Art charity takes over vineyard for exhibition

More than 200 sculptures and new art works will be on show in the grounds of a vineyard from this weekend to help raise money for breast cancer research.

Art for Cure has been running since 2014 and was launched in the home of founder and chief executive Belinda Gray in Bredfield, Suffolk, after her own diagnosis.

Back then, Gray, and her husband, Alex, transformed their house into an art gallery - asking artists to donate part of the proceeds of the sales of their work to breast cancer charities and raising £100,000 in one weekend.

This year, the exhibition will be at Wyken Vineyards near Bury St Edmunds, with sculptures across the grounds and artwork on sale in the restaurant at Wyken Hall.

Since its launch, Art for Cure has held an exhibition every year, apart from during Covid lockdown and has sold £3m worth of art, making donations to cancer charities of £1.5m.

Exhibitions are held in unique locations in Suffolk and London, alongside a permanent online collection of art for sale.

Up to 50% of commissions go to the charity with artists coming from national art fairs as well as graduate and solo shows and through eminent galleries.

From May 1 to June 28, a total of 30 sculptors will be exhibiting their work - which is for sale - in the vineyard gardens, while artworks will be on display and sale at the Leaping Hare restaurant.

Gray said: "It is a privilege to be exhibiting in such magnificent gardens to help raise awareness and funding for national research, improving treatments and prevention to help reduce the shocking statistic in the UK of one in seven women presently being affected by breast cancer."

The hall is the home of Lord and Lady Carlisle and their son Sam, a writer, who now runs operations at Wyken Vineyards.

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