2 June – 17 July

Pocklington Arts Centre presents Pocklington Together: A Celebration of Volunteers, a new exhibition recognising the individuals who give their time to support the local community.

Launched to coincide with Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), the exhibition features a series of striking portraits by local photographer Neil Barrett, capturing the individuals behind a range of community organisations and initiatives across the area.

From local groups and community projects to the Arts Centre itself, volunteers play a vital role in supporting and enriching life in Pocklington. This exhibition shines a light on their contribution and the impact they make across the town.

Artist’s statement:

A community is often defined by its places; its parks, halls, charities, groups and institutions.

But communities are really built by people.

This exhibition brings together portraits of volunteers from across Pocklington: individuals who give their time, skills, patience and care to support others, often quietly and without fanfare. I’m in awe of just how many people give their time so readily for others; this is truly the spirit of our community.

But what interested me was not simply the work they do, but who they are.

We can easily think of volunteers in terms of their roles: the gardener, the Lions member, the food bank helper, the organiser, the person keeping things running behind the scenes. This project attempts to shift that perspective, placing the individual at the centre rather than the service they provide.

There is no attempt here to create idealised heroes. Instead, these portraits aim for honesty; faces that show humour, resilience, warmth, experience and the marks of lives fully lived.

My hope is that visitors will look beyond the labels of role or organisation, and recognise something more fundamental: neighbours, individuals, and the human generosity that helps hold a community together.

The exhibition will be on display from 2 June to 17 July, with a special preview evening from 5.30pm-7.00pm on Thursday 4 June. Entry is free.

Please note: our studio is closed to the public on Wednesdays.