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The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery Development Appeal

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With over 40,000 visitors a year, the activities in the Gallery – the embroidery display, guest exhibitions, workshops and talks all fight for the same space and it is increasingly difficult to accommodate visiting groups. Added to this, the sound from the Café on busy days encroaches into the Gallery.

 

Our plans will transform the Gallery into a two-level exhibition and workshop space each with distinct areas enhancing the visitor experience. It will contain light and glass, and will provide visitors with the space we presently lack. A new entrance accessed directly from the carpark will provide a strong identity for the Gallery separate from the Walled Garden & Sunbury Park.

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The provision of a new Guest Gallery and separate workshop and event space in the extended building will enable the current Gallery to be entirely dedicated to the Millennium Embroidery. This will greatly enhance the experience for visitors who will gain a better appreciation of the creation of the embroidery and a greater awareness of the significant events that accompanied its development.

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An interactive multimedia exhibit will create a uniquely powerful means of educating, informing and inspiring visitors of all ages enhancing their appreciation of the content and context of the Millennium Embroidery and increasing their insight into the architecture, environment, flora, fauna and cultural heritage of the village and surrounding area.

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The reputation of the Gallery has enabled it to acquire the widely acclaimed Diana Springall Collection, a unique and nationally important collection of British Embroidery and Textile Art spanning six decades. It is the only British collection with the unique distinction of covering embroidery as an art form. The collection comprises over 250 pieces together with accompanying paper sketches.

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The integration of the Diana Springall Collection will set us on the path to create a ‘National Centre for Embroidery’ in Sunbury offering a valuable resource and study centre close to London and to world-leading educational institutions such as the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court. An Archive and Study Centre will be provided to conserve, store and make available the collection for research and study. Pieces will be exhibited in the Gallery on a continuing basis as well as being made available for outside loan.

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Planning permission has been secured for the expansion which has the full support of Spelthorne Council and other bodies and is illustrated here.

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