Top Ten Posts of 2022

 This is one of the things I like to do, look back at the page views for the posts published the previous year. There were 31 posts published in 2022, and by far the most popular were those concerning the plans for the new Museum and Art Gallery in the Civic Offices, and also the future of Apsley House, the former home of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. I think we could all have predicted that as we eagerly await the opening of the Museum and Art Gallery, and fervently hope that Apsley House does not face further dilapidation before entering its next incarnation. 

I'll list the posts in order of popularity with links to the posts. Coming in at number one was the post about the public engagement exercise at the Civic Offices held on 19 October:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Public Engagement Event 19 October to Share Plans (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Followed by: What is Happening with our museum?

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: What's happening with our museum? (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

At third a piece in the Advertiser entitled 'Work Starts on New Home for Swindon Museum and Art Gallery'

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Work Starts on New Home for Swindon Museum and Art Gallery (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Next marking the 2 year anniversary of closure of SM&AG:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Two Year Anniversary of Closure Marked (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

In fifth place:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: A Celebration of Colour: A Display of Artworks and Ceramics in the Civic Offices (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Sixth place:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Art on Tour Exhibitions and Talks (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Seventh place:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Questions and Answers (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Eighth place:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: August 2022 (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Ninth:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Christmas meal (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

and lastly a piece about Ken Stradling:

Friends of Swindon Museum & Art Gallery: Remembering Ken Stradling (friendsofsmag.blogspot.com)

Swindon Borough Council- Do the Right Thing!

Swindon Borough Council hopes to build a new cultural quarter, complete with museum and art gallery, in the town centre. Save our Museum and Art Gallery (SOMAG) supports this, but it’s not likely to happen for years – maybe decades – because as yet there is no funding for it.

Meanwhile, the council has closed Apsley House – the Bath Road building that’s been home to Swindon Museum and Art Gallery for about 90 years. It says the building, which it owns, has fallen into disrepair and isn’t fully accessible. It plans to repair Apsley House and sell it.

So, what next for our renowned Swindon Collection of Modern British Art and our wonderful objects and artefacts, which include internationally significant archaeology and palaeontology, and the beloved Swindon crocodilian? The council is considering converting part of its own offices in Euclid Street to a new museum and art gallery.

SOMAG welcomes converting the first floor of the council offices to a proper gallery. It will cost several million pounds to do that – there are very clear requirements on how to fit out galleries to 21^st century national standards.  However, if Swindon Borough Council want to make that investment, we support it. It would attract local visitors, tourists, and visits by schools, and would provide a welcome boost to Regent Circus and the town centre.

But if they’re not planning to spend the millions required, there is a second option. South Swindon Parish Council are offering to take over running Apsley House once it’s repaired. The Parish Council has plans to make it viable, and when the new cultural quarter is finally built it will hand Apsley House back for Swindon Borough Council to use as it wishes.

We are urging Swindon Borough Council to do the right thing.

·         Convert Euclid Street offices into a 21^st century quality museum and art gallery, by investing the several million pounds that will be required, or

·         Agree to hand over the lease of Apsley House to South Swindon Parish Council so the collections can remain on show until they can be moved to the cultural quarter.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

·         Sign the Change.org petition – Save Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. Ask friends to sign too.

·         Write to councillors David Renard and Robert Jandy – drenard@swindon.gov.uk and rjandy@swindon.gov.uk asking them to agree on one of the two options above

·         Write to your MP – Robert.buckland.mp@parliament.uk (South Swindon) or Justin.tomlinson.mp@parliament.uk (North Swindon)

·         Join the Save Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Facebook group

·         Put the poster on the next post in your window

·         Join the SOMAG mailing list, by emailing admin@friendsofsmag.org

 

THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!