[04
AUG 00] RUGBY
BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS
Rugby Gallery Attracts 10,000 Visitors Already
BY ARRYN
BUGGINS
The first public
showing of the Rugby Collection of Modern Art has attracted 10,000
visitors in less than two months.
But the show will be
closing next month, to be replaced by a fresh selection of art.
The purpose-built art
gallery in the town centre opened in May and its first showing was of
some of the collection owned by the council.
For years, the
collection had to be stored 15 miles away at Warwick University
because there was no suitable place in Rugby to house the art work.
About a third of the
146 pieces have been shown so far, but that comes to an end in early
September.
More art from the
Rugby Collection will be on display from 17 February to 8 April next
year.
The current selection
will be replaced by a show called Sentient Being, with painting and
art work mainly themed on animals from next month.
Wendy Parry, museums
and galleries manager, said:
“We feel now is a
food opportunity to remind people that they only have a few more
weeks to view the exhibition and take home the souvenir catalogue.
“We had wonderful
support from Rugby Cement to print the catalogue and we would like
to see the last few hundred sold before we close the exhibition,
which is why we have reduced the price to £1.”
But she said it was
not just about visitor numbers:
“It is not just a
question of getting people through the door. We want people to enjoy
the Collection.
"I would be
happy if half that number had come if they had all really enjoyed
it.”
The reaction so far
has been positive anyway. The visitor figures have impressed art
gallery staff.
Most people have come
from the Rugby area, but good feedback has led to visitors coming from
further afield because of word of mouth.
Staff from other
museums have been for a look, owing to the good name of the Rugby
Collection.
The art gallery -
located in the new library between St Matthew’s Street and Elborow
Street - is open six days a week, and closed Monday, but will be open
on Bank Holiday Monday.
Call 01788 533202 for
more details.
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