Acton In the early 1970s, artist Dr. Charles Zuill and sculptor Desmond Fountain held weekly open houses at their Flatts Hill studio, to which all manner of artists came, including Mrs. Emma Mitchell. Invariably, the chatter got around to "doing something'' about a national gallery cum artists' studios.

While Dr. Zuill went abroad to work for a decade, Mrs. Mitchell kept the dream alive, holding workshops in temporary premises at Admiralty House, but all the while looking for a permanent base.

In 1980, a group of resident artists sat around discussing, once again, their long-held vision of an arts centre where, through interaction, education and exhibitions, others of their ilk would be encouraged to attain a high standard of work.

With neither an available space nor the resources to turn their dream into reality, the idea went nowhere until, in 1983, Emma and David Mitchell found an ally in then-West End Development Corporation (Wedco) chairman, Mr.

Christopher Astwood, who had a vision of his own: he wanted the Dockyard area to move away from being a strictly commercial and industrial site and become a more diverse attraction.

"There was a derelict Dockyard with a fledgling Maritime Museum struggling to get off the ground, and then there was this idea, so we said, `Let's get it going to set a new pace and open the area up for redevelopment','' Mr. Astwood recalls.

Once Wedco had designated building No. 28 for the Arts Centre, the Mitchells and Mr. Astwood spent Sunday mornings laying all of the detailed groundwork for its existence, including a constitution and mission statement.

Architect Ian Gordon designed the modern interior to be simple but attractive within budgetary constraints. By using a Structura retail display system, with its triangular, lacy columns, he provided for layout flexibility and easy rejigging and assembly, while a hard-wearing, studded rubber flooring would absorb the sound of voices and footsteps, thus giving the requisite hush normally found in larger galleries.

Off the main gallery, various glass-doored studios provided, and continue to provide, working space for diverse artists, among them painters, sculptors and weavers among them.

Indeed, so successful has the architect's original concept proved that it remains unchanged today.

"We tried to take a traditional building and contrast it with a contemporary interior,'' Mr. Gordon remembers. "It is one of the smaller jobs I have undertaken, but also one of the most satisfying.'' It then took a highly-motivated artist-volunteer crew, driven by faith and not much charity, the entire summer of 1984 to transform the concept into reality -- a feat which Mrs. Mitchell remembers included heavy cleaning by such well-known names as Alfred Birdsey, Diana Tetlow and Joy Bluck Waters.

"I believe all of us gained from this experience -- different talents, expertise and capabilities sharing in a common goal,'' Mrs. Mitchell says of those hard-working days. "We epitomised the entrepreneurial spirit ... but then, isn't that one of the best points about Bermuda?'' Finally, in 1984 Sharon Wilson, Colin Campbell, Dr. Charles Zuill, Monice Morenz, and British marine artist Derryck Foster became the first artists to rent the studios. Quite naturally, their presence and enthusiasm generated a great deal of interest among the visiting public, and it seemed that the Arts Centre was headed for success.

The icing on the new cultural cake came in October, 1984 when Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret officially opened the first art gallery at the former Royal Naval Dockyard.

In recalling its early days, Dr. Zuill fondly remembers the dynamicism of some shows which he says were "comparable with those in the National Gallery''.

"We had two shows of modern art, including some phenomenal pieces by French impressionists and 20th century modern artists that were in private Bermuda collections -- names like Pissarro and Matisse, as well as prints by Ce mzanne and Renoir,'' he relates.

One of the Arts Centre's directors from the beginning, the well-known local artist also had a studio there, and today remains an exhibitor.

"It is a beautiful place to exhibit,'' he enthuses. "What is particularly nice is that it is on ground level, so there are no problems for the handicapped, and it also makes it easy to get works in and out for exhibitions.'' Interestingly enough, according to Mr. Mitchell "it was the Arts Centre which gave Dr. Zuill the brief to form a committee to start the National Gallery, which he did, so the NG came out of the Arts Centre''.

With a declared mission statement of "Promoting an understanding and appreciation of the visual arts in Bermuda through exhibitions, workshops and education'', the Arts Centre has, in the ensuing years, set about accomplishing its declared goals of: "Providing space for artists to exhibit and sell their work, and an educational environment with hands-on facilities, both of which have encouraged the development and diversification of Bermuda's contemporary artists''.

"The Arts Centre set out to be strictly heavily juried art, which is a concept they have stuck to all along,'' Mr. Astwood explains.

Indeed, while the gallery is not large, it is known not only for the interesting variety of its exhibitions, but also for its enthusiastic encouragement of all artists, and particularly new artists, to challenge themselves and the viewer.

"We are constantly trying to promote art in Bermuda, so we continue to have exhibitions which change every six to eight weeks, and encourage artists who are on the Island to try something new,'' curator/administrator Mrs. Shona Ashmore explains. "We don't always have shows that are just for water colours or drawings. We try to plan it so that people coming to the shows see a variety of work in lots of different mediums. Obviously, because the shows are juried, the standard of work which appears is always good.'' Certainly, Mrs. Ashmore does not see the jurying policy as a deterrent to aspiring exhibitors.

"We encourage artists (not to be inhibited about entering our shows) because from the criticism they grow,'' she asserts.

In addition to its regular exhibitions, the Arts Centre is also well known for its active workshops programme. Over the years, both visiting and resident artists and crafts experts have addressed a broad spectrum of topics, and the 1999-2000 programme is no exception.

"It includes everything from contour drawing and Polaroid transfers to African embroidery techniques,'' development director Lilla Zuill explains.

"The workshops are not restricted to traditional methods of doing art. We exploring all sorts of different creative outlets.'' Imminent is the installation of a printing press acquired through the Bermuda Arts Council programme, for which future workshops are also planned.

As development director, Miss Zuill (who is the daughter of founding director Dr. Charles Zuill) is charged with fund-raising "so that the Arts Centre can continue its very important role in Bermuda, and especially in the west end where it is the only place of its kind''.

"We are a little more encompassing than other galleries in that this is the only arts centre which combines exhibition space with artists' studios and a strong educational programme, so fund-raising is important to keep us going,'' Miss Zuill notes.

To that end, a gala event celebrating the Arts Centre's 15th anniversary is planned for October 30 at Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Astwood's Somerset home, Aberfeldy.

Fiesta Cubana will feature a night of food and music with a Latin flair, as well as tombola with prizes, and an auction of paintings done by resident artists. Tickets ($85) are available at the Arts Centre or by telephoning 234-2809.

"The grounds are beautiful and it is going to be fabulous event, so we hope lots and lots of people will come,'' Miss Zuill says. "Tickets are selling rapidly.'' To further mark the anniversary, an early evening reception at the Arts Centre is planned for October 24, during which the Sogetsu Teachers Association of Bermuda will stage a display of Japanese floral arrangements to complement the current exhibition, Mixed Media .