About Us
The Wayland Dragonfly Gallery
Our ever-changing display of locally made crafts
The Dragonfly Gallery continues to be a not-for-profit way of providing access to the arts. We hold regular exhibitions of local paintings and artwork in all mediums.
Some are initiated by us, where we put out an appeal for submissions. Often these are on a theme, but we do not specify the medium, preferring contributors to express in their own way, whether it be traditional drawing and painting, textile art, pottery or photography.
Our ever-changing display of locally made crafts
The Dragonfly Gallery continues to be a not-for-profit way of providing access to the arts. We hold regular exhibitions of local paintings and artwork in all mediums.
Some are initiated by us, where we put out an appeal for submissions. Often these are on a theme, but we do not specify the medium, preferring contributors to express in their own way, whether it be traditional drawing and painting, textile art, pottery or photography.
Jan Godfrey, our first Chair of Trustees and the prime mover behind the founding of the Wayland Partnership, was also chair of Creative Arts East for a few years. She was passionate about the arts in all its many forms and very conscious that Wayland suffered from a lack of access to the arts.
When we were fortunate enough to obtain the funding to buy Wayland House in 2005 it was her dearest wish that it should incorporate a community gallery. This would not only provide a chance for local people to view art and crafts but also to have an opportunity to exhibit their own work or to learn how to create.
One of the larger rooms in the building was allocated to what soon became known as Dragonfly and was equipped with a hanging system to display art. Our first gallery manager was Susan Hollingworth, who was much-loved by everyone.
From the beginning it was the intention for local people to enjoy and celebrate all local talent and skills, to make it a place to feel welcome and comfortable, to encourage people to discover untapped talents, and to make it affordable. We continue to uphold this aim.
Our gallery is full of creativity and inspiration
Painting, photography, mixed media, art textiles, ceramics and glass work have all been included and there is a new exhibition for most months of the year. We are passionate about the benefits to mental health and wellbeing brought about by creativity and art, and encourage inclusivity to all members of our community
We couldn’t manage Dragonfly without our lovely band of volunteers. Not only do they make sure we can open the doors each day by being on a rota to man it, but they take on many of the behind the scenes tasks which are essential to keeping it going.
There are many reasons for volunteering – a need to give something back to society or feeling useful, a way of filling some spare time, a way to meet new people, or a way to develop new skills which might be useful on a CV for those seeking work. We always welcome new volunteers.
You can commit to a regular session every week (morning or afternoon), once month or be on call for illness and holidays if your time is limited. We are very flexible.
When can you visit?
The gallery is manned by a group of dedicated volunteers, open weekdays 10 am – 4 pm, closing at 1pm on a Wednesday and Saturdays 10am-1pm.
Please note: We rely on volunteers so cannot always guarantee our opening hours
Reach out to us
Please reach out to us for any queries. We are also always on the look out for volunteers
