Hoardings in Clarence Street used as a blank canvas

Progress is going well with the construction of the Art Gallery and Museum’s new extension. We have reached our first major milestone now that the ground works have been completed and work has started with the construction of the main concrete frame. During the closure period, the Art Gallery and Museum is continuing to work with its collections, engage with local communities and provide exhibitions and projects through the off-site touring programme, "Off the wall, on the move".

One such project has seen the hoardings in front of the museum’s construction site transformed into an artwork by local artists and children.  The Art Gallery and Museum commissioned Creative Solutions, a local arts and media company, to run drawing workshops with children from local schools on the theme of Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, past, present and future. They worked with three schools, the Catholic School of Saint Gregory the Great, All Saints’ Academy and Bettridge community special educational needs school.

Mandy Roberts, head teacher at Bettridge School commented: “What a privilege and pleasure it has been to be involved in this project and for our young people to seen as an important part of the Cheltenham sky line!”  

Peter Kingham, principal of All Saints’ Academy, said: “All Saints’ Academy are proud to have worked with Creative Solutions on this project. The students had a fantastic time participating in the drawing workshop. The work produced by the students was outstanding.”

Creative Solutions also used photographs of children from the school and staff from the Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum to bring the drawings to life, so don't be surprised to see a Victorian child playing outside!

We have posted some pictures of the artists and schoolchildren involved in the project on Flickr.