T H E B E E H I V E
WHAT IS THE BEEHIVE?
The Beehive is a touring public art installation created for SHEDx that champions community cohesion and celebrates individuals, offering them a supportive space to exhibit their skill sets and methods of self-expression.
Built from UK chestnut and Build with Hubs joints, the 4m x 3m handmade geodesic frame is covered in carefully appliqued recycled gazebo fabric. Inside is a honey-coloured den of donated textiles, materials created during community workshops and bees made by local artists.
The Beehive is on tour around Tolworth and surrounding boroughs between November 2019 and March 2020 offering a wide range of activities for the general public. Event details will be listed here very shortly. If you are part of a community focused space that would like to host The Beehive, or are a creative wanting to run an event, please email hello@debbiechessell.com
What is The Beehive Project?
I am building a giant Beehive (for humans) as part of my artist residency with SHEDx. The Beehive itself is a 12ft handmade geodesic structure lined with an array of submitted artwork, donated textiles, and things made during free community workshops run by me. The Beehive will then go on tour for 3 months around Tolworth and surrounding boroughs as a public artwork and free activity space to be used by locals in whichever way they imagine.
Why a Beehive?
A beehive is a natural collective, formed by a series of individuals who contribute unique skills and processes to enrich their community as a whole. 'The Beehive', therefore, felt like the perfect metaphor for the project: a public art installation that champions community cohesion and celebrates individuals, offering them a supportive space to exhibit their skill sets and methods of self-expression. The project supports the environment through collaborating with local hives, the recycling of donated clothing and working with artists to provide creative eco-friendly artworks.
The Beehive can be split into two main chunks - The Build and The Tour.
The Build:
The build of The Beehive aims to involve local communities around Tolworth, Kingston, Surbiton, Long Ditton, and surrounding areas in various ways. To make the internal lining of The Beehive, I am running free inclusive creative workshops with schools, hospitals, care homes and an array of social groups. I will be teaching individuals new skills and encouraging people to work together. An international open call for handmade bees is running until July 10th, inviting creatives to submit their work to be exhibited in the Beehive as it tours. Recycled textiles will be used to make the lining - those donated with a personal memory will feature in the project's book (published by Sampson Low Ltd). The geodesic structure will be built using local materials in collaboration with SHEDx and the design and architecture firm the 121 Collective.
The Tour:
The Beehive installation will tour the local area visiting a variety of public spaces for a minimum of 3 months. The Beehive will be a constantly evolving space full of workshops, performances, film screenings, talks, events and more, highlighting all the creative talent existing in the local area and giving people an accessible platform to playfully experiment with their ideas.
GET INVOLVED!
tHE BUILD
MAY - SEPTEMBER 2019
ARTWORK OPEN CALL:
Exhibit with The Beehive: make a bee in any medium and post it to us before August 31st and your artwork will be exhibited in the Beehive as it tours!
Read the submission details here (best viewed on a computer)
DONATE YOUR OLD CLOTHES:
Send the project your beloved old clothes and not only will it be used to make the lining of the Beehive, but a photograph of the garment and your memories of it will be published in the project’s book.
Find out how to donate your clothing here (best viewed on a computer)
TAKE PART VIA WORKSHOPS:
Are you a school, hospital, community group, retirement home or any other organisation that benefits the community? Get in contact to arrange a free creative workshop to help build the Beehive.
SUPPORT THE PROJECT:
The Beehive Project is 2/3 funded and will be Crowdfunding throughout June to raise the remaining funds! Click below to see all the fantastic rewards donated by emerging artists and local companies.
The tour
SEPTEMBER 2019 ONWARDS
TOUR VENUES:
The Beehive Project is currently swarming to find venues for the tour - if you would like to exhibit a public artwork full of events and workshops, do get in contact!
TOUR EVENTS:
Do you have a bright idea that you’ve always wanted to try out? The Beehive will be a free venue available to host workshops, performances, lectures, projects, talks, events and anything else you can think of. If you have something in mind please send me a proposal!
wHAT HAS tHE bEEHIVE BEEN UP TO SO FAR?
CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP
The Beehive worked with St Johns C of E Primary School in Kingston to teach 250 children how to weave
CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
To support the project, The Beehive ran a crowdfunding campaign collaborating with local organisations and artists (image by Marty Stevens)
ARTWORK OPEN CALL
The Beehive began running it’s artwork open call - if you’d like to make a bee to be shown in the hive, click here
THE FARM OF FUTURES
The Beehive visited SHEDx’s Farm of Futures to research bees and hives
COMMUNITY MURAL
To help spread awareness of the project, The Beehive ran a community mural painting workshop at SHEDx’s Tolworth Day event
TOLWORTH STATION STUDIO SPACE
SHEDx adopted Tolworth Station and kindly allowed The Beehive project to begin using one of station rooms as a base - pop by and say hello!
RADIO INTERVIEW
To support the launch, Kingston Environmental Centre’s radio show ‘Sim’s Green Roundup’ ran an hour segment on the project
PROJECT LAUNCH
The Beehive kicked off in May 2019 thanks to support from SHEDx and The Community Brain
support the beehive project
This is a non-profit project that is able to run thanks to incredibly generous grants, donations and the sales of our merchandise. To support the project's growth and continuation (plus the careers of many emergng artists and organizations), please donate below or buy one of our brilliant products!
