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IN ASSOCIATION
WITH
in association with

in association with in association with
A chat with the newly appointed director

for Swindon’s new museum and art gallery
in association with

The long discussed plan for a alongside the Swindon collection.
purpose built museum and art “The borough council is
gallery in Swindon town centre committed to the regeneration
takes a step closer when its first of the town centre which can
director takes up his position in the be achieved by a new centrally
middle of June. located museum and art gallery.
Appointed by the Swindon I realise all local authorities are
Museum and Art Gallery Trust, under huge financial pressure and
Hadrian Ellory-van Dekker, 47, does there will be arguments that adult
not fit the stereotype of a museum social care and family support
director. is more important than a new
Born and brought up in East cultural centre. But the project
London, he was the first in his has positive support from the
family to take ‘A’ levels and go to Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts
university. Hadrian Ellory-van Dekker at the museum site opposite Council and seeking sponsorship
Currently the Science Museum’s the Wyvern Theatre is part of my role. Apart from the
head of collections and chief initial financial injection from the
curator, his route to Swindon is standards and recognition of of £5m towards the project and borough council, the project is
grounded in experience. Hadrian museums and galleries beyond the Hadrian has no doubt he has a expected to be self-funding.
will be responsible for overseeing world of national institutions. major challenge on his hands. “It’s “Everybody accepts the town is
a fundraising strategy for the yet- His view of Swindon until quite a great honour and privilege to be not Bath or Oxford, so we need to
to-be-agreed building, managing recently has been largely shaped appointed the first director. It’s an find the uniqueness of the Swindon
the design and build if the money by chats with taxi drivers taking incredibly exciting and once-in-a- story and to ensure it’s told in
is agreed, and developing the him from the railway station to the career opportunity to make a real an innovative and compelling
programme of exhibitions and Science Museum’s deep storage difference: to build a new art gallery way. The bigger picture is about
events. facility at Wroughton. But his and museum; to maximize the including the people living here
He said: “I grew up with a passion interest was heightened when potential of, and continue to develop, and attracting visitors to both
for archaeology and explaining Swindon Museum and Art Gallery a really great collection; and, working the museum and art gallery and
things from the past. I started Trust approached him to suggest with the people of Swindon to place discovering the town centre itself.
volunteering at the British Museum candidates for the post of director the art gallery and museum and its “Museums are definitely not
at the age of 13 and continued and perhaps assess his own interest. activities at the very heart of the storehouses for things or a place
after university when I was taken The position is funded by a town and its cultural life. for elites. My aim will be to use
on for a six month contract. It Swindon Borough Council grant “Talking to the taxi drivers and vibrant programming around the
turned into 15 years, working in others, is that the default setting core collection as a hook to draw
different departments interpreting Swindon Museum and Art Gallery amongst Swindon residents is to in people, to showcase the heritage
and presenting collections to the Trust, registered in February 2016, do it down, and to regard the place of the town and to exhibit the
public. I was also involved in the has a board of 5 local trustees, where so many people live as a bit of creativity and innovation there is
early years for taking advantage of chaired by Robert Hiscox from an embarressment. here.
the possibilities the internet gave us Marlborough. “There is a great deal of money in “Visitors will be drawn back for
to put the collections online.” It has two key aims: the town, but much of it is spent events whilst every school and the
Hadrian has spent a year in New • to create a fitting home for outside. However there is cultural colleges will be encouraged to see
York’s Metropolitan Museum of Swindon’s museum and art treasure which is largely unknown it as a major learning resource.
Art, observing different approaches collections, including the nationally across Britain and indeed within Exhibitions, events and makers fairs
to collections management and significant collection of British Swindon. The present museum and will all serve to involve Swindon
presentation to the public. 20th Century Modern Art art gallery is not easy to stumble people of all ages in the future of
As the Science Museum’s longest upon, even if you’re in Old Town, their museum and art gallery.”
serving head of collections, Hadrian • to use its location to boost but there are good things happening As he arrives, Hadrian does
has had contact with a wide range regeneration of the economy and with the resources presently not underestimate the task
of trustees, sponsors, donors, civil attractiveness of the town centre. available. of convincing the Heritage
servants, learned societies and The project cost is thought to “The Turner in the South West Lottery Fund to commit a great
other museums and galleries. He be over £22 million, to be raised exhibition last year and the deal of money. “It’s all about
is also a director of the Collections by the trust from grants and Eileen Cooper exhibition until this marshalling arguments about the
Trust and chair of the Accreditation donations, including an application September demonstrate how the transformative potential of a new
Committee for Museums and to the Heritage Lottery Fund for limited amount of space can be museum and art gallery to the
Galleries which oversees the £12 million. used to present visiting exhibitions town,” he commented.
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