Art gallery could move into library

8:50am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Local News

How campaigners and artists think the library could look in the future. How campaigners and artists think the library could look in the future.

THE Beecroft Art Gallery in Westcliff could get a new home at Southend's Central Library, it has been revealed.


Southend Council has set aside £150,000 to investigate the proposals to shift the gallery, opposite the Cliffs Pavilion, into the library in Victoria Avenue.


Derek Jarvis, Southend councillor responsible for culture and tourism, said:
“We have for some time been looking seriously at the possibility of relocating the Beecroft Art Gallery to Central Library as one of its future uses, and have been allocated £150,000 in the capital budget to explore this in more detail.”


Mr Jarvis spoke after a group of conservationists and artists put forward plans to convert Central Library into a gallery and arts centre when the Forum opens.


The library would be renamed The Beecroft Centre and would include galleries, a community centre, and maybe space for shops and businesses. The plan is spearheaded by Mark Sharp, Patsy Link and Sheena Walker from campaign group SKIPP, and backed by artists John Bulley, Les Shaw and Vin Harrop.


The group describes the centre as “the place where students, artists and the general public would meet and mix.”


They state that the new centre “would be a solution to the current problem that the Beecroft collections are housed in a dilapidated building with inadequate space to exhibit them.”


The centre aims to lease retail units in the basement and on the first floor, as well as a tourist information office. The group hopes the retail units will attract specialty stores selling artists’ materials, but will also be targeting fashion retail stores and names such as Caffe Nero.

Comments (13)

8:58am Wed 20 Mar 13

reptile says...

Sounds a good use for a fine building.
Sounds a good use for a fine building. reptile

9:29am Wed 20 Mar 13

Carnabackable says...

Nice large space, and make a tidy sum, selling the Beecroft, ideal.
Nice large space, and make a tidy sum, selling the Beecroft, ideal. Carnabackable

9:50am Wed 20 Mar 13

Red Under Your Bed says...

Proves there's nothing really wrong with the central library and that there was no need to waste all that money on the new library.
Proves there's nothing really wrong with the central library and that there was no need to waste all that money on the new library. Red Under Your Bed

10:29am Wed 20 Mar 13

norfolkbroad says...

Could somebody please explain to me why "investigating" this great idea is costing £150 000?
Could somebody please explain to me why "investigating" this great idea is costing £150 000? norfolkbroad

11:05am Wed 20 Mar 13

saddo99 says...

Seems a shame that a lovely building which is perfect for a library and would make a good venue for concerts and meetings should even be considered to be handed to the Beecroft Gallery which is an underused, unvisited attraction. Might it not better be kept like the old library next door as a functioning facility rather than given to something nobody will ever visit?
Seems a shame that a lovely building which is perfect for a library and would make a good venue for concerts and meetings should even be considered to be handed to the Beecroft Gallery which is an underused, unvisited attraction. Might it not better be kept like the old library next door as a functioning facility rather than given to something nobody will ever visit? saddo99

2:15pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Mrs Reason says...

At last! The light bulbs have gone on...this was first suggested when the ludicrous seafront museum reared its (very ugly and expensive) head. Come on, SBC - let' make Victoria Avenue a destination rather than an hideous carbuncle to be avoided!
At last! The light bulbs have gone on...this was first suggested when the ludicrous seafront museum reared its (very ugly and expensive) head. Come on, SBC - let' make Victoria Avenue a destination rather than an hideous carbuncle to be avoided! Mrs Reason

2:20pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Carnabackable says...

Ah Southend,,the Pier Culture centre, the old Library - now a museum, the new library - soon to be an art gallery, the new Library soon to be a museum, confused? aint hard..LoL
Ah Southend,,the Pier Culture centre, the old Library - now a museum, the new library - soon to be an art gallery, the new Library soon to be a museum, confused? aint hard..LoL Carnabackable

6:42pm Wed 20 Mar 13

southendfanman says...

How can it cost £150,000 to investigate this? Why not sell the library that will close when the new one opens and recoup some money as it is a prime development site and use some of the money to keep the other libraries open? I though the Beecroft Art Gallery was being moved into the New building/planetarium on the cliffs? Does the Beecroft Art Gallery make any money? How many people visit it? What will happen to the old Musem/planetarium , maybe that is a better place for it. £150,000 is ridiculous sum of money to waste. I would like to see a breakdown of what that cost covers? Please stand up and vote this council out at voting time.
How can it cost £150,000 to investigate this? Why not sell the library that will close when the new one opens and recoup some money as it is a prime development site and use some of the money to keep the other libraries open? I though the Beecroft Art Gallery was being moved into the New building/planetarium on the cliffs? Does the Beecroft Art Gallery make any money? How many people visit it? What will happen to the old Musem/planetarium , maybe that is a better place for it. £150,000 is ridiculous sum of money to waste. I would like to see a breakdown of what that cost covers? Please stand up and vote this council out at voting time. southendfanman

8:11pm Wed 20 Mar 13

jayman says...

Nigel Holdcroft and co think that a gallery constitutes 'culture'

they also think a mere library constitutes nothing more then an afterthought to be provided for the unwashed masses.

the new, new library will be a small annex room off a shiny new building for the college..
Nigel Holdcroft and co think that a gallery constitutes 'culture' they also think a mere library constitutes nothing more then an afterthought to be provided for the unwashed masses. the new, new library will be a small annex room off a shiny new building for the college.. jayman

8:22pm Wed 20 Mar 13

southendfanman says...

I wish the Echo would run a campaign to encourage the apathetic to register to vote and vote. Then maybe the Tories will lose power.
I wish the Echo would run a campaign to encourage the apathetic to register to vote and vote. Then maybe the Tories will lose power. southendfanman

8:37pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Carnabackable says...

Tories lose power, we are the only true party, attempting to repair the damage Labour has done.
Tories lose power, we are the only true party, attempting to repair the damage Labour has done. Carnabackable

8:52pm Wed 20 Mar 13

southendfanman says...

Tories are making things worse
Tories are making things worse southendfanman

9:21pm Wed 20 Mar 13

jayman says...

Carnabackable wrote:
Tories lose power, we are the only true party, attempting to repair the damage Labour has done.
I think you are confusing local politics with national politics. If this is the case you may be deluded as well. Did you actually see the budget today. Osborne has scaled 'down' growth and has shifted money from current to capital spending..

the only thing capital spending provides is lucrative contracts and subcontracts for big firms who scrape off huge profits.

I will use a metaphor for why capital spending on micro projects is a false logic.

The ship is sinking. Osborne and the Tories want to embark on projects to widen the corridors to enable repair crews to move around the ship to get to damaged parts. Problem is, it will take several years and only a few sections will be widened by which time the ship (HMS GB) will be at the bottom of the ocean.

"we're gonna need a bigger boat"
[quote][p][bold]Carnabackable[/bold] wrote: Tories lose power, we are the only true party, attempting to repair the damage Labour has done.[/p][/quote]I think you are confusing local politics with national politics. If this is the case you may be deluded as well. Did you actually see the budget today. Osborne has scaled 'down' growth and has shifted money from current to capital spending.. the only thing capital spending provides is lucrative contracts and subcontracts for big firms who scrape off huge profits. I will use a metaphor for why capital spending on micro projects is a false logic. The ship is sinking. Osborne and the Tories want to embark on projects to widen the corridors to enable repair crews to move around the ship to get to damaged parts. Problem is, it will take several years and only a few sections will be widened by which time the ship (HMS GB) will be at the bottom of the ocean. "we're gonna need a bigger boat" jayman

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