Atelierhof-Werenzhain
Founded in November 1996, the arts centre opened with an exhibition based on tradition and innovation in women's art. The centre, under the direction of Iris Stöber, continues to promote and support women’s art through exhibitions, workshops, studios, and summer residencies. It is an inspirational place, housed within a traditional farm setting with converted barns and a courtyard.
The project
Agor began in 2021 as a pilot online women’s residency initiated to strengthen links between artists in Wales and artists in Germany.
Experimental in nature, building on open sharing and dialogue, Agor aimed to develop a working relationship model, chronologically recorded for public reference. The artists met weekly online to discuss their practices and concerns, enabling outcomes to evolve and emerge, and through this collaboration independently developed work. Please see archive for online talks.
This pilot residency of 4 artists culminated in an online exhibition, launched in December 2021, part of the Wales in Germany year’s programme of events.
The first project was supported by the Welsh Government initiative Wales in Germany, by Wales Arts International and by the Federal Government Commissioner for the new federal states of Germany (engagement competition "just do it!2021”).
Supported by Wales Arts International in 2022 curator Ann Fiona Jones was invited to join the two Welsh AGOR artists for a short residency in Germany to gain in person experience of the Atelierhof Werenzhein and the specific region of Brandenburg. The four founding artists of AGOR had an exhibition at the Atelierhof - ‘Circles 2’
In July 2023 two events were held in Wales - one in the South, at Mission Gallery Swansea, and one in the North, at Pontio, Bangor. Both were well attended and the AGOR network of artists grew.
