The Post • Harbour House 23
with support from a charitable foundation, its aim was (and still is) to promote arts, yoga and general well-being in the community and to provide affordable facilities for classes, workshops and exhibitions. Alison is one of a small team of part-time staff responsible for the day-to-day running of the Centre, organising events and exhibitions and hiring out its three beautiful, spacious rooms for all the various workshops, exercise classes and meeting venues; from yoga for all, to life drawing classes, to children’s art classes, to creative writing forums that have sprung to life as a result of the Centre’s benevolence and encouragement. Over the years the Centre has grown
exponentially up and out from its original Georgian building into neighbouring properties, so that its interior now resembles something akin to the ‘Tardis’ – the neat courtyard frontage giving scant clue to all the hidden spaces within. This, of course, includes the popular Harbour House Café, which provides delicious vegetarian food freshly prepared every day. “The original Centre was less than half the current size. It occupied the old Conservative Club building,” explains Alison, “With a portrait of Margaret Thatcher hanging in what is now the front section of the art gallery.” The gallery has been gradually expanded and now comprises three distinct display areas unified by white walls and warm, light flooring. A glass roof to the rear and a series of floor- to-ceiling picture windows to the front ensure a flood of light from early morning to late
afternoon. It is the largest exhibition space ‘for miles around’ as the Harbour House brochure states! Two distinct types of exhibition feature
There is always
something going on in here
at Harbour House – community-based exhibitions organised by the Centre itself and private exhibitions by artists who apply to hire the space. “We organise two themed Open Exhibitions each year where we encourage a wide range of 2D and 3D work in a variety of media, including photography, textiles, printmaking and ceramics, as well as the ever-popular painting and drawing,” explains Alison. “We also run an annual 'Primary Colours’ exhibition featuring artwork from local primary schools – always big, bold and exciting! Then there is an annual exhibition featuring art and photography by Kingsbridge Community College sixth form students, which is invariably eclectic, intelligent and thought provoking. There is always something going on in here and, being in a busy part of town, right opposite the Tourist Information Centre, we get a lot of passers-by curious to know what is happening this week.” Harbour House also exists to foster
health and well-being in the community through its programme of yoga classes (and associated practices such as Tai Chi, Pilates, meditation and Kung Fu), plus as a venue for therapists, counsellors and other support groups to conduct their business in a mutually supportive environment. “People come and go here all the time and for a variety of reasons,” says Alison. “They could be popping in to view an exhibition, have lunch in the café, or to
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