Have you always wanted to fulfil a dream of attending an art school where you can be creative whether you enjoy drawing, painting, sculpture, or pottery, but have not found the right place to learn new skills?
For budding artists who live in Abingdon or on the south side of Oxford, there is an incredibly special art school which is open to students from the age of five years to people over eighty. Although students have to pay modest tuition fees for their courses, it is a place where you will be encouraged to develop your skills and talents in a happy, extremely friendly atmosphere with much praise and discussion over each other’s work.
Located down winding country lanes, past the village pub and opposite the 13th-century church, you will find the Sunningwell School of Art. Housed in what was the former village school, the School of Art was established in the early 1970s when the church school became vacant. Initially the brainchild of two Oxford Polytechnic tutors Duncan Killen from Boar’s Hill and Len McComb from London, with encouragement from the local Rector, an approach was made to Rev. Brunning to see if it was possible to lease the Church of England school. By October 1973, they had acquired the Old School for a token rent and together with a group of enthusiastic pioneer class tutors, the school opened its doors with just 30 students. Financial and more general support to establish the Art School was gradually given by local volunteers and well-wishers. Eventually, the School had its own Board of Trustees who helped build it as a viable charity.
Support was given by Oxfordshire company Blackwell Scientific Publications’ Chief Executive Per Saugman and from Steve Crawley of Coleman Construction. Other patrons included the District Council, the Southern Arts and other benefactors.
In its first six years, the school had 100 students with 7 tutors, covering classes in a range of artistic subjects with drawing classes also open to children. When the owners of the building, the Sunningwell Poor’s Land Education Foundation in cooperation with the County Council Education Department wanted to sell the school on the open market, a campaign was launched by Duncan Killen (the original founder) and Roger Wiggins to gather support for a generous offer from Blackwell Scientific of £30,000, as a philanthropic gesture, to buy the school when it was placed on the open market. The Charity Commission, however, had to be persuaded to allow this offer to go through as it was anticipated the school buildings could have achieved a much higher sales figure if it had gone on the open market. It was, however, thanks to local MP Airey Neave visiting the school, and just days before his tragic death at the hands of the IRA, persuading the Charity Commissioners that an exception should be made to the rules governing the sale of the building. With their agreement, the Blackwells bid was made possible, and the school received a peppercorn rent of £1 per annum from Blackwells, who also agreed to share the running costs for 7 years. Having secured its future, the Trustees were finally in a position to purchase the premises outright in June 2000.
Now, in 2022, the school attracts over 400 students of all ages each term. A range of short, one-day courses are also on offer throughout the year. With daytime and evening classes, the school is funded by tuition fees, fundraising events, small grants from local organisations and generous students. Every May bank holiday weekend, the Sunningwell Art School takes part in the Oxford Artweeks Festival, which attracts several hundred visitors who can enjoy the splendid artwork, sculpture and pottery created by the students in the course of their studies. The ethos of the school is for students’ work to be displayed and the high-ceiling Common Room provides just one location where paintings, drawings, sculptures, and pottery are on view. The Common Room is also home to an extensive library of over 1,000 books, all donated by students, academics, tutors, and previous scholars at the school.
Having constructed a purpose-built pottery studio in 1988, the school is very well equipped for those wishing to learn how to create items in clay. With heavy-duty benches, potters’ wheels, hand tools, a variety of clays, two large kilns and a separate glaze room, it gives students a wonderful place to create items that are exhibited at the school’s International Sculpture Day in April.
This thriving, artist-led, visual arts charity has created a friendly, appealing environment where students’ talents are nurtured in an inclusive atmosphere within one of its three bustling studios. With an active participation programme, the Sunningwell School of Art shares its expertise with people who would not normally have access to its services and facilities.
Artistic Director, Allyson Austin adds: “Sunningwell has – over fifty years – proved to be a place where inspiration can be found, talent is nurtured, like-minded artists can meet, and long-standing friendships are formed.”
To find out more about how you can get involved visit artschool.org.uk.
