Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery celebrate achievements

Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery held a celebration evening on Tuesday evening to update members on the latest developments in their project to rehouse Swindon’s nationally important collection of modern British art.

A £10m bid has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery fund to put towards a proposed £22m new museum and art gallery to built on the site of the current Wyvern Theatre car park. And £5m of additional funding has been pledged by Swindon Borough Council.

The proposed design, by Make Architects, presents a cutting edge venue that includes learning centres, event spaces, a café and dining areas and a viewing gallery. There will also be four flexible independent gallery spaces.

Speaking at the informal gathering, chair of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Trust, Robert Hiscox said: “Swindon has a mixed reputation. What it lacks, correct me if I’m wrong, is that I don’t think that there are many pieces of architecture worth visiting. Creating a new iconic museum and art gallery would really draw people in and provide a huge boost to the economy. The council is putting up £5m, which might be criticised in these uncertain times, but I’m telling you this is the best money that they can spend. I think that Swindon is lacking a heart and this building could be the heart of Swindon. You have got to have a heart to have a body.”

Leader of Swindon Borough Council, David Renard, praised the work of the Friends and explained that he had paid a visit to London's Osborne Samuel Gallery in Mayfair where a selection of Swindon's important collection of modern British art.

He said: "To see some of Swindon's collection on display in London was great. It meant that it is being seen by a lot of people who would not normally be aware of the Swindon collection."

Director of SMAG Hadrian Ellory van Dekker announced that the current chairman of the Friends of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, Linda Kasmaty, will take on a place on the board of the Trust and thanked the friends of the museum and others for their support and making him feel so welcome since he took up the post.

Food on the night was supplied by representatives of the charity Olive Tree Café, based in the Manor Garden Centre and working closely with TWIGS community gardens.The Olive Tree café is a charity, running since March 2011, which supports people recovering from mental illness by providing positive work-related opportunities.