The PAOTY Trek to Battersea Arts Centre

I forgot to mention on Monday - in my post Call for Entries: Portrait Artist of the Year 2020 - that the venue for the Heats has CHANGED.

Artists will no longer "enjoy" the ever-changing light on both sitter and portrait caused by the overhead glass in the Wallace Collection's central atrium.

Instead they'll "enjoy" the trek out to the Battersea Arts Centre where the Heats are being held in 2019.

Battersea Arts Centre - see Your Visit

We will be filming the heats of Portrait Artist of the Year on weekdays at the Battersea Arts Centre in London, from the 2nd April to the 11th April.Storyvault Films

I'm assuming the programme makers have hired The Grand Hall (which has been recently refurbished) - in which case the artists get to enjoy its stained glass dome ceiling in the adjoining entrance hall!  The windows high on the walls suggest that selected artists are still going to have to play the "plein air portrait painter painting indoors" game.

The venue is something of a curious choice. It's a long day and I'd have thought a venue rather closer to one of the main line stations where people coming in from a long journey (eg - from the west to Paddington or from the Midlands or North to Euston/Kings's Cross) would have made more sense. Unless they get put up overnight in London the night before....

Battersea just isn't one of those places that people go to a lot - and that's because it's not so easy to get to (as in the London definition that anything more than a 5 minute walk from the tube is stretching it!).

So here's a Google Map PLUS the Centre's definition of how to get to it.

You can use the Google Map to estimate the length of time from your start point to the centre. Select  the Directions arrow and input your start point and choose the mode of travel.

• BY TRAIN - Battersea Arts Centre is 7 minute walk from Clapham Junction station. There are direct trains from Waterloo and Victoria, and Clapham Junction is on the Overground route from East London.

• BY TUBE - The closest Underground stations to Battersea Arts Centre are Clapham Common (Northern line) and Stockwell (Victoria line) These stations are approximately a 15-20 minute bus journey away. The 345 bus departs from outside both stations and stops outside Battersea Arts Centre.

• BY BUS - Routes 345, 77, 87 and 156 stop on Lavender Hill outside Battersea Arts Centre.

plus

Most roads around Battersea Arts Centre have residential and restricted parking between the hours of 8am and 6:30pm, Monday to Saturday.

I recommend that those chosen as portrait artists - and those visiting the Heats to watch - all allow PLENTY of time to get there.  Artists may also want to invest in something on wheels to move their kit!