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Strategy

STRATEGIC PLAN

Introduction and Background

1. Rye Art Gallery (RAG) is one of Rye’s principal cultural attractions. It is an independent gallery, open to the public, free of admission charges, registered both as a charity and with the Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA),

The Stormont Trust

2. RAG was created as a charitable trust in 1957 from a bequest of property, money, art and artifacts from the Rye artist Mary Stormont (1871-1962 [picture above]). The gallery is housed in two adjacent heritage buildings, the Stormont Studio in Ockman Lane and in front, the Easton Rooms at 107 High Street, both in the conservation area of Rye. The aim of the trust remains the “propagation of knowledge concerning the fine arts and in particular the art of painting and the stimulation of interest in and the encouragement of the same by the provision and arrangement of exhibitions and lectures and of facilities for instruction in the same”.

3. The objectives remain as the establishment and maintenance (but in such a manner that the Trust hall at all times be a charity) of all of the following in Rye: “an art gallery, picture gallery, art school and lecture hall”. These objectives are fulfilled as below.

• The Stormont Studio houses a collection of more than 400 works (known as the “Permanent Collection”) which has grown from the initial Stormont Bequest, through further donations, loans and purchases, mostly using money raised by the Friends of Rye Art Gallery (FRAG). The gallery has a formal acquisitions and disposals policy. The collection comprises mainly 19'h and 20th Century paintings, prints, drawings, photographs and sculptures. Artists represented in the collection are of regional and national importance including Edward Burra, Paul Nash, Jacob Epstein, Ceri Richards, Graham Sutherland, Ivon Hitchens, Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. There is also an archive of personal letters, texts and photographs. The collection provides a context for exhibitions. There is a text-based catalogue of works, but a digital database is being developed for the collection. An annual programme of changing exhibitions seeks to combine the exhibition of the Permanent Collection with innovative contemporary art by local and regional artists, mostly in the Easton Rooms. The Stormont Studio provides the infrastructure for supporting the whole gallery and for Friends’ activities and events, including monthly art related lectures, occasional young peoples’ workshops and as a meeting place for other art related organisations such as the Rye Potters.

• The Easton Rooms is named after founder Trustee Eileen Easton, and was a later addition to the Trust. It is recognised nationally and regionally for its high quality themed selling exhibitions of affordable works by contemporary artists and crafts people. Many of them are local to Rye and before their works are exhibited, they are subject to a selection process by a panel of their peers. This is the part of the Trust which provides a key bridge between contemporary artists and the community.

4. The Permanent Collection of art works, with its supporting infrastructure forms part of an “accredited independent museum” under the scheme administered by the MLA. As such it represents the only gallery in the Rother District Arts and Heritage grouping.
Vision

5. The Trustees have a passion for constant improvement to a visual arts cultural centre of excellence in Rye, of regional importance, with inclusive and free public access. They are striving to improve its standing by pursuing objectives which are true to the Trust Deed and aimed at providing better benefits to the local community, local artists and the local economy, as well as providing a bridge between the past and present arts community in Rye.

Direction and Management

6. The Trust is directed by a Board of Volunteer Trustees comprising 5 members: three are nominated, in accordance with the Trust Deed, by: The Royal Academy; The Gallery's original subscribers’ (now subsumed by the Friends of the Rye Art Gallery, which is a separate charity) and Rye Town Council. Two more are co-opted for their individual skills and expertise. One trustee is elected chair by the other four to provide the general direction and financial lead. He has also been acting as overall project manager for the development. The Board fulfills the aims of the trust and operates in accordance with the regulations of the Charities Commission. In direct support of the Trustees there are three identified volunteer posts: a board meetings secretary; a curator for the Permanent Collection and a supervisor for young peoples’ workshops.

7. Acting under the overall direction of the Trustees, the full time Manager leads a team of 4 part time staff, supported by another 2/3 occasional staff, in the running of the contemporary art exhibitions in the Easton Rooms and those aspects of administration which impact on the whole gallery, such as accounting and cleaning.

Friends of Rye Art Gallery (FRAG).

8. There are some 400 subscribing Friends (in the original trust described as “Subscribers”) who form FRAG, a separate charity organized by a separate committee. The Chair of the FRAG committee has introduced structures and training in order that the Friends can act as volunteers for a range of activities which take place in the gallery and in other locations in Rye. FRAG organise a programme of activities – integrated within the RAG programme - open to both members and non-members, which fulfills the remit for public education as specified in the Trust Deed. In addition the Friends organise vital fund raising activities, the proceeds of which are then committed to either capital projects or for the purchase of new artworks. Since 2004, the Friends have provided the majority of gallery supervision, on a voluntary basis, at the Stormont Studio in order that opening hours can be maintained.

Activities

9. RAG activities may be divided into the categories below, which are not listed in priority order, but are all publicised separately:

• Changing exhibitions of contemporary art and craftwork including paintings, sculpture, ceramics, prints, photographs, metalwork, textiles and jewelry.
• Promotion of local and regional artists and craftspeople both through display and sales of their work.
• Changing exhibitions drawn from the Gallery's Permanent Collection, which includes works of local, regional and national importance. This collection increases in size through gifts and purchases supported by fundraising activities. New acquisitions have to meet criteria set by the Trustees.
• Exhibitions of the work of children from local schools, mainly Rye College.
• Art and craft workshops.
• A programme of lectures and cultural events, open to the public, organised by the Friends of Rye Art Gallery.
• Participation in local and regional events such as Coastal Currents and the Two Bays Festival. This has also included collaboration with Rye Castle Museum.
• The hosting of events by other art groups in Rye, such as the Rye Potters.

National and Local Context

10. National Level: RAG aims chime with those at the national level, as set by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: promoting education; providing physical and intellectual access to collections; helping to tackle social exclusion; supporting economic prosperity (particularly in relation to the local art community).

11. County, District and Town Level: RAG seeks to comply with the published cultural and leisure priorities of the Rother District Council (RDC) Community Strategy and the Rye District Plan, which include the ambition of providing year round opportunities for both local people and visitors to access and participate in a wide range of culture, sport and leisure activity. RAG contributes to the multi-agency partnership within Rother, organised to guide Rother’s cultural development and advocate the role of culture & leisure in social, environmental and economic well being.

How Rye Art Gallery relates to the community plan

12. Of the five priority areas, which are identified in the Rother District Community Strategy, Rye Art Gallery makes an impact on all five, through:

• Quality of Life: The exhibitions and the programme of public education provide inspiration and opportunity for people from all walks of life. They provide the chance to encounter, and be moved by, a whole variety of achievements of the human spirit, from complex works of art to the simplest creation.
• Healthy Lifestyle. Through its programmes and services, RAG provides fun and entertainment. It acts as a catalyst and centre for life-long learning, research, cultural recreation and a place to bring pleasure to the wider public community: local, regional, provincial, national and international.
• Social Cohesion: Through its many activities it addresses inequalities and a sense of community cohesion. Examples are the work with young people attending workshops, using visual art to make participants feel valued, encouraging the sharing of cultural experience. The education and outreach sessions for schools focus on materials, including technology in the national curriculum. Multi-cultural work, through a programme of art education has covered subjects as various as Hungarian Folk Art, Uzbek and North American art, raising awareness and increases understanding of other cultures.
• Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour: The work with neighbourhood projects and disadvantaged communities on projects such as the Arts development holiday projects with young people help to promote equality of opportunity and can help combat exclusion and marginalisation. Arts and culture are recognised as having a positive impact on young people. Recent successes have included several workshops with local schools.
• Economic Regeneration: RAG contributes to the local economy by bringing support and nurture to local artists and crafts people; directly employing staff and indirectly generating the need for services from local companies such as designers, printers and sign writers. The volunteer programme provides work experience, programmes and activities to contribute to the generation of employment. RAG contributes to “cultural tourism” which is an important element of Rye’s tourist industry.
• Conservation: RAG protects and enhances key buildings in Rye, adding to the environmental quality of the conservation area. The programme includes projects to promote environmental awareness through special exhibitions and workshops many of which touch on environmental agendas, such as the tides project.

The Audience.

13. Visitor numbers to the gallery are routinely around 5000 per quarter. FRAG events draw on average around 50 individuals per event. For the Rye Festival in 2009, the FRAG lecture was attended by 120. The programme of events and activities is always under review by the Trustees with the aim of attracting greater numbers of visitors, from a wider cross section of the population. Improvement measures include destination profiling through the Crafts and Arts Councils; attracting tourists from the UK and abroad; seeking referrals from other agencies; being open and free to passers-by and regular visitors. The website has been revamped (from July 2008) and is now more informative, but further development, including the inclusion of images from the Permanent Collection, is planned. Although there is no formal strategy for educational activities, events are planned to involve Rye College. There is an opportunity for more involvement now that the Trust has a Trustee from the College.

Finance

14. The Trust generates income from the Easton Rooms (and occasionally the Stormont Studio) in the form of commission on a sale or return basis of exhibited contemporary works and some incidental direct sales. This is the key income stream. Separately, the gallery bids for and occasionally benefits from some small grants from bodies such as Renaissance Museums. There is a small annual payment under a standing SLA from Rother District Council. The Friends make grants in response to bids from the Trustees or for their own.

15. RAG owns the buildings and much of the Permanent Collection. It maintains a small invested Trust Fund which has suffered badly in the recent financial conditions, but provides a small income and importantly a financial reserve.

16. The paid staff account for some £40K of the annual running costs of around £70K. During the last two years the greater emphasis on the use of volunteers has helped reduce overheads.

17. There is an audited annual account, which meets the requirements of the Charities Commission, which can be seen on their national website under the charity number. This provides any interested individual or body the opportunity to see the overall funding position.

Location and Buildings

18. In 2004, as part of a bid to the Arts Council, a consultants’ report was funded to examine the gallery, which is extracted below. “RAG's two properties which are separate, listed buildings of different periods. Located in the centre of the town, the Easton Rooms has a frontage onto the High Street, whilst the adjacent Stormont Studio is discovered via a side street (East Street and Ockman Lane) from the High Street. The premises are a considerable asset, both financially and as an integral, consistent element of the overall charm of Rye. They are enjoyable to visit in their own right and provide a friendly and convivial atmosphere to consider and enjoy the visual arts and crafts. The total floor areas for both premises are 170 square meters, with the largest space located on the upper floor of the Stormont Studio. Both buildings are domestic in scale, with the Stormont Studio having a higher build-quality and refurbishment. The Stormont studio has two floors of domestic accommodation above the galleries. The three storeys and meandering passages of the Easton Rooms present a feeling of discovery for visitors as, one by one, rooms of craft objects reveal themselves at the tops of stairs or just around the corner. The grander Stormont Studio offers gravitas to exhibitions and displays and encourages contemplation by visitors. However, because of the very nature of the buildings, programming and mediation of exhibits is restricted. Ceilings are low and walls are windowed, limiting programming to a domestic scale. Multiple entrances and large numbers of windows present a security risk and can restrict programming. Though the Stormont Studio can take Grade B exhibitions, invigilation and customer care are hampered by the large number of different, enclosed spaces within both of the buildings. Individual branding and the lack of enclosed physical connection between the two buildings both confuse and is a barrier for visitors, especially to the Stormont Studio. Welcoming and customer care and presentation facilities are further limited and fall short of contemporary visitor attractions. All three entrances lack visibility and a feeling of openness. No entrances or parts of the galleries. are physically accessible. Cloakroom and storage space for customer's possessions is inadequate. There is limited space for reception and information functions, though recent initiative by the Friends at the entrance to the Stormont Studio provides a friendly welcome and information and brochures. The only lavatory (located within the Stormont Studio) is basic. There are no dedicated education or lecture spaces, and no blackout facilities. The pedestrian link between the galleries passes through an attractive upper garden with seating and outdoor artworks. However, this and the courtyard are physically inaccessible to wheelchair users, and an adjacent lower garden is unreachable. The premises are in need of immediate repairs including attention to the roof, and damp in the cellar.”

Rye Art Gallery – Options for Change

19. The Shea Debnam report on the RAG identified a series of options, of which there were three realistic.
• Option 1: already flagged up by the 2002 Financial Statements; to sell the Stormont Studios and invest capital and funds into the Easton Rooms.
• Option 2: to dispose of the Easton Rooms and invest in the Stormont.
• Option 3: to implement a plan for recovery which is based on attracting funds from the public sector through partnership initially and to run a parallel fundraising campaign to promote sustainability beyond public sector funding.

20. One of the other options (Option 8) involved a series of proactive measures for short, medium and long-term implementation, to develop the Gallery through partnerships and cooperative activities. This option has elements which are particularly attractive as once the Trustees have placed RAG on a firmer footing; they are keen to develop it further to enhance its status as a centre of excellence in Rye.

The Agreed Strategy

21. After this report, the Trustees under a new chair, considered a series of development proposals, drawing heavily on the report – particularly from options 2 and 8 - for advice and ideas. The Trustees embarked on a strategy to enhance the infrastructure in order to provide a much firmer base for future programme development. At the heart of this was the integrate of both heritage buildings to create "one gallery" which would host all the activities of the Trust. The strategy remains to:

• Review and restructure the management team, by relying more heavily on volunteers to reduce costs.
• Revisit an earlier plan – for which there was extant planning permission - to extend the Easton Rooms into the existing rear yard area to replicate the upper floors lost through sell-off and provide a vital link between the two properties (the "one gallery" concept). This would involve seeking planning permissions and the re-routing of an informal pedestrian access to an alternative path over RAG land. Integration would provide exhibition spaces which would be more manageable and allow visitors to mover freely between all the spaces.
• Improve access, including the adoption of measures to meet the demands of the Disabilities Act, by planning for “reasonable measures to remove physical barriers to facilities”. The plan would create an accessible WC; improve access throughout the ground floor level to reduce/remove physical barriers; to provide access to exhibitions on the upper floor by planning a lift and through computer and sound displays and other visual art material. The enhanced gallery would be accessed through an improved main (High Street) entrance in the Easton Rooms. To re-fit the supervisors workspace, display area and to revise the security system, to provide a focus for all marketing and information management activities (part of integral plan for Easton Rooms).
• Improve the infrastructure in the Stormont Studio by creating offices and improved storage, removing some internal walls and rebuilding the Stormont kitchen. The old caretaker’s flat in the Stormont Studio would be adapted to create three functional areas: first, an area for cataloguing, archival, visual and biographical data, which would be available to students, researchers, schools, librarians, scholars and the target audiences; secondly an improved storage area for the 400 works of the permanent collection; lastly, a workspace for the Gallery Manager, Trustees and FRAG committees. Presently the area available for these purposes is ad hoc and restricted.
• Fund some of the early improvements to the infrastructure, RAG would sell the upper (less accessible) part of the Easton Rooms (to net around £150K) and dispose of part of garden (to net £13K).
• Examine the possibility of creating more partnerships will to build on existing working relationships with other galleries, agencies or artists-led organisations to further the Gallery’s objectives, share expertise, broaden audiences, develop a loyalty base or attract more resources.

22. The alterations and improvements to the infrastructure would allow three types of concurrent exhibition: visual art by local artists; selections from the permanent collection; space for touring exhibitions. In addition there would be ample space for workshops and periodic public events for up to 60 people, with the entire infrastructure necessary to support them.

The Plan

23. To enable the planning and management by the Trustees and for work to be matched to available funds, the agreed strategy would be handled in three main phases, but it should be noted that to expedite some of the building, elements of the plan – drawings of the gallery are below, with shaded areas showing new build - run concurrently.

24. Ongoing,

• Measure 1: maximize income; reduce overheads. To consolidate all the sales and exhibition functions of the present Easton Rooms with a view to increasing revenue streams from “opportunity” art related sales. Target of sales +£150k pa = net £50K+ to RAG [net to gallery presently around £25K). Reducing Overheads. To regularly review (root and branch) the costs and overheads (-£80K = salaries -£40K; overheads -£30K; ads/pr etc -£10K) with a view to reducing further and to match future long-term personnel plot. Maximising Revenue Streams. To exploit digital images of collection by producing Gallery brochure and posters to be sold to visitors (in lieu of entrance fee). (Full digitisation project yet to start).

• Measure 2: Strengthening Management Structure. To reinforce TsRAG with treasurer to complement volunteer secretary; review the management structure with a view to moving more of the implementation from the Trustees to the management staff. (Under review)

• Measure 3: Improving Sense of “Ownership” by FRAG. Now that FRAG has formally subsumed the role of subscribers (creating better notion of “ownership” through varying levels of membership/subscription and clearer understanding of FRAG-RAG relationship), to continue the consultation to seek support from volunteers for support to workgroups for exhibition; infrastructure; education; events; permanent collection. (Part complete)

25. Phase 1 to November 2008. This phase included all the planning, seeking permissions and organising contracts for the alterations involving some 12 separate and local contractors.

• Measure 4 : consolidate the property (Drawing on Shea Debnam Option 2). To sell the garden behind the Stormont. To separate and sell upper Easton Rooms. To complete the separation works to building regulations and to improve the existing ground floor of the Easton Rooms: main entrance from High Street; lighting; decoration; sales area. (£25K). To improve the security and fire alarm and CCTV, including new locks to match the new layout (£10k). (Complete)

• Measure 5: improve the storage facilities for the permanent collection and to enhance the archives. To create two environmentally enhanced and secure art stores for the Permanent Collection (£5K); to complete the digitisation of all the images in the Permanent Collection (currently only half complete); to develop computer facilities to store the archived and digitised images of the permanent collection (would integrate with system above for disabled access); to fit data logging capability into the exhibition spaces to monitor the environmental conditions; to enhance the archive and storage physical arrangements (£10K). (Complete)

26. Phase 2 to Christmas 2008.

• Measure 6: improve the Stormont Studio. To build a two storey extension to locate a revised kitchen (funded by FRAG [£10K] ), accessible WC, improved rear access and storage. (£40K). (Complete)

• Measure 7: prepare ground for phase3. To carry out groundworks between Easton Rooms and Stormont Studio to be ready to build the link enclosure. This should include access to the Stormont cellar and an underpass to enable access from Ockman Lane to the rear of No 8 High Street (£50K). (Complete)

27. Phase 3 to mid 2010

• Measure 8: To Link the Easton Rooms to the Stormont Studio. To conform to RDC planning consents by extending the Easton Rooms rearwards (costs of steel structure and bio roofing (£25K) to link with the Stormont Studio and to re-route rear access as part of Stormont improvements. (Link costs £40K); to fit electrics, ventilation and heating (£10k); to refurbish and integrate the existing gazebo as part of the plan (£15K). (Completed by May 2010)

• Measure 9: Exhibition Facilities. To install new visual art hanging, lighting (Erco style) and display arrangements throughout the phase 2/3 build (£5K). (Part complete; completion subject to funding)

• Measure 10: Heating for the new link. To fit under floor heating into the planned housings in the new East-Stormont link. (£10K). (Completed May 2010)

• Measure 11: Access - Two Lifts (1) to install a lift in the Stormont Studio. Covered by the action plan from the SEWS funded access audit. Lift would be side mounted lift into a planned housing in the Stormont Studio to carry up to three people from the ground to the upper studio on the first floor. (£20K). (2) to install a lift from ground to lower ground floor at rear of Easton Rooms to provide access to rear Extension. (£10k). (Subject to funding)

• Measure 12: Decoration and making good. To prepare and paint all windows and exterior surfaces; to review and fit appropriate signs throughout; to replace flooring throughout. (£20K). (Part complete)

Communicating the Strategy

28. The Trustees continue to communicate with all interested parties within the Arts community, local government, stakeholders and the Press. This will continue as the project progresses. Our media lines reflect the fact that the strategy:

• Remains true to the original Trust;
• Strives to achieve an integrated gallery with contemporary art for sale showing alongside the Permanent Collection;
• Reduces overheads through more efficient management and infrastructure;
• Retains maximum scope and options for future;
• Provides improved, more accessible infrastructure from which to attract greater audience numbers.

Chair of Rye Art Gallery Trust
Updated July 2010