About the box
A Very Brief History of the RED BOX ART BT phone box (the smallest gallery in the North)
GRAND OPENING December 20th 2.30pm by Robson Green. Robson will be the first to view the artwork in the gallery and offer his thoughts about Northumberland Art. The Hexham phone box was purchased by the Forge Studios Art Centre early 2013 from BT. As part of this scheme, the phone was removed a
nd BT kindly gave it a fresh lick of paint. We applied to Northumberland County Council for change of use from a phone box to an art gallery and once agreed the Forge Studios artists were free to use the kiosk. It was agreed that Cultivating contemporary and traditional community arts would be the aim and all Forge Network Members would be able to use the space for projects and promoting, the youth project could be involved and we could hand out leaflets from the gallery to highlight art with a 'twist. The group found it hard to insure the box as a gallery but the Hexham NFU came to the rescue, 'once they stopped laughing' that is. The iconic phone box is a K6 and was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 to commemorate George the Fifth’s Silver Jubilee and has been refurbished inside to begin a new life as an art gallery. We believe the RED BOX ART Gallery set up by the Forge Studios Art Centre is one of very few smallest public art gallery in the world. Certainly it is the only one in Northumberland and the North East. It has its own curator, volunteers and cleaner to make sure each month there’s something new to view. Since opening a creative hub in 2006 and building the new Allendale Forge Studios in 2011 we have mounted a constantly changing exhibition programe, working with local and international artists, also new up and coming practitioners so we intend to open the BOX to more creative people who would like to contribute and build interest in sustaining the life of the gallery in the middle of Hexham Town. We are immensely grateful for all the support we have received since starting this project, from BT, the Council and Hexham NFU. We hope everyone will enjoy the quirky nature of the gallery and the that the iconic status of the red telephone boxes (a Heritage Building) is saved forever and will attract some great projects in the future. Please visit our website www.allendaleforgestudios.co.uk and page for pictures and videos of the project. Contact - telephone 01434683975
[email protected]
www.allendaleforgestudios.co.uk
