News: Rotherham is Gallery Town
Rotherham town centre is being transformed into "Gallery Town" as part of an exciting regeneration project.
The new outdoor art exhibition was officially opened last week and sees up to 60 huge pieces of artwork – including work by Rotherham students, local artists and some of the world's greatest painters - installed them in key locations around the town.
The artwork is displayed on shops and well known buildings such as Rotherham Market, the Eastwood Building, Pop nightclub, along with several pieces on College Lane.
Nick Cragg (pictured, right), local entrepreneur and member of the Rotherham LSP Board, who is spearheading the project, opened the galley at RCAT's Wharncliffe restaurant alongside partners, Welcome to Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Nick said: "You only need to look at places like Bilbao in Spain or Liverpool, where art and culture has helped to regenerate whole cities and really put these places on the map with visitors and shoppers.
"The beauty of this exhibition is that it's not elitist art – it's art from all over Rotherham as well as from across the world and it's here for the foreseeable future to be enjoyed by everyone.
"It was really important to us that we included work by local artists and young people with a talent. We're also hoping it will encourage more community art from outlying areas of Rotherham, which can be included at a later stage as the gallery evolves. Not only should it help to regenerate the town centre but also give budding artists the opportunity to showcase their work in a highly visual environment that will help them to further their careers."
At the launch, loacal artist Nigel Senior, who lives at North Anston, was looking forward to seeing his painting "Composition 14" displayed above 20/20 clothing store on Westgate.
He said: "It was really flattering to be invited to exhibit one of my works in the town centre and I am looking forward to see how it is going to look. I really hope this exhibition gives a lot of pleasure to the people of Rotherham."
The launch also unveiled an "urban piano" being donated from Ben Kealey, keyboard player with rock band Kasabian, which will form an integral part of the open air gallery. Restoring pianos combines Ben's carpentry and artistic skills. Joining inspiration and innovation, he hopes to bring abandoned instruments back into vogue as an item of art or focal furniture rather than another candidate for landfill.
Gallery Town website
Images: Rotherham LSP / Tom Austen
The new outdoor art exhibition was officially opened last week and sees up to 60 huge pieces of artwork – including work by Rotherham students, local artists and some of the world's greatest painters - installed them in key locations around the town.
The artwork is displayed on shops and well known buildings such as Rotherham Market, the Eastwood Building, Pop nightclub, along with several pieces on College Lane.
Nick Cragg (pictured, right), local entrepreneur and member of the Rotherham LSP Board, who is spearheading the project, opened the galley at RCAT's Wharncliffe restaurant alongside partners, Welcome to Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Nick said: "You only need to look at places like Bilbao in Spain or Liverpool, where art and culture has helped to regenerate whole cities and really put these places on the map with visitors and shoppers.
"The beauty of this exhibition is that it's not elitist art – it's art from all over Rotherham as well as from across the world and it's here for the foreseeable future to be enjoyed by everyone.
"It was really important to us that we included work by local artists and young people with a talent. We're also hoping it will encourage more community art from outlying areas of Rotherham, which can be included at a later stage as the gallery evolves. Not only should it help to regenerate the town centre but also give budding artists the opportunity to showcase their work in a highly visual environment that will help them to further their careers."
At the launch, loacal artist Nigel Senior, who lives at North Anston, was looking forward to seeing his painting "Composition 14" displayed above 20/20 clothing store on Westgate.He said: "It was really flattering to be invited to exhibit one of my works in the town centre and I am looking forward to see how it is going to look. I really hope this exhibition gives a lot of pleasure to the people of Rotherham."
The launch also unveiled an "urban piano" being donated from Ben Kealey, keyboard player with rock band Kasabian, which will form an integral part of the open air gallery. Restoring pianos combines Ben's carpentry and artistic skills. Joining inspiration and innovation, he hopes to bring abandoned instruments back into vogue as an item of art or focal furniture rather than another candidate for landfill.
Gallery Town website
Images: Rotherham LSP / Tom Austen
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