The Story So Far...

Danse Macabre is a creative business collaboration between Matthew Vickerstaff, Charlotte Thomson, Paul Bowring and Jody Capuano. Matthew Vickerstaff's business, Darkwave Art, encompasses graphic design, press, promotion, records and clothing. Charlotte Thomson runs her own company Charlotte Thomson Art & Illustration and has experience in the gallery sector. Paul Bowring (aka the paintdistresser) is a fine artist who regularly exhibits in the Nottingham area. Jody Capuano runs Black No. 1 Alternative Arts Agency.

It was Matthew's idea to hold an exhibition in Nottingham to showcase artwork by creative industry practitioners alongside fine artists. He invited Charlotte and Paul to join him and it soon became clear that Matthew had more than an annual exhibition on his mind! From this meeting of minds Danse Macabre has evolved into a organisation which aims to stimulate the imagination by curating innovative exhibitions and exciting happenings. Artists whose work is inspired and unusual are chosen for the exhibitions, with artwork from creative industry practitioners displayed alongside more traditional art-forms in a way not often found in contemporary fine art galleries.

So far Danse Macabre has held 3 exhibitions in Nottingham in the autumn of 2007, 2008 and 2009 . In 2009 they also held an exhibition in a central London gallery. Each were highly successful events and had well-attended private views. The combination of involving creative industry practitioners alongside fine artists, as well as the less daunting location of the galleries chosen (above a bookshop, in a comic shop and in a former toy shop) helped to draw a wider audience than normal by accessing the combined creative and social networks of all those involved. See Past Events for details of artists involved in these exhibitions

Jody joined Matthew, Charlotte and Paul in the run up to the second Danse Macabre exhibition. It was Jody who came up with the idea for Danse Macabre's first major event called The Pit of Curiosities which was held at the Pit and Pendulum in Nottingham on 13th Febnruary 2009. This event which involved live art performance attracted over 800 people during the night.

So far in 2010, the very successful Pit of Curiosities From Another World was held in Nottingham on 12th February. For the rest of the year and beyond Danse Macabre has a plethora of events and exhibitions lined up, some of which will take them out of Nottinghham to attract a wider audience, all to be announced shortly.