Art lovers Belinda Gray and Sally Ball, from East Anglia, are organising one of the UK’s best contemporary art and sculpture shows in aid of Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest breast cancer charity dedicated to funding research into this devastating disease, and local services.
The event, called Art for Cure, will be held in the magnificent house and grounds of Glemham Hall, Suffolk, from Saturday 30th April – Monday 2nd May 2016, 10am-5pm.
The exhibition is set to raise more than £100,000 towards the charity’s life-saving research.
More than 80 artists and sculptors will be exhibiting, including the renowned Vanessa Gardiner, Henrietta Dubrey, Maggi Hambling, Michael Speller, Carol Peace and Paul Vanstone, as well as superb artists drawn from Suffolk’s great wealth of talent.
Each exhibitor has agreed to donate a percentage of their sales to support the cause, which is extremely close to both Art for Cure founders, Belinda and Sally, who have each been treated for breast cancer in the last four years.
This year’s event follows in the footsteps of its remarkable success in 2014 when Art for Cure first launched, following Belinda’s breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Belinda and best friend Sally’s combined love of art saw them team up to raise vital funds towards breast cancer research – recruiting a selection of artists and sculptures the powerful duo held the exhibition at Belinda’s country home and hoped to raise a little more than £10,000. Much to their delight and surprise the event became an overnight success and within the first weekend they had raised a staggering £100,000.
During the planning of Art for Cure 2014, Sally detected a lump and was also diagnosed with breast cancer – with the support of her friends and family she underwent treatment and is now in remission and busy with final preparations for Art for Cure 2016. Keen to make this event even bigger than the last, Sally and Belinda have not only recruited the best names in art and sculpting, but in addition have a selection of TV and music’s finest on board. Celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Elizabeth Hurley, Dominic West, Jim Broadbent, Dame Judi Dench, Joanna Lumley, Dame Joan Collins, Andy Murray, Delia Smith, Yotam Ottolenghi and Gaby Roslin to name a few have all taken part in Art for Cure’s Make Your Mark initiative drawing doodles, sketches and masterpieces which will be auctioned off online from Monday 18th April to help bring in more funds, visit: www.the-saleroom.com/makeyourmark.
Multi-award-winning singer songwriter Ed Sheeran said: “I am thrilled to support Art for Cure, a great local charity giving hope and support to breast cancer patients.”
Belinda said: "We’re looking forward to welcoming everybody, those who are local and those further afield, to our second Art for Cure exhibition. We hope that together, through the sales of paintings, prints and sculptures, we will raise a phenomenal amount to support this vital cause.
“Having experienced breast cancer myself, and seeing my dear friend Sally go through it, I can’t stress how important it is that we help to fund research into this disease and make sure that future generations don’t have to experience what we have.”
Sally said: "Art for Cure means an incredible amount to us, it’s not just an exhibition – it’s a show which brings together so much talent from across the country and lets the community be part of it.
“Art is a passion for so many, and raising funds to help beat breast cancer is a passion for us, so bringing the two together is the perfect way to help make a real difference.”
Kirsty Berrigan, Community Engagement Officer at Breast Cancer Now, said: “We are so glad to see this incredible event back as an even bigger and better exhibition. One in eight women will face breast cancer in their lifetime, and nearly 700,000 people living in the UK today have experienced a diagnosis. Art for Cure will contribute to Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving research and we are so grateful that Belinda and Sally chose to support us for their second Art for Cure instalment. We wish Belinda and Sally and all involved in this wonderful event every success.”
Breast Cancer Now is bringing together all those affected by the disease to improve the way breast cancer is prevented, detected and treated in order to stop the disease and move from a time when people fear breast cancer to a generation where everybody lives.
Art for Cure is open daily to the public from 10am to 5pm, from Saturday 30th April – Monday 2nd May. Find out more here.
