BBC’s Jonathan Ross backs call for City Gallery
PRESS RELEASE 1 September 2017
After an invitation onto his BBC Radio 2 Art Show, Chester Visual Arts founders, Ian & Cynthia Short, secured the support of Wossy, Jonathan Ross, for the V&A Pop Art in Print exhibition, now running at the former Chester Library and their ambitions for a permanent contemporary art gallery in the City.
During a lengthy and typically unpredictable interview, Wossy, a Pop Art fan, expressed amazement that there is no public contemporary art gallery in a City of Chester’s size and stature, and was impressed at how, without public funding, Chester Visual Arts had been established and has managed to secure this iconic 70 piece V&A exhibition of Pop graphics.
“It’s an enormous feat. Even if Pop Art is not your bag, go along and support if you want more of this in Chester.” – Jonathan Ross
Between the end of July and the end of October the exhibition attracted between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors a week, mostly local residents strongly supporting the need for a contemporary gallery of international repute.
Ian Short, Chairman of Chester Visual Arts said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support and reactions of the public. We knew there was an appetite for what we are doing, but passions have been raised, for the exhibition itself, which has excited young and old and is universally admired, and also for the permanent gallery. You just need to look at the comments in our visitors’ book, which we thought would see us through to the end of October, but is already full!”