UK charity BlindArt’s “Touching Art, Touching you,” exhibition has come to Banbury.

This incredible art exhibition can be found at Banbury Museum in the Castle Quay shopping centre, and is being provided in collaboration with two local charities, Oxfordshire Association for the Blind and Banbury Macular Disease Society.

This exhibition breaks traditional boundaries by encouraging visitors to experience and explore the art on display through touch and other senses. All exhibition works are created by both visually impaired and sighted people. With just one exception, visitors are not informed which artists are visually impaired and which are sighted, to encourage you to question your perceptions. Ben Allcock, a charity worker from Oxfordshire Association for the Blind, (OAB) first unknowingly stumbled upon BlindArt’s earlier “Sense and Sensuality” exhibition that made it possible for “Touching Art, Touching You” to come to Banbury. As it was this earlier exhibition that first grabbed his attention at the Truro Museum whilst he was holidaying in the area a couple of years ago and on his return Ben set about contacting a number of galleries in the area.

Dale Johnston, Banbury Museum’s exhibitions manager, was the most enthusiastic respondent and they swiftly began their partnership to organise the exhibition with BlindArt. In recognition of Banbury Museum for bringing the work to Banbury, Ben volunteered to help fundraise for the museum. To date, Banbury Museum has received £1,000 as a grant from Banbury Charities towards the exhibition.

Ben and his colleague Janet Payne, OAB’s Banbury officer, have also provided training in visual impairment awareness to the staff at Banbury Museum and all parties have received support throughout from John Critchlow, who is visually impaired and a representative for the Banbury Macular Disease group. The exhibition is free, and will end on Thursday, March 31, and is open from 10am to 5pm.

For more information email: banbury.museum@ cherwell-dc.gov.uk, or visit: cherwell.gov.uk/banburymuseum

For more information on BlindArt and the supporting charities visit: BlindArt’s website: www.blindart.net or contact John Critchlow, Banbury Macular Disease Society: jkcritchlow@btinternet.com or Ben Allcock, of OAB at BenAllcock@oxeyes.org.uk

If you are interested in contributing to this column contact OCVA (Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action) by email at voluntaryvoice@ocva.org.uk or call Jackie Balchin on 01865 258915