The Tate St Ives gallery will reopen after a major rework on 14th October with double its exhibition space now. The art gallery on its first weekend on 14th and 15th October (Saturday and Sunday) is offering free entry. There will also be free activities, events, talks and pop-up tours, with an evening of firework display too on Saturday.
The gallery had partially reopened earlier this year, but this is the first time the whole space will be opened to public. The £20 million spend and 2 years of construction has brought an extra 600 square metres. According to the management, the gallery is now more flexible and need not close to change exhibitions, as it is a huge room. The venue attracts around 250,000 people every year and brings in £11 million into the local economy.
A spokesman for the gallery said this iconic gallery of Cornwall finally gets enough space to welcome a quarter of a million people every year, three times more than what it was originally designed for. To demonstrate the role of St Ives in modern art, Tate St. Ives will give artists belonging to the town a permanent presence, he added. He further stated the St Ives local pass will be launched in the weekend, giving unlimited entry to Cornwall residents to the gallery for a year, for £5 as an introductory offer, including entry to Barbara Hepworth Museum and to free family activities and events.
Tate St Ives’ executive director, Mark Osterfield said the gallery is part of the nations cultural heritage and developed in close consultation with visitors and local residents of St Ives, the transformation will attract more people and add more to the local economy. Free entry and events make it worth a visit with family in the opening weekend.
