New contemporary arts venue in Derbyshire honours award-winning architect's old teacher

Chris Williamson, chairman of Weston Williamson + Partners architectural practice, spent five years looking for a place in Ilkeston to house an art collection that he had amassed over four decades.

While browsing the internet for properties on Christmas Day 2021, Chris found the answer to his prayers when he chanced upon a redundant church.

Now the former Methodist Church at Heanor Road, Ilkeston, has been brought back to life as Ilkeston Contemporary Arts – or ILKON for short – housing dance, performance, film, painting, photography and sculpture and will be officially opened next week.

Chris, whose practice is based in London, Sydney and Toronto, was awarded Architect of the Year 2022 by The Architecture Community for his work on ILKON.

He said: “I have spent £165,000 repairing and converting the church with better insulation and more sustainable heating systems, art display lighting and state of the Audio Visual system.

"There was one man in particular at Ilkeston Grammar, Dr Richard Venning, who inspired me – who taught me to think differently - who encouraged me and he’s been the inspiration for this venture and the teaching room is named after him.”

As a 16-year-old schoolboy half a century ago, Chris would never have believed that one day he would own an Andy Warhol masterpiece, an artist for whom his teacher had a particular affection. At a cost of £15,000 and the most money he had spent, Chris snapped up one of Warhol’s last creations, Moonwalk, in the early 2000s. However, during the pandemic when the architect wasn't drawing a salary, he had to part with Moonwalk.

Exhibits within ILKON include prints and paintings by Andy Warhol, Steve Kaufmann, Gerald Mankowitz and Russell Young. Chris said: "Most of my Warhols are limited edition prints but I do have some original drawings. Most of the other works are originals, some limited prints.”

The permanent exhibition explores our relationship with religion, with celebrity and with each other. Temporary exhibitions by local and international artists will fit the same theme. Chris said: “The first exhibition is about personal stories of the ordeals of Ukrainian refugees. It is beautifully photographed and presented.

"We are organising an annual film festival for short films utilising our state of the art AV system.”

This summer ILKON will be a stopping off point on the way to Edinburgh Fringe for Longitude, a musical about the life of John Harrison who created a marine chronometer.

Chris's aim with his Ilkeston Contemporary Arts Foundation is to inspire and enthuse schools with the same passion that he found in his art teacher half a century ago. The venue will be run by an artist-in-residence who will be given free accommodation and a bursary to develop their work. Their remit will include establishing a programme of events with schools and other groups. Chris, 66, said: “The first resident is Macara who is an interior designer which is just as well as there are still a few things to finish.”

ILKON takes its name from an old English word meaning 'each one, every one'. Geoffrey Chaucer used the word in The Second Nun's Tale about the life of Saint Cecilia who, coincidentally, is depicted in one of the stained glass windows at the church. The church was designed in 1936 by John Higginbottom and has stood empty since 2017.

The new arts venue will be officially opened by the Mayor of Erewash, Councillor John Sewell. on January 18 at 6pm.

Open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 3pm, booking is by appointment. For further details, visit the website https://ilkonarts.com, email: [email protected] or call 01159 444658.