Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Management Limited.

Press Release: 13th June2007

New Things to See and Hear at Keswick Museum and Art Gallery

A new exhibition and a new CD are providing some new experiences for visitors to the Keswick Museum and Art Gallery.

The exhibition is ‘Internal Landscapes’ by Linda Gallacher. The show consists of 30 large-scale abstract watercolours which really fill the extra high walls of Keswick Museum’s 100-year-old purpose built Art Gallery. Linda says of her work: “I am an abstract painter, a colourist, specialising in watercolour. I am following in the historical tradition of abstract landscapists. Though originally from Scotland I have lived in The Lake District for many years and I am inspired by its landscape. I want to explore the formal elements of painting as well as communicating to the viewer feelings of the sublime, that the viewer will find my work uplifting, harmonious and meditative.”

The other new development is a newly-released CD of music played on Keswick Museum’s famous Musical Stones of Skiddaw: a fourteen foot long slate xylophone constructed in 1827 by Keswick stonemason Joseph Richardson. The CD has 13 tracks of music recorded over the last 6 months by American musician Brian Dewan, Liverpool-based percussionist Emma Welsby and Keswick Museum’s Jamie Barnes. The songs range from traditional English folk, to hymns to contemporary experimental pieces. The CD is already selling well and is available from the Museum for just £3.00.

Keswick Museum and Art Gallery is open Tuesday- Saturday, 10am-4pm and admission is still free to all.

Press Release: January 2007

Keswick Museum and Art Gallery: Under New Management

Since 1994 Keswick Museum and Art Gallery has been managed by Allerdale Borough Council, who are the trustees of the organisation. Now responsibility for running the Museum has been passed on to a new Management Company, the directors of which are local people.

Allerdale Borough Council has agreed to cover the costs of Keswick Museum and Art Gallery for the next 3 years and has made a £310,000 capital grant towards the redevelopment of the building.

Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Management Limited has been registered at Company House and the first meeting of the Board took place on the 23rd January 2007.

Currently there are 5 directors: Tricia Kerr - Chair of the Board, Stuart Cresswell - Company Secretary, Edward Thompson (Chair of the Friends of Keswick Museum and Art Gallery), Audrey Askew and Martin Pugmire. The Board intends to increase its numbers by invitation over the next year.

As an independent organisation, it will be possible for the Company to access funds from grant aiding bodies that a local authority cannot.

The new Company is supported by Peter Fox, Curator and Manager: Heritage Projects, who will spend 3 days a week on processing the second stage of the Heritage Lottery Fund bid for a £3½ Million grant. There is also an Advisory Panel to the Company which includes Tina Smith of Keswick Area Partnership, Nigel Barker, representatives of the Friends of Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, and the members of the Steering Group.

The Museum will open as usual this Easter and there are a number of exciting projects to be announced. The Management Company would like give many thanks to all those who have supported the Museum and Art Gallery over the past 3 years and hope for their continued involvement in the future.

www.allerdale.gov.uk/keswick-museum
www.myspace.com/musicalstones

Exterior of Keswick Museum and Art Gallery

Press Release 7 February 2007

Curatorial Assistant / House Manager

for Keswick Museum and Art Gallery

Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Management Company are delighted to announce that Jamie Barnes has been appointed to the post of Curatorial Assistant / House Manager for the Museum.

Jamie’s appointment will please the many friends he has made through his past relationship with the Museum. The Company advertised widely and were pleased with the high standard of applicants interviewed for the post. However, Jamie Barnes was the strongest candidate.

Jamie Barnes has worked at the Museum on short-term contracts as the Duty Officer for Allerdale Borough Council. Last year he was also the part-time Co-ordinator for the Lakeland Museums’ Education Network.

In his new post Jamie will be responsible for the day to day management of Keswick Museum and Art Gallery including organising the Volunteer Stewards, without whom the Museum could not successfully operate.

The Management Company are extremely grateful to this group of more than 50 people who have helped make a visit to the museum such a delight. There is always a need for more support, so offers of assistance are very welcome. If you would enjoy helping please contact Jamie on (017687) 73263.

The Museum will be reopening on Tuesday 3rd April, Tuesdays – Saturdays, until the end of October.

Jamie Barnes standing next to famous Musical Stones in Keswick Museum