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Celebrating the artistic achievements of The Vyne Community School Students

 Twenty-Three Vyne Community School students were excited and proud to see their work on display in the waiting rooms at Basingstoke railway station, this week. On platforms one and four there is work by students in years eight and nine.

Year Eight have been inspired by the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser with the idea of creating a fantastic building like no other that towers into the sky. They have been experimenting with wax relief backgrounds to compose the vibrant sky they then completed these in various media and materials from oil pastels to paint. Other students have been practising their skills at enlarging a drawing using a grid. They enlarged a variety of popular characters to show their techniques in placement proportion and control of media. They experimented with various backgrounds to put their own personal stamp on the finished outcome.

 There are also self-portraits by year nine students. They began by studying the self-portraits of Freda Kahlo and L.S. Lowry to get an understanding of specific facial proportions before starting on their own self portrait.

Stephen Wey, one of their teachers, said that he was very pleased that his students have the opportunity to display their work in public. It’s a good incentive and they have risen to the occasion.

Students’ Comments when they saw their work on display

Sophia - I feel very happy that my artwork has been put up at the train station. I was encouraged by my art teacher who had a lot of faith in me in encouraging me to use my skills wisely.  This has made me think that I could take it as a GCSE subject, due to my lovely caring teachers.

Yuvna -I feel very excited and proud of myself and excited to see my artwork displayed at the station.

Lakshmi – I feel incredibly proud of myself that hundreds of people can see my work.

Annabella – I am really proud /glad that my art is able to be displayed to the public and I feel like it’s a great opportunity to encourage young people to succeed

Natalia - I am very proud of myself and my artwork

Evie – I feel very proud and honoured to have my work up at the train station.

Akira – I am very happy to have my art displayed.

Rae – I am so proud to have my work on display. Every time I take the train, I will look at it.

Wyatt – I think it is great to have our artwork at the train station because it represents our school and what we do.

Matipaishe – I like doing art and I think it’s cool that people can see my Artwork

Leila - I think that it is a great opportunity for our artwork to be on display for hundreds of people.

Misha -I didn’t expect my artwork to be on display at the train station and I’m very happy that it has.

Mati -I feel so proud of myself that my artwork is in the station.  I have worked so hard on this piece of work with the help of my teachers and motivation from my friends I have managed to create something that I will forever be so proud of.

Hope – I feel proud that my artwork is on display and shocked that hundreds of people will see it!

This exhibition is curated by The Arts Society Basingstoke.

 

 

 

What a Journey! Permanent Installation to Celebrate 200 Years of Passenger Rail Travel.

A group of creative students studying at Queen Mary's Sixth Form College have contributed to Basingstoke's history with an incredible art installation which commemorates 200 years of the passenger railway.
These talented sixth formers were tasked by our society, The Arts Society Basingstoke to create something impactful for a permanent display at Basingstoke Railway Station.
This group of students, together with Ceramicist/Lecturer Michelle Shields & Volunteer Lead Gill Waller committed countless hours of their time, (some of it out of term time) to the planning, researching, calculating and engineering of the test pieces. The result of this ambitious endeavour are the seven magnificent ceramic murals unveiled at Basingstoke Railway Station on Thursday, October 2. For such an important occasion, several family members and local dignitaries were in attendance to witness the unveiling ceremony.

The students were interviewed and asked for their reactions to the unveiling of their work. 

Jess Green said: "I'm so excited and glad to know something I've made will be seen by so many people, it's like a piece of me will be here permanently now."
Keira Birkett, Blake Cotton, Archie Cornish and Megan Suparta worked together on their project, focusing on changing train designs. The red background is inspired by seat covers and the texture was created by rolling the clay onto cloth. The train shapes were created by rolling cardboard into the clay. Aimee Jennings made the border.
Megan Suparta also had a poster on display in the night subway and said she is "delighted" to have made a permanent display to brighten up the station.
Mairead Murphy based her design on objects that represent Basingstoke Railway Station, with old and new tickets, location signs and train tracks. She also has a poster in the night subway.
She said that she feels "overwhelmed with pride" that her work will be part of Basingstoke Railway Station permanently. She plans to go to the University of Arts, London, to study fine art.
Ray Albery–Jones showed the speed of moving trains with her piece. She decorated her tiles with slip and sgraffito techniques. She also had a poster displayed in the night subway.
She is going to take a gap year, and then she will go to Farnham to study theatre and fine art. She said that this has been a "nerve-wracking, exciting, brilliant" opportunity that has opened doors, "more than I imagined".
Robin Knoesen made three sets of tiles to be able to select the best one, and she worked for two weeks during the summer holiday to finish them. She is "very proud" of her achievements.
She combined drawings and photos after her visit to Basingstoke Railway Station to create a montage within a star motif.
The Arts Society Basingstoke adopted Basingstoke Railway Station four years ago as a place to celebrate artistic achievements of young people in Basingstoke. We provide exhibitions of artwork in the night subway and the waiting rooms on two platforms. These exhibitions provide an opportunity to celebrate the work of artists from local schools, colleges and community groups and provide a pleasant environment for passengers using the station.

A Celebration of Young Arts at The Willis Museum

We were delighted that the Mayor, Cllr Colin Phillimore, opened our exhibition. Our new exhibition at The Willis Museum Basingstoke, showcases the ongoing volunteering commitment by The Arts Society Basingstoke. We support local schools and colleges through art-based projects, these may include funding an artist in residence to work with the students, sourcing or providing materials and on occasions liaising with other agencies to enrich the project. Funding for these ambitious projects is sourced through grants and our fundraising activities. This exhibition features work by students from Winklebury Federation, St Bede’s Catholic Primary and QMC. All these endeavours are only made possible by our members who give their valuable time to volunteer. The impact this has on young people in Basingstoke? We hope will last a lifetime.

The exhibition has been refreshed to feature the latest work by students from Queen Mary's College Basingstoke.

Exhibition dates 7 June until 3 August 2025, free admission. Check the museum’s website for opening days and times.

ART AT THE STATION

OCTOBER 2024

A different Perspective on Basingstoke – The latest exhibition at Basingstoke Railway Station. 

First year students on the Level Three Extended Diploma in Art and Design at Queen Mary’s College have created an original and exciting exhibition in the subway next to the ticket barrier. Each student spent time exploring Basingstoke and interrogating their experience of it and what it means to be a young person living here. They produced their observations in a wide range of materials which have been reproduced to share with the wider community. The results are dynamic and thought provoking. 

Be sure to look right as you go through the barriers, when next catching a train.

Lilly Hardy her mixed media work has been created using wax -resist, watercolour and stitching. 

‘Nature may be overlooked in our busy lives and my piece shows how even the manmade environment of Basingstoke can be reclaimed by nature.’

Edith Sangway began her work by photographing crowds in Basingstoke, considering freedom and censorship. She blacked out the individuals she had photographed, to hide their identity. She wanted to illustrate the difference between the freedom of people in England where women can go out and show their faces and countries where women must hide their identities. Edith collected litter and bus tickets from the streets in Basingstoke and used them to create her own paper. She assembled various images to create an installation in three dimensions. She was inspired by the artist Amirali Ghasemi. She is planning to study fine Art next year

Molly Burgess-Drewry began her work by walking around Basingstoke and exploring the train station, alleyways and scaffolding.

 ‘My mind drifted to all the hidden locations between buildings’

Her finished work in composted of silkscreen printing and collage with textured cardboard. She is planning to study Art and Design at university next year. 

Mya Hughes grew up in Basingstoke and her work draws upon the positive experiences and memories she has of the area. Her work contains weaving, not only with fabric and threads but also receipts and photographs that have been cut into strips and woven loosely together. She is planning to study fashion in London when she leaves college.

‘I captured my own experiences of Basingstoke through textures, colours and materials, transforming fleeting moments into tangible artistic expressions that mirror my everyday life. My ‘Woven Memories’ piece demonstrates how individual moments and fragmented recollections are intricately intertwined.

Mollie Smith created a book of photographs about Basingstoke. Her images are from the Pool Club which has many TV screens featured around the room and an image of a train taken passing at speed from a bridge near her house. She wanted to show art in the most mundane things that surround us. 

Shayna Pacheco has been inspired by the shapes and forms of windows, tiles, drains and the textures of floor surfaces. She has been looking at small the details that people may not notice. She recorded these as she made the journey from the railway station to college every day. She created paper pulp from recycled papers which she painted and embroidered. She wants to study interior design or furnishing when she leaves college.

Art @the Station is supported by The Arts Society Basingstoke and offers a space for young artists to display their work. 

Something New: Homefield House Basingstoke

The latest artwork in the waiting rooms have been created by residents at Homefield House Nursing Care Home.

These poems, prose and artworks offer a window into the minds of people living with dementia and memory loss.

The work captures their creativity, rich imagination, and humour. It is hoped that by showcasing the talents and stories of these residents will serve as an inspiration to others and you will come away with a new appreciation of the wonderful things those living with dementia and memory loss can still achieve.

Further poems can be read by clicking here for the photo gallery.https://theartssocietybasingstoke.org.uk/Gallery/Gallery.aspx

All three exhibition spaces at the Basingstoke Railway Station have again been refreshed. First to be hung were the artworks by QMC students who have created modern art pieces featuring, Basingstoke, these can be found by the 'Night Exit'. Secondly, the frames in the waiting rooms on platforms 1 and 4/5 are now housing a range of art by students from Dove House Academy. 

Exhibition at The Willis Museum & Sainsbury Gallery

The culmination of our Young Arts Volunteering projects this year with local schools and colleges was brought together in one exhibition at ‘The Willis Museum & Sainsbury Gallery’, Basingstoke. 

This exhibition was open to the public from 8th June - 14th July 2024. 

'Beneath our Feet’ – Winklebury Junior School

Year Four Pupils explored the stories of their local area’s past and present, through mapping and exploring objects to create a sense of place. The school buildings are near to an Iron Age Hill Fort, which is due to be re-developed to provide housing and open green space for the community The project began with a field trip that was designed to connect art, history and geography and bring them alive through hands-on experiences and the contemplation of the past beneath our feet. Textile Artist, Vanessa Rolf, enthused both staff and pupils with her energy to produce an original piece of textile art.

‘Printing like William Morris’ – St Bede’s Catholic Primary School

Textile Artist, Vanessa Rolf supported by a team of volunteers from The Arts Society Basingstoke helped Year Four pupils create prints on their fabric bags using the designs they developed from natural forms.

Huge thanks need to go to our Chairman Gill Waller whose energy and vision enabled these projects to become reality. 

Young Arts Excel at the Station 

Once more there has been a turnaround of the art at the station waiting rooms. On Thursday March 14th volunteers met with the latest artists from The Vyne School, to talk with them and find out their inspirations and aspirations and to photograph them with their work. 

Some students were inspired to explore their life through a 'Jam Jar'.

Chloe, a Year 10 student said, "I filled a jar with everything that means something to me from around my home; a medal from football, achievements, special toys from childhood. My ambition is to become a fire fighter."

Year 8 student, Ivona, said, "my work represents a person going through a  building. I enjoy art very much and would like to continue with art."

Year 11 student, Mairead, wanted to express how the world feels for an autistic person, by painting them struggling through water. She is very excited to have her work displayed publicly.

Helpers from the society interviewed the students and their teachers and we also began discussing a new project to be mounted between platforms 4 and 5. Watch this space for news!

Pictures of some of the work can be found in the gallery section of the website but of course the best thing to do is to pop in to the free gallery when you are on platforms 4 or 1.

ART @ the Station changeover

November 2023

BCOT have mounted their second exhibition in the waiting rooms. See the gallery for more photos and the news page for details.

Art @the station

April 2023 Everest Community Academy, Basingstoke. 

The latest display of art in waiting rooms 1 and 4 (London end of the platform) at Basingstoke Railway Station is by students from 

March 2023

We are delighted to announce that a new permanent exhibition is now avilable to view at Basingstoke Railway Station. Talented sixth form students from Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke have created six large, multi media pieces of work that reflect the history and modern life of our town. These beautiful mix media works are full of detail with many elements being easily identifiable as 'Basingstoke'. Once through the ticket barriers the exhibition can be found lining the walls of the late night exit. Alternatively, without having to enter the main station the exhibition can be seen by looking through the metal gates at the beginning of the underpass which runs alongside the station from the front carpark to the back steps to the rear carpark. Photographs can be found here and more recently here June 2023

January 2023

Passengers travelling to and from Basingstoke Railway Station can enjoy a wonderful exhibition of Artwork from local students at Dove House School Academy.  

Issy Taylor, Head of Creative Arts is pleased to have the opportunity to display her students art work from three year groups

YEAR 8 pupils created an explosion of colour in their work on colour theory and pattern with animal themed work. These vibrant images will brighten even the dullest journey!

YEAR 9 pupils created architectural composition based on famous buildings and interesting architecture. They also drew from natural forms, researching artist like Georgia O’Keeffe.

YEAR 11 Pupils were inspired by the theme ‘Street Photography’ and they visited both Basingstoke and London to capture a range of different urban subjects. They explored a variety of skills and processes including how to use the settings on a digital SLR camera and how to edit photographs using Photoshop. On Monday 6thFebruary they came to see their work on display at the station, with their teacher Issy Taylor. 

Art@The Station is supported by the Arts Society Basingstoke and offers a platform for young artists to exhibit their work. If you would like your work displayed here, please contact info@theartsocietybasingstoke.org.uk

QUOTATIONS: 

Art Teacher – Issy Taylor ‘I think it looks lovely and gives the students pride in their work. Their work takes on a new lease of life when it is displayed, and it is nice to be able to share our work with the wider community. 

STUDENTS COMMENTS

Tilk – I feel honoured to have my work on display 

Aston - I’m proud to have my work on display and I'd like everyone to see what I’ve done. 

Benjamin – ‘I feel good to have my work display’.

Bryen – ‘It could help to inspire other artists.’

Louise – ‘It can inspire other artists.’

Josh - ‘I feel happy to have my work displayed.’

Additional photographs can be viewed here

Art @the station October 2022

Passengers travelling at Basingstoke Railway Station can enjoy a fabulous exhibition of Artwork from students from The Vyne Community School.  

Tim Poet, Head of Art at the Vyne school is delighted to have an opportunity to Showcase his student’s talents.

FANTASTIC BUILDINGS YEAR 8

Students from year 8 have been inspired by the work of Hundertwasser with the idea of creating a fantastic building like no other that towered into the sky. They have been experimenting with wax relief backgrounds to compose the vibrant sky. They approached the foreground building first by collaging structures together on a separate paper then drawing in the details onto their final piece. They then completed these in various media and materials from oil pastels to paint. 

SWEET WRAPPER CLOSE-UPS YEAR 8

Students had explored the work of Sarah Graham who creates hyper realistic paintings of nostalgic sweets. Students found their own sweet brands that they enjoy and reproduced these in full colour. This was a celebration of vivid colours and expression that then turned into a giant display within the school corridors. 

GCSE ART, CRAFT & DESIGN

Featuring Libby N, Kathrin B

Students were inspired by looking at the world close up. They looked at various artists that had explored various subject matter in fine detail. In the work you see here the student has been exploring natural forms and the work of Linnea Tobias she then explores manmade objects in the same style.

You will also see the work of a year 10 student (Kathrin) who has explored her life through a Jam Jar. Her scaled up reproduction shows a great deal of depth and clarity, as well as showing an exceptional ability to control the media and materials she has been using

STUDENT QUOTES:

Angela C I’ve always wanted to have my Artwork displayed and now that it has been for people to see I really feel proud and happy.'

Alfie B  'I feel very excited and proud to have my artwork put up in public.'

Jazzy B  'I feel proud knowing that my art is on display and that everyone can see and enjoy it.' 

Katherin B 'I’m happy as well as proud that all the nights spent painting were worth it.'

Kayci S  'Having my work on display has made my parents really proud, especially my Dad because he enjoys art, too. I’m really proud of myself.'

Climate Unity Art Project 2022/23

We are delighted that the Arts Society Basingstoke has been awarded £1500 from the Patricia Fay Memorial Fund: the fund will provide an opportunity to promote awareness of an stimulate dialogue about the climate crisis facing the world. To read a full account of the planned project please click here. 

Musication: Update on The Arts Society Basingstoke’s support for 'The Anvil Arts Musication Station'

 The Musication Station is a free community music project from Anvil Arts. It offers the opportunity to play a musical instrument with the support of professional musicians. People of all ages and abilities can play a range of instruments including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass (¾ size and left-handed instruments), electric drums, keyboards, ukulele, electric violins and percussion. It also offers song writing, singing, and in the past, making instruments out of vegetables! 

Over the Spring half term, the Musication Station reached over 400 people. The Arts Society Basingstoke contributed £250 which was used to part fund the musicians who provided that session and towards funding a video created by In Focus CIC

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u4tP_MTFcgAcojY0tm2l7xyBiqYTzZoZ/view?usp=sharing)

Art@the Station Project Report from the Chairman Gill Waller

The Arts Society Basingstoke has worked with SWR and Reading and Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership to create an exhibition space for young artists to display their work to the public. Local Schools and Colleges are invited to contribute Artwork to the Waiting Rooms on platform 1 and platform 4 at Basingstoke Railway Station. We hope this will enhance the travelling experience of passengers as well as celebrate the achievements of young people.

On Tuesday 8th March students from Basingstoke College of Technology who are taking the level 3 subsidiary diploma in Art and Design course, came to the station to see their work on display. The students were inspired by objects and artifacts at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford to produce colourful and vibrant pieces using a wide range of printing techniques. These included screen printing, etching, heat press printing, lino, and mono printing. Everyone has been delighted by the results!

Lucy Lomax, Project Officer - Basingstoke to Reading Community Rail Partnership said: 

‘What a great project to be involved with. I am blown away by the talent of the students from BCOT and that Basingstoke station is the first outside space they are using to exhibit their work.'  

From empty walls in the waiting rooms to art galleries in such a short space of time is so exciting.’ 

Jenny Keen Flagship Station Manager at Basingstoke station said: ‘Oh my goodness!  I am overwhelmed with how this has evolved and cannot thank you enough. It’s great to be able to work with the community and to showcase some amazing artwork in our station waiting rooms. I am looking forward to seeing what the next project will bring.’

Jessica Connor – BCOT Student said: 'Thousands of people seeing my work! This is scary.' 

Tom Chalwin – BCOT Student said: 'Cool exciting and colourful and it’s my best work yet!' 

Rebecca George - Lecturer in Art and Design from BCOT said:

'Learners involved in this opportunity have enjoyed contributing to the community. We are proud to have our work in such a prominent place. A great platform for art. Students are proud to get their work on show to the general public. Great to show the diversity of materials we use. So exciting to get the work out of the classroom and on show where it should be. Great to encourage everyone to get into art'. 

 Anonymous student comments

'I like adding a bit of expression to people’s everyday life.'

'Very cool and something I did not expect – makes me feel very professional.'

Basingstoke schools and Colleges are invited to contact Gill Waller, Chairman of the Arts Society Basingstoke tasb.chairman@gmail.com  if they would like to showcase their students’ work.

Supporting the Arts In Basingstoke

Click here to read about the many ways we as a society are supporting a variety of arts projects in our locality

Basingstoke Music and Arts Festival 

The Arts Society Basingstoke awards a bursary of £250 to a talented young person living in the Borough of Basingstoke, with competition mark of 85 or more.

The recipient of the award 2021: Evie, she has written to thank the committee, and also enclosed a photograph of her new flute.

Big Sculpture Workshop Poster here

Saturday 10 August 2019 at Chineham Library, Chineham Centre. Young Arts Summer Activity 

October 2018 Junk Jodie Event at Popley Fields Community Centre

View the latest photographs on the gallery page.

Young Artists' Competition and Exhibition 2017

This was a very successful exhibition. 

Children's Art Workshop in February 2017

During the Spring half term, six Bdfas volunteers assisted children in a morning art activity at the Basingstoke Discovery Centre. Everyone had great fun creating a concertina fold-up book to take home.  Around 13 children were assisted in using printing, collage and craft techniques to make pictures based upon their favourite storybook. Pictures were then embellished with a variety of extras including, sequins, stickers, feathers and leaves. 

Big Art Workshop 2016

A group of enthusiastic children between 4 -11 years old and several society volunteers, spent a very enjoyable morning at the Basingstoke Discovery Centre. With the help of a visiting artist,  they created a life-sized BFG sculpture, using recycled collage materials and textiles. The finished sculpture was then put up for public display for several months. Children were also assisted in making their own Roald Dahl themed puppet.

Celebrating the artistic achievements of The Vyne Community School Students

 Twenty-Three Vyne Community School students were excited and proud to see their work on display in the waiting rooms at Basingstoke railway station, this week. On platforms one and four there is work by students in years eight and nine.

Year Eight have been inspired by the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser with the idea of creating a fantastic building like no other that towers into the sky. They have been experimenting with wax relief backgrounds to compose the vibrant sky they then completed these in various media and materials from oil pastels to paint. Other students have been practising their skills at enlarging a drawing using a grid. They enlarged a variety of popular characters to show their techniques in placement proportion and control of media. They experimented with various backgrounds to put their own personal stamp on the finished outcome.

 There are also self-portraits by year nine students. They began by studying the self-portraits of Freda Kahlo and L.S. Lowry to get an understanding of specific facial proportions before starting on their own self portrait.

Stephen Wey, one of their teachers, said that he was very pleased that his students have the opportunity to display their work in public. It’s a good incentive and they have risen to the occasion.

Students’ Comments when they saw their work on display

Sophia - I feel very happy that my artwork has been put up at the train station. I was encouraged by my art teacher who had a lot of faith in me in encouraging me to use my skills wisely.  This has made me think that I could take it as a GCSE subject, due to my lovely caring teachers.

Yuvna -I feel very excited and proud of myself and excited to see my artwork displayed at the station.

Lakshmi – I feel incredibly proud of myself that hundreds of people can see my work.

Annabella – I am really proud /glad that my art is able to be displayed to the public and I feel like it’s a great opportunity to encourage young people to succeed

Natalia - I am very proud of myself and my artwork

Evie – I feel very proud and honoured to have my work up at the train station.

Akira – I am very happy to have my art displayed.

Rae – I am so proud to have my work on display. Every time I take the train, I will look at it.

Wyatt – I think it is great to have our artwork at the train station because it represents our school and what we do.

Matipaishe – I like doing art and I think it’s cool that people can see my Artwork

Leila - I think that it is a great opportunity for our artwork to be on display for hundreds of people.

Misha -I didn’t expect my artwork to be on display at the train station and I’m very happy that it has.

Mati -I feel so proud of myself that my artwork is in the station.  I have worked so hard on this piece of work with the help of my teachers and motivation from my friends I have managed to create something that I will forever be so proud of.

Hope – I feel proud that my artwork is on display and shocked that hundreds of people will see it!

This exhibition is curated by The Arts Society Basingstoke.

 

 

 

What a Journey! Permanent Installation to Celebrate 200 Years of Passenger Rail Travel.

A group of creative students studying at Queen Mary's Sixth Form College have contributed to Basingstoke's history with an incredible art installation which commemorates 200 years of the passenger railway.
These talented sixth formers were tasked by our society, The Arts Society Basingstoke to create something impactful for a permanent display at Basingstoke Railway Station.
This group of students, together with Ceramicist/Lecturer Michelle Shields & Volunteer Lead Gill Waller committed countless hours of their time, (some of it out of term time) to the planning, researching, calculating and engineering of the test pieces. The result of this ambitious endeavour are the seven magnificent ceramic murals unveiled at Basingstoke Railway Station on Thursday, October 2. For such an important occasion, several family members and local dignitaries were in attendance to witness the unveiling ceremony.

The students were interviewed and asked for their reactions to the unveiling of their work. 

Jess Green said: "I'm so excited and glad to know something I've made will be seen by so many people, it's like a piece of me will be here permanently now."
Keira Birkett, Blake Cotton, Archie Cornish and Megan Suparta worked together on their project, focusing on changing train designs. The red background is inspired by seat covers and the texture was created by rolling the clay onto cloth. The train shapes were created by rolling cardboard into the clay. Aimee Jennings made the border.
Megan Suparta also had a poster on display in the night subway and said she is "delighted" to have made a permanent display to brighten up the station.
Mairead Murphy based her design on objects that represent Basingstoke Railway Station, with old and new tickets, location signs and train tracks. She also has a poster in the night subway.
She said that she feels "overwhelmed with pride" that her work will be part of Basingstoke Railway Station permanently. She plans to go to the University of Arts, London, to study fine art.
Ray Albery–Jones showed the speed of moving trains with her piece. She decorated her tiles with slip and sgraffito techniques. She also had a poster displayed in the night subway.
She is going to take a gap year, and then she will go to Farnham to study theatre and fine art. She said that this has been a "nerve-wracking, exciting, brilliant" opportunity that has opened doors, "more than I imagined".
Robin Knoesen made three sets of tiles to be able to select the best one, and she worked for two weeks during the summer holiday to finish them. She is "very proud" of her achievements.
She combined drawings and photos after her visit to Basingstoke Railway Station to create a montage within a star motif.
The Arts Society Basingstoke adopted Basingstoke Railway Station four years ago as a place to celebrate artistic achievements of young people in Basingstoke. We provide exhibitions of artwork in the night subway and the waiting rooms on two platforms. These exhibitions provide an opportunity to celebrate the work of artists from local schools, colleges and community groups and provide a pleasant environment for passengers using the station.

A Celebration of Young Arts at The Willis Museum

We were delighted that the Mayor, Cllr Colin Phillimore, opened our exhibition. Our new exhibition at The Willis Museum Basingstoke, showcases the ongoing volunteering commitment by The Arts Society Basingstoke. We support local schools and colleges through art-based projects, these may include funding an artist in residence to work with the students, sourcing or providing materials and on occasions liaising with other agencies to enrich the project. Funding for these ambitious projects is sourced through grants and our fundraising activities. This exhibition features work by students from Winklebury Federation, St Bede’s Catholic Primary and QMC. All these endeavours are only made possible by our members who give their valuable time to volunteer. The impact this has on young people in Basingstoke? We hope will last a lifetime.

The exhibition has been refreshed to feature the latest work by students from Queen Mary's College Basingstoke.

Exhibition dates 7 June until 3 August 2025, free admission. Check the museum’s website for opening days and times.

ART AT THE STATION

OCTOBER 2024

A different Perspective on Basingstoke – The latest exhibition at Basingstoke Railway Station. 

First year students on the Level Three Extended Diploma in Art and Design at Queen Mary’s College have created an original and exciting exhibition in the subway next to the ticket barrier. Each student spent time exploring Basingstoke and interrogating their experience of it and what it means to be a young person living here. They produced their observations in a wide range of materials which have been reproduced to share with the wider community. The results are dynamic and thought provoking. 

Be sure to look right as you go through the barriers, when next catching a train.

Lilly Hardy her mixed media work has been created using wax -resist, watercolour and stitching. 

‘Nature may be overlooked in our busy lives and my piece shows how even the manmade environment of Basingstoke can be reclaimed by nature.’

Edith Sangway began her work by photographing crowds in Basingstoke, considering freedom and censorship. She blacked out the individuals she had photographed, to hide their identity. She wanted to illustrate the difference between the freedom of people in England where women can go out and show their faces and countries where women must hide their identities. Edith collected litter and bus tickets from the streets in Basingstoke and used them to create her own paper. She assembled various images to create an installation in three dimensions. She was inspired by the artist Amirali Ghasemi. She is planning to study fine Art next year

Molly Burgess-Drewry began her work by walking around Basingstoke and exploring the train station, alleyways and scaffolding.

 ‘My mind drifted to all the hidden locations between buildings’

Her finished work in composted of silkscreen printing and collage with textured cardboard. She is planning to study Art and Design at university next year. 

Mya Hughes grew up in Basingstoke and her work draws upon the positive experiences and memories she has of the area. Her work contains weaving, not only with fabric and threads but also receipts and photographs that have been cut into strips and woven loosely together. She is planning to study fashion in London when she leaves college.

‘I captured my own experiences of Basingstoke through textures, colours and materials, transforming fleeting moments into tangible artistic expressions that mirror my everyday life. My ‘Woven Memories’ piece demonstrates how individual moments and fragmented recollections are intricately intertwined.

Mollie Smith created a book of photographs about Basingstoke. Her images are from the Pool Club which has many TV screens featured around the room and an image of a train taken passing at speed from a bridge near her house. She wanted to show art in the most mundane things that surround us. 

Shayna Pacheco has been inspired by the shapes and forms of windows, tiles, drains and the textures of floor surfaces. She has been looking at small the details that people may not notice. She recorded these as she made the journey from the railway station to college every day. She created paper pulp from recycled papers which she painted and embroidered. She wants to study interior design or furnishing when she leaves college.

Art @the Station is supported by The Arts Society Basingstoke and offers a space for young artists to display their work. 

Something New: Homefield House Basingstoke

The latest artwork in the waiting rooms have been created by residents at Homefield House Nursing Care Home.

These poems, prose and artworks offer a window into the minds of people living with dementia and memory loss.

The work captures their creativity, rich imagination, and humour. It is hoped that by showcasing the talents and stories of these residents will serve as an inspiration to others and you will come away with a new appreciation of the wonderful things those living with dementia and memory loss can still achieve.

Further poems can be read by clicking here for the photo gallery.https://theartssocietybasingstoke.org.uk/Gallery/Gallery.aspx

All three exhibition spaces at the Basingstoke Railway Station have again been refreshed. First to be hung were the artworks by QMC students who have created modern art pieces featuring, Basingstoke, these can be found by the 'Night Exit'. Secondly, the frames in the waiting rooms on platforms 1 and 4/5 are now housing a range of art by students from Dove House Academy. 

Exhibition at The Willis Museum & Sainsbury Gallery

The culmination of our Young Arts Volunteering projects this year with local schools and colleges was brought together in one exhibition at ‘The Willis Museum & Sainsbury Gallery’, Basingstoke. 

This exhibition was open to the public from 8th June - 14th July 2024. 

'Beneath our Feet’ – Winklebury Junior School

Year Four Pupils explored the stories of their local area’s past and present, through mapping and exploring objects to create a sense of place. The school buildings are near to an Iron Age Hill Fort, which is due to be re-developed to provide housing and open green space for the community The project began with a field trip that was designed to connect art, history and geography and bring them alive through hands-on experiences and the contemplation of the past beneath our feet. Textile Artist, Vanessa Rolf, enthused both staff and pupils with her energy to produce an original piece of textile art.

‘Printing like William Morris’ – St Bede’s Catholic Primary School

Textile Artist, Vanessa Rolf supported by a team of volunteers from The Arts Society Basingstoke helped Year Four pupils create prints on their fabric bags using the designs they developed from natural forms.

Huge thanks need to go to our Chairman Gill Waller whose energy and vision enabled these projects to become reality. 

Young Arts Excel at the Station 

Once more there has been a turnaround of the art at the station waiting rooms. On Thursday March 14th volunteers met with the latest artists from The Vyne School, to talk with them and find out their inspirations and aspirations and to photograph them with their work. 

Some students were inspired to explore their life through a 'Jam Jar'.

Chloe, a Year 10 student said, "I filled a jar with everything that means something to me from around my home; a medal from football, achievements, special toys from childhood. My ambition is to become a fire fighter."

Year 8 student, Ivona, said, "my work represents a person going through a  building. I enjoy art very much and would like to continue with art."

Year 11 student, Mairead, wanted to express how the world feels for an autistic person, by painting them struggling through water. She is very excited to have her work displayed publicly.

Helpers from the society interviewed the students and their teachers and we also began discussing a new project to be mounted between platforms 4 and 5. Watch this space for news!

Pictures of some of the work can be found in the gallery section of the website but of course the best thing to do is to pop in to the free gallery when you are on platforms 4 or 1.

ART @ the Station changeover

November 2023

BCOT have mounted their second exhibition in the waiting rooms. See the gallery for more photos and the news page for details.

Art @the station

April 2023 Everest Community Academy, Basingstoke. 

The latest display of art in waiting rooms 1 and 4 (London end of the platform) at Basingstoke Railway Station is by students from 

March 2023

We are delighted to announce that a new permanent exhibition is now avilable to view at Basingstoke Railway Station. Talented sixth form students from Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke have created six large, multi media pieces of work that reflect the history and modern life of our town. These beautiful mix media works are full of detail with many elements being easily identifiable as 'Basingstoke'. Once through the ticket barriers the exhibition can be found lining the walls of the late night exit. Alternatively, without having to enter the main station the exhibition can be seen by looking through the metal gates at the beginning of the underpass which runs alongside the station from the front carpark to the back steps to the rear carpark. Photographs can be found here and more recently here June 2023

January 2023

Passengers travelling to and from Basingstoke Railway Station can enjoy a wonderful exhibition of Artwork from local students at Dove House School Academy.  

Issy Taylor, Head of Creative Arts is pleased to have the opportunity to display her students art work from three year groups

YEAR 8 pupils created an explosion of colour in their work on colour theory and pattern with animal themed work. These vibrant images will brighten even the dullest journey!

YEAR 9 pupils created architectural composition based on famous buildings and interesting architecture. They also drew from natural forms, researching artist like Georgia O’Keeffe.

YEAR 11 Pupils were inspired by the theme ‘Street Photography’ and they visited both Basingstoke and London to capture a range of different urban subjects. They explored a variety of skills and processes including how to use the settings on a digital SLR camera and how to edit photographs using Photoshop. On Monday 6thFebruary they came to see their work on display at the station, with their teacher Issy Taylor. 

Art@The Station is supported by the Arts Society Basingstoke and offers a platform for young artists to exhibit their work. If you would like your work displayed here, please contact info@theartsocietybasingstoke.org.uk

QUOTATIONS: 

Art Teacher – Issy Taylor ‘I think it looks lovely and gives the students pride in their work. Their work takes on a new lease of life when it is displayed, and it is nice to be able to share our work with the wider community. 

STUDENTS COMMENTS

Tilk – I feel honoured to have my work on display 

Aston - I’m proud to have my work on display and I'd like everyone to see what I’ve done. 

Benjamin – ‘I feel good to have my work display’.

Bryen – ‘It could help to inspire other artists.’

Louise – ‘It can inspire other artists.’

Josh - ‘I feel happy to have my work displayed.’

Additional photographs can be viewed here

Art @the station October 2022

Passengers travelling at Basingstoke Railway Station can enjoy a fabulous exhibition of Artwork from students from The Vyne Community School.  

Tim Poet, Head of Art at the Vyne school is delighted to have an opportunity to Showcase his student’s talents.

FANTASTIC BUILDINGS YEAR 8

Students from year 8 have been inspired by the work of Hundertwasser with the idea of creating a fantastic building like no other that towered into the sky. They have been experimenting with wax relief backgrounds to compose the vibrant sky. They approached the foreground building first by collaging structures together on a separate paper then drawing in the details onto their final piece. They then completed these in various media and materials from oil pastels to paint. 

SWEET WRAPPER CLOSE-UPS YEAR 8

Students had explored the work of Sarah Graham who creates hyper realistic paintings of nostalgic sweets. Students found their own sweet brands that they enjoy and reproduced these in full colour. This was a celebration of vivid colours and expression that then turned into a giant display within the school corridors. 

GCSE ART, CRAFT & DESIGN

Featuring Libby N, Kathrin B

Students were inspired by looking at the world close up. They looked at various artists that had explored various subject matter in fine detail. In the work you see here the student has been exploring natural forms and the work of Linnea Tobias she then explores manmade objects in the same style.

You will also see the work of a year 10 student (Kathrin) who has explored her life through a Jam Jar. Her scaled up reproduction shows a great deal of depth and clarity, as well as showing an exceptional ability to control the media and materials she has been using

STUDENT QUOTES:

Angela C I’ve always wanted to have my Artwork displayed and now that it has been for people to see I really feel proud and happy.'

Alfie B  'I feel very excited and proud to have my artwork put up in public.'

Jazzy B  'I feel proud knowing that my art is on display and that everyone can see and enjoy it.' 

Katherin B 'I’m happy as well as proud that all the nights spent painting were worth it.'

Kayci S  'Having my work on display has made my parents really proud, especially my Dad because he enjoys art, too. I’m really proud of myself.'

Climate Unity Art Project 2022/23

We are delighted that the Arts Society Basingstoke has been awarded £1500 from the Patricia Fay Memorial Fund: the fund will provide an opportunity to promote awareness of an stimulate dialogue about the climate crisis facing the world. To read a full account of the planned project please click here. 

Musication: Update on The Arts Society Basingstoke’s support for 'The Anvil Arts Musication Station'

 The Musication Station is a free community music project from Anvil Arts. It offers the opportunity to play a musical instrument with the support of professional musicians. People of all ages and abilities can play a range of instruments including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass (¾ size and left-handed instruments), electric drums, keyboards, ukulele, electric violins and percussion. It also offers song writing, singing, and in the past, making instruments out of vegetables! 

Over the Spring half term, the Musication Station reached over 400 people. The Arts Society Basingstoke contributed £250 which was used to part fund the musicians who provided that session and towards funding a video created by In Focus CIC

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u4tP_MTFcgAcojY0tm2l7xyBiqYTzZoZ/view?usp=sharing)

Art@the Station Project Report from the Chairman Gill Waller

The Arts Society Basingstoke has worked with SWR and Reading and Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership to create an exhibition space for young artists to display their work to the public. Local Schools and Colleges are invited to contribute Artwork to the Waiting Rooms on platform 1 and platform 4 at Basingstoke Railway Station. We hope this will enhance the travelling experience of passengers as well as celebrate the achievements of young people.

On Tuesday 8th March students from Basingstoke College of Technology who are taking the level 3 subsidiary diploma in Art and Design course, came to the station to see their work on display. The students were inspired by objects and artifacts at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford to produce colourful and vibrant pieces using a wide range of printing techniques. These included screen printing, etching, heat press printing, lino, and mono printing. Everyone has been delighted by the results!

Lucy Lomax, Project Officer - Basingstoke to Reading Community Rail Partnership said: 

‘What a great project to be involved with. I am blown away by the talent of the students from BCOT and that Basingstoke station is the first outside space they are using to exhibit their work.'  

From empty walls in the waiting rooms to art galleries in such a short space of time is so exciting.’ 

Jenny Keen Flagship Station Manager at Basingstoke station said: ‘Oh my goodness!  I am overwhelmed with how this has evolved and cannot thank you enough. It’s great to be able to work with the community and to showcase some amazing artwork in our station waiting rooms. I am looking forward to seeing what the next project will bring.’

Jessica Connor – BCOT Student said: 'Thousands of people seeing my work! This is scary.' 

Tom Chalwin – BCOT Student said: 'Cool exciting and colourful and it’s my best work yet!' 

Rebecca George - Lecturer in Art and Design from BCOT said:

'Learners involved in this opportunity have enjoyed contributing to the community. We are proud to have our work in such a prominent place. A great platform for art. Students are proud to get their work on show to the general public. Great to show the diversity of materials we use. So exciting to get the work out of the classroom and on show where it should be. Great to encourage everyone to get into art'. 

 Anonymous student comments

'I like adding a bit of expression to people’s everyday life.'

'Very cool and something I did not expect – makes me feel very professional.'

Basingstoke schools and Colleges are invited to contact Gill Waller, Chairman of the Arts Society Basingstoke tasb.chairman@gmail.com  if they would like to showcase their students’ work.

Supporting the Arts In Basingstoke

Click here to read about the many ways we as a society are supporting a variety of arts projects in our locality

Basingstoke Music and Arts Festival 

The Arts Society Basingstoke awards a bursary of £250 to a talented young person living in the Borough of Basingstoke, with competition mark of 85 or more.

The recipient of the award 2021: Evie, she has written to thank the committee, and also enclosed a photograph of her new flute.

Big Sculpture Workshop Poster here

Saturday 10 August 2019 at Chineham Library, Chineham Centre. Young Arts Summer Activity 

October 2018 Junk Jodie Event at Popley Fields Community Centre

View the latest photographs on the gallery page.

Young Artists' Competition and Exhibition 2017

This was a very successful exhibition. 

Children's Art Workshop in February 2017

During the Spring half term, six Bdfas volunteers assisted children in a morning art activity at the Basingstoke Discovery Centre. Everyone had great fun creating a concertina fold-up book to take home.  Around 13 children were assisted in using printing, collage and craft techniques to make pictures based upon their favourite storybook. Pictures were then embellished with a variety of extras including, sequins, stickers, feathers and leaves. 

Big Art Workshop 2016

A group of enthusiastic children between 4 -11 years old and several society volunteers, spent a very enjoyable morning at the Basingstoke Discovery Centre. With the help of a visiting artist,  they created a life-sized BFG sculpture, using recycled collage materials and textiles. The finished sculpture was then put up for public display for several months. Children were also assisted in making their own Roald Dahl themed puppet.