Bristol gallery hosts virtual tours for the blind

The RWA has been running descriptive art tours for the visually impaired over Zoom

A Bristol art gallery has been running virtual tours for people who are blind or have a visual impairment.

The Royal West of England Academy (RWA) has hosted descriptive tours involving artists and curators discussing works over a video call.

Pieces by the St Ives school, P J Crook and a Henry Wallace portrait of Bristol poet Thomas Chatterton have all featured in the sessions.

The video conference calls are now set to become a monthly event.

"They work very well online" said the RWA's Learning and Participation Manager, Helen Jacobs.

"Some of the group who have some vision have found that they can look at their screen really closely and actually see some of the detail being described," she said.

P J Crook fielded questions from the online audience

The events include experts and artists giving detailed descriptions of pieces being exhibited in the gallery, followed by a discussion of the works.

'Overcoming isolation'

The Cheltenham-born artist P J Crook, who created many of King Crimson's album covers, joined one event where participants were able to ask detailed questions about her art.

Steve Ewens, 57, from Stoke Bishop, has taken part in a number of the tours and said: "It is extremely good. The descriptions let you build up a picture in your mind of the image in front of you. I get an awful lot out of it."

The RWA says the online workshops also provide support during lockdown. "They are really helpful in overcoming isolation and in connecting with people." said Ms Jacobs.

The academy has put together a new monthly schedule with more artists discussing their own work.