering, ecclesiastical design, drama and liturgy. It has all been a great privilege.” Maurice is currently the Rector for St Pierre due Bois and Torteval.

A slide show of a wider example of Maurice Strike’s work will form part of the Dictating the Style exhibition in the greenhouse which runs until Friday 30^th March 2012.

Lecture on Theatre Design on Tuesday 21^st February at the Frossard Theatre, Candie Museum, St Peter Port. Start time 7:30pm. Admission Free

Previous Exhibitions

POST-CHRISTMAS celebrateD four decades of Guernsey’s striking Christmas stamp collections and is part of the Design Matters series.

Every year since 1969 the Guernsey Post Office has commissioned a series of stamps to coincide with Christmas that have gained a following from collectors and enthusiasts around the world.

The exhibition was timed to coincide with the publication of the 2011 edition Winter Wonderland which featured photography of local landmarks and the Alderney set of stamps entitled An Alderney Winter Wonderland.

As well as the new editions you were able to see a selection of original artworks from the past four decades of Christmas stamps.

10 of the Best

9th September – 5th November

This exhibition will take a look at 10 of the Best pieces of art from Guernsey’s school’s final year art shows.

The selection has been made by Arts and Visual Culture graduate Justiene Boughey and features a range of works from paintings and photographs to illustrations and videos.

The exhibition will give the artists a chance to show off their work to a wider audience beyond their schools and colleges as well as giving them the opportunity to experience of being involved in a gallery based show.

We’ve Got It Covered

14 April – 29 August 2011

This exhibition, coincides with the first Guernsey Literary Festival and focuses on the Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

The phenomenal success of this book, worldwide, has led to a vast range of versions being published internationally and in this exhibition we are gathering together as many of the editions as possible and showcasing the very different dust jackets that have been produced.

We are working closely with the UK publishers Bloomsbury and have launched a Design a Dust Jacket competition with the students at the Colleges and the winning entries will also be on display.

As well as the displays there will be editions from around the world to pick up and handle and the author’s daughter is lending part of her collection.

See more photos to get a taster of the exhibition on the Guernsey Arts Commission’s Facebook page.

Reclassified

29 January – 31 March 2011

The latest exhibition in the Guernsey Arts Commission’s Design Matters series of shows which looks at the work of creatives both on and off the island. Reclassified is curated by Adam Roberts who has invited graphic designers from Guernsey and the UK to redesign a classified advert from our very own Guernsey Press. The artists (given just one month) re-imagined how the text from a classified ad could be reinvented as a portrait-sized A4 artwork. The results are now on show at the greenhouse along with an innovative newspaper style ‘catalogue’. Please visit and let us know what your think in the Visitors’ Book.

White Christmas

19 November – 24 January 2011

Commissioner and artist Eric Snell was invited to curate our latest exhibition. For this he asked artists, architects, photographers and designers from around the world, to make an artwork based on ‘White Christmas’. Each invitee received a small 5 inch square primed canvas and had just one month to complete and return their work. The exhibition White Christmas is an exciting snapshot of the variety of current practice being explored in the visual arts.

Uncharted Island

17 September – 5 November 2010

The Uncharted Island exhibition was a collection of artworks that used mapping techniques and concepts to investigate the island of Guernsey. Thirteen artists based in Guernsey and elsewhere produced work specifically for the show in response to an invitation to make a ‘map’ of the island.

RIBA Downland Prize 2009

9 July 2010 – 8 September 2010

The RIBA Downland Prize was a selection of the shortlisted Architectural Projects to be considered for the winning project of the 2009 RIBA Downland Prize.

Andy Goldsworthy

Exhibition of Drawings

10 June 2010 – 5 July 2010

This exhibition by renowned British artist, Andy Goldsworthy was a collection of 33 of his drawings relating to his large scale Alderney Stones Project. These fascinating drawings are made using the clay found in Alderney.

Photomarathon Exhibition

6 Hours, 12 Topics, 1 Shot

14 May 2010 – 31 May 2010

This exhibition was the result of a 6 hour photography competition which took place on the May Bank Holiday, Monday 3 May. 80 Contestants had 6 hours to take 12 pictures on topics that were given to them in groups of 4 every 2 hours. Contestants were only allowed 1 photo per topic and the use of digital cameras were not allowed.