Friends’ £5000 donation helps make Museum exhibitions a reality

Shropshire Council has thanked the Friends of Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery for donating £5000 towards the cost of purchasing four high-quality showcases – which have made it possible for the venue to stage nationally- and internationally-important exhibitions.

The new showcases enable museum objects from modern sculptures to ancient artefacts and 3D works to be displayed securely and safely without the need to source cases on loan or hire.

They’ve also ensured that the 150 square-metre special exhibition gallery at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is the first gallery space within the county with Government indemnity, which allows high-quality touring exhibitions to visit the town.

The gallery also provides a run of over 40m of hanging space for two-dimensional works.

Exhibitions that have already taken place at the venue include works from the Frank Cohen Collection by internationally-known artists such as Tracey Emin and Chen Lei, and photos from the Terence Spencer Archive, featuring well-known names including The Beatles.

The current exhibition, ‘Exposed-The Body in Art’ runs until 4 January 2015 and features work by artists including Auguste Rodin, Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud.

It will be followed early next year by a secrets of Ancient Egypt exhibition.

Tina Woodward, Shropshire Council’s Deputy Cabinet member responsible for museums, said:

“On behalf of Shropshire Council I would like to thank the Friends for their enormous generosity. The purchase of these showcases allows the Museum & Art Gallery to mount exhibitions of the highest quality, meaning that for the first time Shropshire residents can see fabulous works of art without having to travel outside the county.”

David Waterhouse, Chair of the Friends of the Museum and Art Gallery said:

“The Friends are delighted to be able to help the museum with this important purchase. It is part of the continuing programme of support that the Friends have promised to the museum which will continue over the next few years.”

Emma-Kate Lanyon, team leader for collections and curatorial services with Shropshire Council, said:

“These new showcases have already allowed us to display some fantastic ancient Egyptian and Classical Greek artefacts from National Museums Liverpool. When they are not needed for special exhibitions they will allow groups such as our New Curators to put on small exhibitions. This will help to keep our galleries fresh for regular visitors and to get extra objects out of our stores and on show.”

Shropshire Council’s museums service has worked closely with Armour Systems (now part of the Conservation by Design Group) to design the showcasing for the main museum spaces.