Secret Postcard Show
29 August - 3 October
Appointments are not needed for a general visit.
We are open regular hours:
Monday - Saturday 10-6pm
We would like to thank:
A J Manton A. Oliver Adrian Lake Amy Guilfoile Amy Oliver Andre Andrew Hornett Andrew Shrubb Andy Cropper Ann Povey Barbara Sykes Barry Cottrell Beca Beeby Becki Priddle Ben Anson Ben Macnair Bernie Rutter Beryl Chaudhuri Bren head C. Bellamy Bruce Rimell Carol Kelland carole fenwick Carole Hawthorne Cast Group Cath Dunn Catherine Howard Catriona Smith Cazz Scott Charlotte Howson Chris Toyne Chris West christine anderson Christopher Jarrat Clare owen Colleen Penny Corinna Button Corrina Rothwell Dan Blower Dan Chan Dawn Ireland Dom Blower Donnamarie Tate e m paragren Eleri Bates Elizabeth Fortnam Elizabeth Neylan Ellie Walker Emma Paragreen Emma Whiting Evie Proctor Expanding Foam Felix Allen Fernanda Cortes Fierce fine art Florence Frances Lee Francis Bertault Freya Foster Freya Hatchwell Fumi Georgia Peskett Georgie Bates Georgie Darren Henshaws Arts Centre.jpg geraldine Hughes Gil Gathercole Gorima Basu Graeme McNay Graham Allen Hattie Salisbury Helen Edwards Helen MacMahon Hellen Edwards Henshaws art centre Hilary Cartmel Hilary Mee Hugo proctor Isaac Nockels It Snipped my Heart Izzy Lindley Jahan Gerrard James Green James Mernagh James Sharp James Sirrell Jamie Smith Jane Kennelly Janet Milner Jean Bucknell Jennifer Sherwood Jenny Drinkwater Jess Jess France Jessica Briggs Jill Gibson Jo Brown Jo Power Jo Thorpe Joanna Rucklidge Joe Scalisi Joe, Jess & Xander John Brokenshire John Pedder John Walmsey Jonathon Wilkinson Judyth Pickles Jules Birkby Jules Weiss June Russell K J Gilder Karen Johnson Karen Joyce Karen Sherwood Karoline Rerrie Keith Nockels Ken Grace Kevin Cadman Kevin Duffy Kimberley Lenahan Kirsten Gilder Klaus Pinter L McNIff Leo Fieldhouse Lesley Johnson Lesley Wilson Linda Marshall Lindsay Cooke lisa barry.jpg Lisa Greyson Lisa V Robinson Liz Neylan Liz von graevnitz Lois Palframan Loise Pankhurst Johnson Lorna Jewitt Louisa Pankhurst Johnson Louise McNiff Lyn Hodnett Lynette Willoughby Lynne Chapman Lynne Shaw M Allen Madeline Noble Maggie McAndrews Mandy Payne marco Verner Margaret Egan Marie Allen Mary Jane Matthew Hughes mel pearson Melanie Wickham Melissa Montague Merny wernz Molly Cashell Neil Simpson Neil Tunnecliff Nev Wheeler Neville Eldred Smith Niamh Hall Nick Claiden Nick Hunter Nicola Lebon Nicola Watson P Savage Pat Hodson Paul Blenkhorn Paul Hallam Paul Lewey Paul Schatzberger Paula Hallam Paulette Bansal Pauline Meade Pauline Rignall Peggy Fearne Penny Nichol Peter Savage Peter Shillito Phillip Metcalfe Phybus Proverbial Hare Rachel Cooke Rachel Brown Rachel Mcdonnell Ria Bauwens Richard Gee Richard hunter robert c gray Rosemary watson Roy Marshall Ruby Woodhouse Ryoko Minamitani Sam Chaudhuri sam groom Sara Beam Widdowson Sarah Barlow Sarah Givans Sarah Jackson Sarah McDade Sarah Payne Shian Harris Simon Dobbs Sonia Tyrna Stephen Todd Sue Long Suliko Soul Susan Barber Susan M Barber Suzanne Nockels Teddi Coutes Tessa Jane Tessa Thompson The Cast Group Tim Rose Tony Finley Tony Hill Viv Keel Viv Owen Wedenfic Wendy Bates Wendy Butler Xander xander hurcombe Zara Lyness
‘But what is a secret postcard show?’ I hear you ask. The answer is that it is a fundraising exhibition. Professional artists, amateurs, community groups, young and old, in fact anyone who wants to, is invited to decorate or make a postcard sized image in any media for the show. Each postcard is only signed on the reverse and each and every postcard is on sale for £15 each no matter who has created it. All money raised from the sales goes to support the structural repairs needed to the gallery premises. The postcards are ‘secret’ as the author of each postcard is only revealed after a work has been purchased. You may therefore be in possession of a piece of work that normally sells for a much higher price or you may not!! However, every piece purchased brings pleasure to the buyer and helps secure the future of Cupola Gallery.
Cupola Contemporary Art, on Middlewood Road, Hillsborough, has been an outlet for local, national and international artists to showcase and sell their work for 29 years and has become a mainstay of the community.
However, it now needs urgent help as structural problems mean that tens of thousands of pounds must be raised as soon as possible.
Gallery founder and director, Karen, launched its ‘CPR, Cupola Preserve & Rescue’ campaign last year and reckons she is around half way towards her £40,000 amount.
Funds from the postcard show will help boost the total further.
“Since lock down has eased it has been lovely to experience so many people visiting the gallery and telling me how much they missed being able to pop in and enjoy the works on display. I have been overwhelmed by the support for the gallery from my local community as well as from the broader community of Sheffield and Yorkshire.” said Karen.
“Every postcard-sized work will be shown,” went on Karen. “I’m so excited that we may reach 1000 postcard submissions. We have had work sent from the USA and from Europe as well as from the width and breadth of the United Kingdom. I am genuinely very excited and looking forward to seeing them all on display.”
Karen, said her Secret Postcard Show is brilliant for art lovers as each work will be sold for £15, making it affordable, accessible and offering the chance to grab a bargain or two. For those unable to visit we are happy to email out a catalogue of images as each and every postcard had been photographed on arrival.
Meanwhile, the contributors get the opportunity to exhibit in a contemporary art gallery, know they are supporting the gallery’s future and make a connection with the gallery.
A fine arts graduate, Karen opened the gallery in 1991 aged just 23.
“I famously set it up between a betting shop and a launderette, around the corner from the Sheffield Wednesday Football Club and most people gave me six months.
“With goodwill and a lot of people’s help, I hope to reach my 30th anniversary,” said Karen.
For details of how to get involved with the fundraising campaign simply head over to the menu and click on CPR.