Background
The Berni Gallery is an integral part of the Jersey Arts Centre, an arts complex in the centre of St. Helier comprising a 250-seat theatre, a number of craft and meeting rooms (including a photographic darkroom) and a bar/ restaurant. The gallery, doubling as a foyer to the theatre, is located on the first floor and is reached by the main staircase or lift for wheelchair access. During the day the gallery receives visits from a broad section of the community, including school parties during term time, and in the evening when the theatre is in use as many as 250 people may pass through, viewing work before the performance and in the interval. Phillips Street is situated east of Bath Street and the Jersey Arts Centre is some 75 yards from Minden Place multi-storey car park. The Arts Centre is open Monday to Saturday from 7.30am until 10.30pm, and on Sundays for performances only.
Hanging Space
The gallery provides 33 linear metres of hanging space with an effective height of two metres. The total area is approximately 80 square metres.
Surfaces
The gallery floor is a grey rubber/vinyl tile throughout and the walls are clad with plywood and covered in a woven wallpaper, enabling exhibits to be screwed to the walls. It is painted with white emulsion. A hanging rail system is fitted throughout.
Lighting
Natural light is provided via patent anti-sun dormer windows, extending almost the length of the gallery at a height of four metres on the Phillips Street side. Artificial light is provided by a track lighting system housing a combination of spotlights and floodlights.
Other Facilities
The following display cases and plinths are available (with advance warning):
Plinths (3 of each)
Triangular top 51cm x 51cm x 51cm x 97cm high
Square top 41cm x 41cm x 97cm height
41cm x 41cm x 71cm height
41cm x 41cm x 46cm height
Glass-topped display cabinet 173cm length x 53cm width x 26cm depth (variable) x 87cm height
Wall mounted book rests (3 of) 66cm width x 46cm depth
The Jersey Arts Centre is staffed during opening hours and infrared security alarm cover is in use at other times. A CCTV system with recorded link is in use and covers the gallery and staircases.
Policy
The gallery has a continuous run of exhibitions throughout the year. Each exhibition is normally mounted for three weeks although there are occasions when this period can be extended. Our policy is to stimulate interest by competitions, student shows and group exhibitions but we also show touring exhibitions form the Hayward Gallery in London, and from other organizations, and by artists working outside the Island both from the UK and further afield.
Administration
The gallery is under the artistic control of the Jersey Arts Centre, assisted by an Exhibitions Committee comprising practicing artists and teachers. An Exhibition Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day organization of the gallery and for a more informal exhibition space on the ground floor in the bar/restaurant area.
Application Procedure
Artists interested in showing their work must apply to the Director including details of the proposed exhibition, biographical details including information on previous solo or group shows, and slides or other illustrative material – all in accordance with the application criteria. This can be obtained through the Exhibitions Coordinator. The Exhibitions Sub-Committee will then look at the applications during one of their monthly meetings, following which prospective exhibitors will be notified whether or not their application has been successful. Please note: the schedule for exhibitions in the Berni Gallery is conducted on a long-term basis and the waiting list for exhibitions dates are often in excess of a year.
Publicity and Mailings
Although publicity is the responsibility of the artist, the Jersey Arts Centre publishes a four-monthly brochure giving information about the programme in the Berni Gallery and in the Benjamin Meeker Theatre. Every effort will be made to include information relating to exhibitions and, where possible, an illustration. There is no charge for this.
The deadlines are: Exhibitions beginning Jan-April previous Sept/October Exhibitions beginning May-August previous Dec/Jan Exhibitions beginning September-December previous March/April.
The Jersey Arts Centre will also include an invitation to the exhibition in one of its mailings to Members of the Jersey Arts Centre association for no extra charge.
Generally such mailings take place at the beginning of the month before the period covered by the quarterly brochure, but there are also sometimes other mailings during the quarter. Artists are responsible for checking the timing of these mailings with the Exhibitions Coordinator.
Please note that a charge for mailing labels will be levied for artists wishing to arrange their own mailings; please contact the Exhibitions Coordinator for details.
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