Council Approves $10,000 Request from Woodstock Art Gallery

Friday, 14 August 2015 06:42

The Woodstock Art Gallery was the hot topic in the first City Council meeting in over a month after they asked for $10,000 to expand their art collection

WOODSTOCK - The Woodstock Art Gallery was the hot topic in the first City Council meeting in over a month after they asked for $10,000 to expand their art collection. Chair of the Gallery's board, Brian Crockett, explains council's reaction to handing out more funds. ''The Art Gallery had sought access to the art acquisition fund, which is the reserve fun, in the amount of $10,000. Our application was successful, council has approved that for 2015, we will have $10,000 towards the purchase of new item's for our collection."

Now that the Woodstock Art Gallery has been given the go ahead to add to their collection Curator of the WAG, Mary Reid, explains what pieces of work they are hoping to bring to the Friendly City. "We have a very exciting opportunity ahead of us, there is a suite of historic prints that are dating to the 16th and 17th century also included in that suite of prints is a Rembrandt. We can now move forward with it in a very exciting manner, so hopefully we will be able to acquire those works and have them on view. You can come and see original master works within the Woodstock Art Gallery."

Reid could not contain her excitement following the positive news. "I'm delighted, I mean in many ways the board has been charged with the duty to be growing and preserving the collection. This is just an opportunity for us to do this in a much more strategic and meaningful way, as opposed to relying on the generosity of many donors. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for those but at the same time it allows us to plan moving forward." The Gallery enjoys promoting local artists from the area but also likes to boast huge names in the art world by having a Tom Thomson piece on display earlier in the year. Currently the Art Gallery is holding an exhibit known as Visual Elements 57 that is showcasing local talent from the community. September is when they are hoping to have the prints by and Reid invites everyone to tour the facility as it is free to the public.