The West Downs Gallery

The West Downs Gallery

Creativity is highly valued at the University. We are immensely proud of the extensive and diverse art collection on display in our buildings and throughout our grounds.

Much of our art collection dates back to the days of King Alfred's College when we delivered teacher training courses with specialisms in art. We continue to commission and collect works of art, and we work to support emerging local and regional artists. A rolling programme of exhibitions by contemporary artists is organised within our gallery.

The West Downs Gallery is sited within the West Downs Centre on Romsey Road, our flagship campus developmentd. The Gallery hosts a programme of exhibitions across the year, and aims to show creative work of the highest quality to inspire debate and participation between creative professionals, academics, students and the public.

To be added to our mailing list about upcoming exhibitions please contact visualart@winchester.ac.uk.

Current exhibition

28 June - 12 August 2023

Georgie Meadows
Stitched Drawings

'Georgie Meadows: Stitched Drawings' brings together 24 textile artworks which explore personal experiences of ageing and dementia.

Meadows, a Monmouth based artist and retired occupational therapist, crafts uniquely affecting and compassionate portraits, translating line drawings of people she knows or has cared for into stitched works. Using a domestic sewing machine to sew through two pieces of cloth, separated by wadding, Meadows creates delicate pieces whose tangled threads are both a metaphor for the scrambling of neural connections during degenerative illness and a tender and tactile form of portraiture. The works present a collision of tight-knotted threads and loose stuffing, of softness and jagged edges.

For more details about Georgie and her work visit her website.

We are delighted that Georgie is able to join us on Wednesday 5th July for the official opening of this show, on loan from Wellcome Collection, to talk about her artistic practice, as well as her experiences of working within the NHS.

Light refreshments will be available from 5.30pm, reserve your place here.

This opening event forms part of our celebrations of the NHS 75th anniversary, along with our partner organisations including our neighbours the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Upcoming exhibitions

John Browning 'Kites' - 18 August to 28 September 2023

Andrew Carnie 'Being Human: Seeing Ourselves' - October through November 2023

Visiting the West Downs Gallery

The Gallery is open from 8am until 6pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am until 4pm on Saturdays. The West Downs quarter is a short walk from the city centre. As there is no car parking on campus for visitors, we encourage you to make use of the Winchester Park & Ride, or to use public transport. Buses stop directly outside the West Downs Centre on the Romsey Road. To keep up-to-date with the latest Gallery news please follow us on Instagram.

Exhibiting at the West Downs Gallery

All exhibition proposals are considered by the Vice Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Art, which usually convenes twice a year. There is no charge to exhibit in the Gallery, but the University charges a 30% commission on sales.

If you are interested in submitting an exhibition proposal please contact visualart@winchester.ac.uk in the first instance, and details of the selection procedure will be supplied.