No 1, Pop-Up Brighton, Madeira Drive (From The Argus)

No 1, Pop-Up Brighton, Madeira Drive

1:31pm Monday 19th December 2011 in Arts By Dominic Smith

With a nickname like FishBoy, one might assume 22-year-old Ashleigh Ward’s interest in the London Olympics would be confined to the pool.

But now the sporting event takes in all manner of cultural events – and is as much about legacy as amateur athletes competing – the illustrator, animator and designer is using the event as a platform for his own success.

Stuck for somewhere to exhibit his work in Brighton after moving from Swansea, he asked somewhereto_ (a nationwide project funded by the Legacy Trust UK to help young people locatespace to do sport, culture and the arts as part of the Cultural Olympiad) for help.

“I was approaching galleries but was not getting through to anyone.

“There are some really good places but I just don’tthink they are open enough for artists to do what they want.

“They want bigger names. They’re not giving the people of Brighton a chance.”

The result is the Pop-Up Gallery, whose second exhibition in less than a month opened yesterday.

No 1 features 30 artists with nowhere to show their work coming together to fill the walls in the temporary studio, each contributing one frame.

Such was the demand, he received more than 70 applications to exhibit in under a week when he placed adverts on the Arts Jobs website and made some flyers.

No 1 follows previous exhibition Zero, which featured a large installation by Fishboy as well as work by three other Brightonians in their 20s – painter Jim McElvaney, collage artist Lianne Harrison and illustrator Hugo Jones.

The latest show takes its name fromthe fact there is no single identity to the show and fits with the Pop-Up Brighton ethos.

“Pop-Up Brighton is a non-profit organisation so the artists don’t make any money and we don’t charge for entry.

“We want more people to join. It’s a place to meet and to share ideas, and we have our eyes on two new spaces for the New Year already.”

Their current home, down some steps on the Madeira Drive side of the Palace Pier, is off the beaten track.

But after Pop-Up Brighton featured on the front page of influential arts website Creative Boom and the Association Of Illustrators blog, there has been a spike in interest.

It’s a far cry from when Fishboy began working on a similar idea during his illustration degree in Swansea and when he moved to Brighton and faced similar hurdles.

“When I moved down here, I tried to start something up but never heard back from [Brighton and Hove City] council.

“But once somewhereto_ got on board, the council started to listen. “I suppose being an artist means I’m not that good at business.”

While somewhereto_ helped find the space, Fishboy had to shell out for the costs, the insurance and the paint.

And because the space is being released by the council for free, the creatives are unable to sell their work.

“People can still go to website to get our contact details and to buy our work, though.”

With regard to the project, Brighton and Hove councillor for culture Geoffrey Bowden says, “Creative people are very importantto the city’s economy so we like to support them where we can.

“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help FishBoy. Who knows? We may be nur turing another Damien Hirst or Banksy.”

Pop-Up Brighton, Madeira Drive, until December 21, noon to 5pm daily, free, for more info visit www.popupbrighton.com.