About Us

ABOUT US

AVA is an artist-led, voluntary organisation, which aims to

promote professional visual artists resident in or near the Ashford Borough area

develop awareness of the visual arts in the Ashford Borough area

assist amateur visual artists in their endeavours to develop as professionals

promote AVA and its membership to businesses, professional and public bodies and other

residents within and outside the Ashford Borough area

promote exhibitions and events by the association or by its members

Activities

Members open their studios to the public, hold workshops and work in schools on art projects such as

the Big Draw. AVA seeks to assist, encourage and support associate members to become

professional in their practice. AVA group exhibitions have been held recently in Ashford, Whitstable and Folkestone.

To join, please visit the Applying to AVA page. For more information about AVA activities, please see

our newsletter below.

How AVA was formed

A mystery message went out in 1998 to all professional artists in the Borough of Ashford to meet at the

Julie Rose Stadium. Were we for the slaughter? We had no idea, but a few dozen artists and three

gallery owners turned up. We were hosted by Arts Development Officer Christina Fuller, who wanted

to gauge the support for an Art Centre in Ashford.

Out of the excitement and buzz of that first meeting, Ashford Visual Artists (AVA) was formed, and

became a constituted body with fee-paying, professional members including graphic designers, a

silversmith, metal workers, painters, photographers, printers, sculptors, textile - video - and installation

artists, a furniture designer maker, and more.

AVA is now an active part of Ashford life, with members working in the community, and in schools on

such projects as the Queens Jubilee, the annual Carnival, and the Big Draw. There have been artists in

residence in the town centre, studios open to the public, exhibitions and much else.

AVA members Chris and Vikky Furse