Press Releases
Future of Display of Art in Wales
Date:
2006-07-06(Welsh Assembly Government press release)
Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Alun Pugh has today [23 June 2006] published an independent report in conjunction with Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales and the Arts Council of Wales on the future display of art in Wales. The report was jointly commissioned following the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to examine the potential for a new national gallery and draws on various consultations and programmes recently undertaken to advance public involvement in the arts and contemporary visual culture in Wales.
The report considers two related but distinct areas: a National Gallery of Wales and the desirability and feasibility of a National Centre for Contemporary Art.
Alun Pugh said ”This important piece of work provides a useful contribution to the debate about the future of the display of art in Wales and helpfully sets out some of the potential options for further consideration. I will be considering how best to take this forward in conjunction with Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales and the Arts Council of Wales and in the context of the new culture strategy that we are currently developing. Clearly any proposals for a new Gallery would have substantial cost implications and a full feasibility study would be needed before any decisions could be made.
Director General of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Michael Houlihan, said: “We very much welcome the publication of this report, and we look forward to working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government and the Arts Council of Wales on the feasibility study.
“In the meantime we have already embarked on a major programme of maintenance and investment aimed at improving the stewardship of our art collections, and increasing the display space by about forty percent. This will enable us to show contemporary art and present historical and recent art in a different way, allowing the art collections to tell a greater range of stories. This forms part of our wider vision to establish ourselves as a world-class museum of learning” he added.
David Alston, Arts Director at Arts Council of Wales said: “The report is clear about the challenges facing Wales if it is to build on the developments of Galleries around the country and on the international profile gained by Wales at the Venice Biennale and through such exhibitions as Artes Mundi. The imperative to develop the possibilities and spaces for visual culture in Wales is clear, and here at the Arts Council of Wales, we will want to keep the momentum and contribute to making the propositions in the report, a reality.”
Notes for Editors
The report has been produced by consultants DCA and Peter Jenkinson OBE.
23 June 2006