From Humber Street Gallery to the Turner Prize, we’re proud to play such a great part in Hull 2017

It is one of the main cultural hubs of Hull 2017, presenting a range of contemporary visual art, exhibitions, photography, film and events for tens of thousands of visitors.

Humber Street Gallery, complete with a café and rooftop bar, is at the heart of the popular Humber Street in Hull city centre.

As part of Sewell Group’s Major Partner status in Hull UK City of Culture 2017, Sewell Facilities Management is providing a full planned and reactive maintenance programme on site, ensuring the gallery is in day one condition at all times.

Martin Stead, Managing Director at Sewell Facilities Management, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with Humber Street Gallery in such an inspiring and special year.

“Our aim, with anyone we work with, is to provide peace of mind around the clock, ensure the building remains in top condition at all times and, most importantly, ensure it is able to welcome visitors for all of the intended opening hours.”

Work ranges from risk assessments to technical support and facilities management staff are on site on a regular basis.

Jim Prest, Facilities Operations Manager at Sewell Facilities Management, said: “We’ve been at Humber Street Gallery for a few months now and we look after all compliance-related activities such as fire safety and risk assessments, water management and various other reactive tasks, which we can respond to 24/7 if needed.

“We also service air conditioning units in the gallery, clean the windows and service the heating system as part of the planned maintenance programmes, as well as offering technical advice and providing access to our Customer Care Team and engineers at all times.

“Humber Street Gallery is an incredibly vibrant place and a unique environment, and Sewell as a business is really proud to play a solid part through its Major Partner status and partnership working.”

The work at Humber Street Gallery also led to Sewell Facilities Management helping 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.

Jim said: “Paper City was a fantastic exhibition and attracted so much interest from visitors.

“We were really pleased to be able to respond quickly to ensure everything was in place ready for the artwork to go on display.

“We carried out external work to create a façade for the brickwork paper to be applied and the venues included an old fish smokehouse and the C4DI building.

“It is a relationship built on trust and a knowledge we will deliver on time.”

This ongoing partnership work then led to Sewell Facilities Management helping to create a home for the coveted Turner Prize.

One of the world’s most renowned art prizes, it 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 it is Hull’s turn this year as it continues its 12 months in the spotlight as the UK City of Culture 2017.

The winner of the Turner Prize will be announced on December 5th.

Jim said: “We created two theatre areas in the gallery for an artist called Rosalind Nashashibi over a 10-day period and the whole project, from the first meeting to completion, ran for about three weeks.

“We also helped to create spaces for other artists, but the main theatres were timber-framed and included carpet to create a cinema and theatre-style environment with 25 seats in each.

“The seats came from an old theatre in Inverness. It was fantastic to be involved in such a high profile, interesting and special project.

“The feedback was great and the contractors on site were superb. The whole supply chain was so positive about it and it just shows what you can achieve when you work together.

“We took the bull by the horns and ran with it, which is definitely in keeping with the positive, forward-thinking, can-do attitude of Hull 2017.”

Sara Black, who worked as Project Manager for the Turner Prize on behalf of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, said: “It’s been a real pleasure working with Sewell Facilities Management and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all your help, support and advice in making Turner Prize 2017 such a success, in particular with a time-challenged install.”

See below a time lapse video of the work carried out at Ferens Art Gallery.