Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Gallery at The Public now under review
A display of hi-tech interactive exhibits inside £63 million Black Country arts centre The Public is to be reviewed by the gallery’s new bosses.
The review will come before the West Bromwich centre has even fully opened. Paul Slater, chief executive of the new Sandwell Arts Trust, said testing of gallery exhibits are ongoing.
He said: “The exhibits are working and nothing has gone at the moment, but we are reviewing the visitor experience, what works for people and what doesn’t.
“What we want to have on offer is much more than just the interactive gallery.
“There will be a full review taking place before we will be able to say categorically what is contained when the centre opens as a single entity.”
Councillor Bob Badham, regeneration boss at Sandwell Council, said: “This isn’t about changing the gallery completely, but it will be another style of gallery.
“It isn’t really my field, but what we are basically trying to do is increase the art content in the building.
“There is a lot of potential for different types of art, including more “traditional” types of artwork.
“There is a big need for this facility in Sandwell and we believe it can work here.”
The gallery at the West Bromwich centre has remained closed since The Public opened a year ago because the exhibits were not working properly.
Now that the Arts Council has agreed a £3 million handout to get the centre up and running from this summer until 2011, the newly-formed trust said it can move forward.
Mr Slater said the trust was now recruiting for the board of directors and new members of staff.
He said: “We currently have around 26 full-time workers who will keep their jobs with 55 workers in total to be employed at The Public. We will also be recruiting a director, which will be someone with considerable experience.”
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The only thing that would get me inside that abortion would be if they had stocks set up, with our wonderful councillor’s heads and hands locked into the stocks, and free rotten vegetables were supplied.
I can’t believe that Bob Badham is still spouting this rubbish about people wanting this monstrosity, Bob if you believe that pay back all the money you have been paid as councillor to oversee this fiasco.
Again another comment from Bob Badham “There is a big need for this facility in Sandwell and we believe it can work here.” No Bob, we want our streets cleaned, we want play facilities for our kids, and we don’t want our borough looking like a 3rd world country, most of all we want our council rates reduced in line with the reduction in services that you have made.
“Mr Slater said the trust was now recruiting for the board of directors and new members of staff” I trust these peoples salaries will be paid for out of the profits that this monstrosity will be making? Well according to Bob Badham, or can we expect another case of bring out the begging bowl again or increase council tax to cover the cost.
Jim of Bearwood
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Why don’t they get the hint and give it up, no-one wants it. What we, and the other thousands of people want is to save broadfield house glass museum, and the other traditional arts, crafts and industries that are being killed off in favour of this rubbish. Why can’t they be proud of and support what we have left?
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just dig a big whole in the floor and turn it into swimming pool, at least it will be somewhere for the kids to go,
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