Swindon Borough Council has confirmed that despite a number of social media posts to the contrary, no decision has been taken to close Swindon Museum and Art Gallery with Swindon Borough Council committing to maintaining the current museum and art gallery staffing budget.
The Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, housed in an 1840s listed house which was converted into a museum and art gallery in the 1930’s has remained closed since the start of the pandemic due to the lack of space and the inability for people to safely socially-distance.
The council have also admitted that the current building is also not fit for purpose, provides a poor visitor experience and requires a significant amount of investment is also required to bring the building up to an appropriate standard.
In an effort to take Swindon’s nationally renowned art collection to a larger audience, the Council launched Art on Tour in January last year. This has resulted in a number of successful exhibitions at council-owned buildings. Work is also ongoing with local businesses and learning and community venues to install artworks from the Swindon collection within their buildings, making it easier for the public to enjoy the art collection.
A new concept known as ‘Museum Without Walls’ is being developed to take the Borough’s heritage collections into community venues for pop-up exhibitions with related family activities.
Museum curatorial and learning staff are also exploring displaying Swindon’s collections at the Central Library in Regent Circus, the Old Town Hall and the Carriage Works.
Councillor Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Culture, Heritage and Leisure, said: “I am determined to see our nationally important art collection shared with the widest possible audience, and for a new Art Gallery and Museum to be delivered that Swindon can be proud of.
“Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is an essential service, and the provision and collections have never been under threat – that is something I would never agree to.
“A persuasive case was made by the professional officers running Swindon Museum and Art Gallery that Apsley House is not fit for purpose and for years barely attracted 30 visitors a day before COVID hit, so focusing efforts on a new purpose-built facility is in the best interests of the art collection and museum artefacts.
“Knowing these issues, council officers wrote a discussion paper and last week confidentially discussed ideas on what should happen with the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and also informed local ward councillors. This was correctly done at the very start of the engagement process, and I’m told the participants left happy.
“It is appalling that they have found it so easy to breach trust and confidentiality and misled the public by claiming, minutes before the England football match kicked off on Saturday, that the Council had made a decision to close the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. This has done nothing but cause concern and anxiety among the public over the weekend. They can no longer be trusted.
“In light of concerns, I have asked officers to prepare a full Cabinet report on the future of Apsley House, and the potential to relocate the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery to a new home.
“I can be clear. The future of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery in our town is safe, and there is a long-term costed plan. Art is currently, and will remain, on display around the town.”
