A Novel Art Mystery

Woohoo Art Events CIC is a community-led art initiative that supports more than 400 emerging and established Devon artists with an affordable platform in which to showcase their work. Many have gone on to have a successful careers in art and find gallery representation.

Its ethos is to make art fun and accessible to all. Its projects encourage visitor interaction aimed at engaging with those people who want to enjoy seeing art but may not feel comfortable visiting an art gallery. Its support for artists includes the provision of nominated champions whose role it is to act as mentors for mental and physical health issues, and signpost artists to specific support networks.

Woohoo’s project is ‘A Novel Art Mystery’, combines literature and visual art in an exhibition setting, encouraging participants to engage with both artforms through matching book titles to the art on display. In celebrating literature in this way, and ensuring that the prizes contain books, and art made by the artists, the project aims to inspire a love and interest to encourage people’s future engagement in both disciplines.

The first iteration of the project took place at Powderham Castle, before lockdown forced a slight change of plan for the Exeter interactive exhibition. Woohoo Art Events instead set up window displays throughout Exeter, enabling people to get involved and try to make the art-book connections during their daily exercise.

Plans for future ‘A Novel Art Mystery’ exhibitions also include audio readings of extracts from the featured books, which will act as further encouragement to people’s engagement with reading for pleasure.