Members of the Eagle Works Visual Arts Group have exhibited their work in many countries. Finding places to display their more challenging work closer to home can prove to be more of a problem, though. Rosemary Terry: “We’re known in the art world, but not really recognised by Wolverhampton Council as much as we would like to be. I think I could say. The only way they support us is by giving us a 75% rent rebate, which is actually worth quite a lot of money, but by setting up their artist’s quarter the other side of town they’ve kind of ignored us, which is a bit of a shame, because this is where the artist’s are.  | | Sculptor Rosemary Terry, in her studio |
“We’re the largest collection of artists in this area. You’d have to go to Birmingham to find bigger collection. The Birmingham Art Trust have got at least one large group studio – but we’ve been here for longer. “We have quite close links with Wolverhampton Art gallery, they’ve certainly been very supportive in the past. We have close links with the university, although it’s not a formal one, because some of us teach there and some of us are ex-students, and some current. Simon Harris, for example, has just started doing an MA there. Derek Jones: “The Arts Council grant does not cover the rent. We’ve never had any funding to pay for these studios and the rent, or anything like that. It’s always been done by the artists themselves. The only grants we’ve had from the Arts Council have funded exhibitions and paid artist’s fees for exhibiting, which is not the same really as paying for the space you work in.  | | Detail from a Derek Jones painting |
“I think Wolverhampton has got quite a strong arts base, in the form of the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, but the thing is, we are on the outside of that. It’s a municipal gallery that’s funded by the local authority and by the Arts Council, where as we are the people who actually make the art, that perhaps goes in those art galleries – we don’t actually get any funding to do it, where as they get the funding to support that. “It’s a historical thing, really. The Art Gallery was founded by private subscription and was then adopted by the local authority.” The Eagle Works group are are aware of the importance of sharing their work with others. Rosemary Terry: “We had an open studios and group show this summer, in June. We had an open studios weekend in June, and a group show, where we encouraged the general public to come in and have a look round and see what we do.”  | | Derek Jones, in his studio |
But the group cannot leave the door open. They’re keen for their work to be viewed, but entry to Eagle Works is by invitation only. “We’re in a catch 22 situation.” says Rosemary. “The health and safety regulations mean that we can’t employ anybody here. If we could employ somebody to be here, all day, everyday and be a sort of gallery attendant then we could open the doors to the general public. We’re not allowed just leave the door open and let people in because we don’t have adequate health and safety facilities, really. “So if we had people ringing the doorbell constantly, asking to be let in, it would be awkward for the people who are here. Everybody is here on a voluntary basis, that’s how we comply with the health and safety regulations. “ Entry to the Eagle Works building is by invitation only.
Telephone 01902 425958 or email eagle@eagleworks.org.uk for more information. | 
