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Loan will help Gallery keep building project on track |
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Thursday, 18 January 2007 |
Newlyn Art Gallery is to be given a helping hand by
the county council as it looks to complete its major development work
in Newlyn and Penzance.The gallery is currently carrying out building
work at the Old Telephone Exchange in Princes Street, Penzance, to turn
it into a new gallery space, as well as developing its existing
property in Newlyn.
It will receive a £100,000 loan from the council to keep the project running until funds are received from sponsors.
Gallery co-ordinator for the capital project Elizabeth Knowles said the project was creating marvellous facilities.
"These
are only viable to us because we have funding - as such a small
organisation we don't have much we can draw from," she said.
The
project, which is costing almost £4million in total, is seen as an
important development to help generate extra income and opportunities
for the area.
Much of the funding is from the Objective One European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Ms
Knowles praised the work of contractors Cowlin who are turning the Old
Telephone Exchange into a gallery and shop and constructing an
extension to the current site on Newlyn Green.
She said The Exchange would follow a similar programme to those held at the Newlyn gallery.
"There'll
be a mixture of work by national and international artists and a strong
representation of local artists, just as there was at Newlyn.
"We'll have that much more scope and be able to exhibit national touring shows, which we weren't able to do before."
The
gallery was subject to some controversy last year, with claims that
work by the Newlyn Society of Artists was not being given enough
opportunity for exhibits.
Gallery director James Green said that
letters published in The Cornishman last year had anticipated the worst
for the gallery's future.
"The society recognises that it needs to evolve and change as much as the gallery does," he said.
He
described the current relationship as productive and said the second
show to be held at the revamped Newlyn gallery was likely to be work
from the society.
"I think it will give a good indication of the positivity of that future relationship," he added.
A
"live art" exhibition by the gallery in the summer received worldwide
media attention and some controversy after a storm was whipped up over
an exhibit featuring a naked woman and a dead pig.
The Tract project made use of venues in Penzance and Newlyn while the gallery was without a formal space.
Building is due to be completed in time for an opening in May this year, after work began in July 2006.
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
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