Support for petition to keep Swindon Museum and Art Gallery open

A petition to save Swindon Museum and Art Gallery from permanent closure has attracted more than 1,200 signatures in two days.

The petition was launched by the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, who oppose a proposal to close the current premises at Apsley House in Old Town before an alternative space for the collections is identified.

The Friends say on their change.org petition page: "It has emerged that Swindon Borough Council officers have prepared a paper titled 'Closure of Aspley House and Consideration of how the service is provided in the Future,' which recommends  that Apsley House be closed on a permanent basis and the premises be declared surplus to operational requirements. 

"The paper also recommends that council officers seek alternative provision and, where possible (our italics), display the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery collections for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

"However, Friends of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery fear that if the current premises are closed before an existing alternative building is identified, the nationally acclaimed collection of modern British art, together with the priceless collection of artefacts that illustrate Swindon’s story from prehistoric times to the current day, will be mothballed and remain out of public view for many years, and possibly permanently."

Linda Kasmaty, Chair of the Friends and a South Swindon parish councillor, started a Facebook group on Sunday, 4 July, called 'Save Swindon Museum and Art Gallery' which already has more than 1,300 members. 

Cllr Kasmaty said: “Apsley House certainly has its problems in terms of access and as a result of a lack of investment in the fabric of the building, but while there is no alternative gallery space for showing the art and museum collections to the public, it makes no sense at all to close it. 

"It’s dreadful that that outcome is even being considered, let alone recommended.

“We are not well served with cultural offer in Swindon, something which has made Swindon the butt of jokes for years, despite having a nationally acclaimed collection of 20th century British art. There is potential for the art and artefacts to go into storage and not see the light of day until a proposed new building in the proposed cultural quarter has been built to house the art and ceramics collections.

“While we recognise the cultural quarter is a great ambition, time lines slip, and it could easily be ten to twenty years or more before the ambition is realised. And the timing of the proposed closure could not be more bizarre, at a time when Swindon is making a bid for city status.

"What kind of city is it that can’t allow its children to learn about it through its rich collections of artefacts, or can’t offer a dedicated space for its citizens to look at the wonderful artworks that they collectively own?”