Out and about

 

Wednesday 1 July to Monday 31 August 2026 | Locations across Winchester

This summer, The Winchester Gallery is having a makeover!

We’re undergoing refurbishment to refresh our space and will reopen in September with an exhibition by Yolande Harris – composer, sound & video artist exploring the transformative potential of listening in times of environmental change. We look forward to welcoming you back!

In the meantime, we’re taking this opportunity to go Out and About, a gallery without walls, in our community!

Here are some examples of our community workshops this summer:

Perlins Community Project

Based at Hilliers Haven, Perlins  are a day opportunity service for adults with learning disabilities in Winchester and the surrounding area and they do fantastic work in a really lovely space. We had a great day with them making and creating felt pebbles under a sun canopy in their beautiful garden that they created themselves.

Kings Secondary School Summer Fete

We spent a very busy day celebrating 40 years of the school, making some lovely creations in the hot sun and some great new connections too. Felt making is a hands-on free workshop for people of all ages. It’s a tactile and gentle workshop  using only natural and sustainable materials exploring the amazing, transformative nature of wool. It aims to connect us more closely with the natural world and understand more about this incredibly versatile material. 
 

Winnall Primary school 

Thank you to the lovely Winnall Primary School for having us! We loved spending time with the children making felt pebbles and seeing their creativity come through. It was wonderful to see them so engaged and proud of what they made. With special thanks to our TWG Summer intern, Beth Flynn, for the extra pair of hands. 
 
 

Peter Symonds College

We went to Peter Symonds College as part of their Green Fair this year. We were there to explore sustainable creativity using only natural materials or objects saved from landfill. Artist Helen Northcott devised a mono print workshop using plants around us and we salvaged two badge makers from landfill to offer badge making too. 

We talked to students about creativity and creative thinking within all subjects and it was great to see Maths, Biology and Photography students all trying something new.

 
  • A person demonstrates a felting activity outdoors, holding layers of colourful wool fibres in their hands. The image shows pink, blue, white and yellow fibres being arranged before felting.
  • A pair of hands holds a bundle of colourful wool fibres while sitting on a picnic blanket in a grassy outdoor setting. The fibres are blended in shades of pink, blue, yellow and white.
  • Three finished felted wool shapes in different colour combinations are displayed on an open leaflet. The handmade pieces feature swirls and patterns created from layered wool fibres.
  • A person wearing a pink cap shapes colorful wool fibers into felted stones at an outdoor table. Another person watches from across the table, with a mug, towel, and crafting materials nearby.

    Perlins Community Project

  • A person wearing a pink cap and glasses looks toward the camera while working with orange fiber at an outdoor crafting table. Beside them, another individual sits with closed eyes, and several colorful felted items rest on the table.

    Perlins Community Project

  • A close-up shot shows hands crafting colourful wool, with completed felted balls resting on a wooden table. Nearby, a towel, colourful fibres, and a blue mug with a tea bag tag are visible in the outdoor setting.

    Perlins Community Project

  • Two people stand outdoors behind a table displaying colourful, handmade felted balls organized into labelled groups on a large sheet of paper. The individual on the left gestures proudly toward the finished projects, while the person on the right watches with a smile.

    Perlins Community Project

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  • Hands hold a sheet of paper showing detailed leaf prints created using a nature-printing technique. The black ink impressions highlight the veins and shapes of two different leaves.
  • A tabletop display at an outdoor event features a button-making press, coloured pens and a woven basket. The activity materials are arranged on a blue table set on a grassy lawn.
  • Two people take part in a button-making activity at an outdoor community event. A table with craft materials and equipment is set up on a lawn with buildings and visitors in the background.
  • An open wicker basket contains colourful wool fibres used for a felting workshop. The materials are arranged indoors ready for participants to use.
  • Three handmade felt pebbles in different colour combinations are displayed on a grey towel. The felted shapes show the results of the workshop activity.
  • A sign advertises a free felt pebble workshop by The Winchester Gallery, welcoming participants of all ages. Wool fibres and example felted pebble designs are displayed on a nearby table.
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Photographs credits: Dave Gibbons and Xinyue Li. Email us for specific credits and captions for external use.