FaMAS

Please note that whilst I remain a Director, I no longer manage FaMAS Art Gallery and Studios. We went from a studio space for just me to 11 studio spaces and from 1st May 2024 to 45 creatives at FaMAS! I found that I was spending more time managing FaMAS than I wanted and my sole reason for being at FaMAS is to paint and to printmake. The responsibility for managing all events at FaMAS now rests with others.

FaMAS Gallery and artists studios is open to the public but we do not have set opening hours. We welcome visitors to the studios and exhibition space but it is best to make an appointment as we are often out painting, delivering to galleries, providing art workshops etc. Appointments can be made with Shonagh Short at [email protected] or with the artist you wish to see.

Each year we hold two Open Studio Events, (in May and October) where artists/creatives from FaMAS (Falcon Mill Artists Studios) exhibit their work and open their studios to the public. We also invite two other artists to exhibit with us at each Open Studio Event as our “Guest Artists”.

I first viewed the space at Falcon Mill in 2010 when it was still a showroom for plastic Christmas trees. I was asked by the developers to draw up plans for a suite of artists’ studios along with an exhibition space. In 2012 construction of eleven studios commenced and over the years I have steadily improved the studio and exhibition space to provide the excellent facilities currently available. As well as having my own studio I also manage FaMAS. This is done through Falcon Art C.I.C., a non-profit making community interest company. My work as Gallery Technician at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, during the early 1980s took me to various galleries and studios across Britain (including Henry Moore’s studio). This helped me to develop the vision to establish a professional exhibition space within the studio complex.

The exhibition space along with the studios are occasionally used to run art workshops and indeed exhibitions of work produced at the workshops.

Artists interested in applying for a studio should contact Shonagh Short to arrange a viewing before asking to go on the waiting list. Even when we have no vacancies, a number of artists have benefited from being on the waiting list when a studio has become available.