One of the world’s most renowned art prizes, the Turner Prize is awarded annually to an artist born, living or working in Britain, for their work anywhere in the world in the previous year. It has been staged outside of London every other year since 2011 and in September 2017 it was Hull’s turn as it continued its 12 months in the spotlight as the UK City of Culture 2017. Hull 2017 were looking for a contractor to help build an exhibition space in the Ferens Art Gallery for the Turner Prize with a three week turnaround period.

What we did

As part of Sewell Group’s Major Partner status in Hull UK City of Culture 2017, Sewell FM is providing a full planned and reactive maintenance programme at Humber Street Gallery, ensuring the facility is in day one condition at all times and has 24 hour on call cover.

Sewell FM helped to prepare venues around the Humber Street area for the hugely popular Paper City exhibition.

Paper City saw contemporary art installations by leading artists and designers using coloured paper from Hull-based paper merchants GF Smith.

The facilities management team installed power and lighting to the venues, as well as carrying out redecoration work.

The results

Sewell FM built and constructed the cinema room for Rosalind Nashashibi’s exhibition on time and to budget.

More than 10,000 people viewed the Turner Prize entries per week.

The materials that were used as part of the exhibition are being donated to several venues across the city. The exhibition carpets are being reused at Hull Truck Theatre and the timbers and sheet material from the partitioning walls are being offered to the Humber Gallery.

Sewell FM continue to deliver their maintenance contract at Humber Street Gallery and helping prepare for works ahead of exhibitions.