The National Centre for Craft & Design has since its opening in 2003 created highly effective and imaginative exhibitions of contemporary craft and design. One of our most notable successes is “Bathing Beauties”, the result of an artist-led competition which invited designers from around the world to “re-imagine the beach hut for the 21st century”. This resulted in 240 artists, architects and designers submitting their proposals for contemporary and highly imaginative re-workings of the iconic British beach hut.

The shortlisted 100+ models which form the resultant exhibition, all built to 1:15 scale, came from 15 countries around the world and explore diverse themes such as global warming and mind travel, and show influences from pop culture, science fiction and Americana. The wide range of references evidenced in these models include rotating platforms, glasshouses, accordions, musical instruments and other ideas not generally associated with architecture. Wit and ingenuity are to the fore.

The exhibition has toured to a number of innovative venues in England, including the restored art deco Midland Hotel at Morecambe, Lancashire, and the RNLI Museum at Cromer, North Norfolk.

Its next outing is to Oriel Davies, a leading contemporary art gallery in Newtown, mid Wales, where it will be open to the public from 7th July to 1st September 2012.

If you would like more information about the Bathing Beauties touring exhibition, please contact:
Liz Cooper, Touring Manager
The National Centre for Craft & Design
Navigation Wharf, Carre Street
Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 7TW
www.thehubcentre.info
01529 308 710
07833 480 865
lizcooperhub@gmail.com