20th December 2007, 07/450
Major refurbishment to enhance Chapel
Gallery
Chapel Gallery is set to undergo a massive facelift in the New Year
to improve its existing facilities and services for visitors.
West Lancashire District Council successfully applied for funding
to make the refurbishment possible in order to enhance the premises
in St Helens Road and to comply with the Disability Discrimination
Act.
Funding came from the Council as well as the Grants for All Arts
Lottery Scheme and the West Lancashire Investing in Business
Programme. It will be used to extend the café, improve access
throughout the facility and new toilets and baby changing
facilities.
New features will also include a family activity monthly events
programme and bespoke lighting features, developed in partnership
with a group of young people, who will work on the project with
professional artists and will gain accreditation as a result of the
work.
Refurbishment works will start on Monday 14th January 2008, which
means that for health and safety reasons the Gallery will be closed
to the public until 19th April.
Services such as the Saturday Art Club, holiday activity programme
and arts development service will still continue at various venues
across the district, details of which will be publicised in due
course
Cllr Rob Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, said: "Chapel
Gallery already has an excellent reputation and offers an extremely
valuable service within the community but we want to improve on
this even further, which is why we intend to carry out these works.
Some of it is essential works to comply with the Disability
Discrimination Act and the other refurbishments will improve Chapel
Gallery's role as a local and regional contemporary art gallery.
Although the Gallery will be closed to the public, we are still
able to carry out lots of our other work to ensure that the people
of West Lancashire are still able to enjoy arts services. The end
result will mean an even better environment for all and an improved
service."
For further information concerning changes of venues etc, please
contact 01695 571328 or visit the Chapel Gallery section.
Visitors can still make the most of the latest exhibition at the
Gallery, which will be showing until the Gallery's closure on 14th
January. The Objects of Desire display includes a mixture of
mesmerising crafts including metalwork and lighting.
The Gallery, off St Helens Road, is open from 10am to 4.30pm,
Tuesday to Saturday. Entrance is free. It is open until 21st
December until 4.30pm and closes over the Christmas holidays until
Wednesday 2nd January 2007. The Gallery closes from 14th January
until 19th April for these works.
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