Heritage Open Day weekend to feature Swindon artworks

By Jessica Durston - 7 September 2021

Arts and CultureCommunity

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery announces that it will be displaying several artworks from the Swindon Collection this weekend.

Mary Fedden, The Spanish Chair, 1998, Oil on canvas, The Estate of Mary Fedden / Bridgeman Images

The displays have been facilitated by Art on Tour, which was launched in January 2020 to share more of Swindon’s nationally significant art collection with people and places throughout the town.

Art on Tour will collaborate with the Health Hydro, the Central Community Centre and the Railway Village Museum to showcase artworks from the collection. All the venues will be accessible for free this weekend on Saturday, 11 and Sunday, 12 September, as part of England’s festival of heritage and culture.

At the Health Hydro in Milton Road, modern paintings and studio ceramics from the Swindon Collection will respond to the Heritage Open Days theme ‘Edible England’.

Meanwhile, a series of eight artworks by Swindon artist Frank Quinton, from the collections at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and STEAM Museum, will be brought together for the first time at the Central Community Centre in Emlyn Square.

Karen Phimister, Heritage Action Zone Project Officer, said: “Art and heritage are often closely entwined and this year Swindon Heritage Open Days has been excited to collaborate with Art on Tour in order to offer some pop-up art exhibitions over the weekend.

“We think our visitors are really going to appreciate the sensitive placement of complementary pieces of art at four different historic venues.”

The Railway Village Museum (34 Faringdon Road), which already displays heritage collections from Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, will welcome the addition of Charles White’s painting 'Facades of the Railway Village.'

Art on Tour will also be running family activities alongside its pop-up gallery. ‘Mr Bomford’s Travelling Imaginarium’ will take place on Sunday 12 September.

Cllor Robert Jandy, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience, said: “Now that restrictions have eased, we’re thrilled to finally have the chance to highlight exciting artworks from Swindon’s Collection as part of Art on Tour.

"To be able to celebrate Swindon’s important heritage spaces as a part of this is a huge bonus, and a great opportunity to celebrate creativity and heritage in the town.

“Our fantastic Art on Tour staff, together with staff and volunteers within the Heritage Action Zone and at STEAM Museum, have been instrumental in making this happen, and we hope that plenty of visitors will enjoy the displays on offer over the weekend.”

Opening times:

Health Hydro, Milton Road: Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm 

Central Community Centre, Emlyn Square: Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm 

Railway Village Museum, 34 Faringdon Road: Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm

Mr Bomford’s Travelling Imaginarium in Emlyn Square: Sunday, 11am-4pm

More information about venues and exhibitions can be found at www.swindonmuseumandartgallery.org.uk/artontour

More information about the Heritage Open Days can be found at https://swindonlink.com/news/heritage-open-day-swindon/

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