To reflect government policy, Rye Art Gallery will be raising VAT to 17.5% with effect from 1 January 2010.

On 12 September, the Trustees of Rye Art Gallery were delighted to open the next phase of the new extension at the rear of Rye Art Gallery. This is part of the final phase of the development project started in 2004, aimed at creating "one gallery" from the Gallery's two heritage buildings: the Stormont Studio and Easton Rooms. The next and final stage will incorporate a linking staircase. To mark the current stage of the project, three exciting exhibitions are now open.

The following remarks have been entered recently in the visitors' book in the Stormont Studio:

"Very original - one of the nicest galleries we have visited" Wokingham

"Beautiful" Cape Town

"Beautiful gallery; lovely Curator!" Tunbridge Wells

"Lovely art gallery and work" Tasmania

"A nice little gallery" Upminster

We are delighted to have received a new chair of the Easton Rooms, which was commissioned from Terry Warren. The cost was kindly donated by a Friend. This will now provide a welcome resting place in the Gallery.

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

The Trustees are delighted that their August bid for funding from Rye Town and Rother District Councils has been successful. Some £30K has been allocated to enable the key parts of the development project to be completed. However, more funds would be welcome to provide some additional future improvements, such as new lighting, exhibition hanging and access improvements. All these aspirations remain in the standing strategic plan (available from the Chair Trustees). We welcome further donations from any source.

From the 12th October 2008, Sunday opening hours have changed; both the Easton Rooms and the Stormont (when an exhibition is mounted)will be open between 12pm and 4pm(continuously) only.

The Trustees are pressing ahead with a plan to greatly improve the Stormont Studio and then to integrate it - through an extension and glass link - to the Easton Rooms. After a good deal of planning resulting in the granting of all the necessary Local Authority permissions, work started in January 2007 and is expected to continue into 2010. There are 12 sub projects in three phases.