Artists in Residence

Four artists in residence are currently based at the gallery. They undertake a period of training, shadowing gallery education staff and more experienced artist educators, and begin to develop strategies for sharing their work with young people.

Each artist establishes a working studio, and continues to develop their own work, at the same time as beginning a dialogue with the education team. Connections are made between the artists work, the exhibition programme and works from the Drumcroon Collection. The themes and working processes at the heart of their work are also matched to the needs of individual schools, resulting in a diverse range of unique school based projects and workshops.

The recent HMI visit commended the artists in residence scheme, as a valuable creative resource which supports the outreach programme in schools.

The Drumcroon Collection - was re-launched in the autumn term of 2003 and is presented in several formats:

• Portfolios with linked works
• Mini-Collection and Themeboards (QCA)
• Mini-Collection and Themeboards (Wigan LEA Medium Term Plans KS1/2)
• Drumcroon Exhibition Box

Individual items from the collection.All facets of the Drumcroon Collection can be supported by INSET or workshops provided by the Visual Arts Advisory and Support Service. This can be negotiated by prior arrangement with Advisory Teachers at Drumcroon.

Reservation and Collection

Schools wishing to borrow from the collection will need to contact Drumcroon to establish which items are available and make appropriate reservations. The school will be invoiced once the items have been collected. At the end of term, the loans will need to be returned to Drumcroon.

Members of staff who wish to view the work prior to reserving items are welcome to visit Drumcroon to view either photographs of the collection or the works themselves, if they are in the centre. Whilst in school, care should be taken with the loans. Pictures should be hung on hooks on the wall, larger works may require glass plates. Avoid hanging pictures over radiators and sinks. Damp conditions may damage the work. Frames and glass should be cleaned occasionally. Any damage should be reported to Drumcroon.

Unfortunately, it will no longer be possible for the loan service to be delivered to schools. Therefore, schools wishing to borrow from the service need to make their own arrangements for collection and return of works.