Ceredigion Museum Secures £10,000 From The Ashley Family Foundation

The Friends of Ceredigion Museum have received £10,000 from the Ashley Family Foundation for the ‘New Approaches – Dressing Up’ project, which will greatly increase public access to Ceredigion Museum’s costume collection. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The grant will fund a street level permanent display on the original staircase of the Grade II listed Coliseum Theatre, featuring original posters and items from the costume collection representing the golden age of cinema and theatre when the Coliseum was in its heyday. The original doors will be rehung and the floor mosaic restored, aiming to improve the visibility of the museum and encourage people to visit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Ashley Family Foundation (formerly The Laura Ashley Foundation) is a UK registered charity, its ethos is to strengthen rural communities, particularly those within Wales, both in terms of the social and environmental aspects and to give something back to local communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carrie Canham, Ceredigion Museum curator, explains: “Ceredigion Museum boasts a fine and extensive collection of well-preserved costumes spanning a century and a half, from the Victorian age to the 1980s. However, at present very little of the collection has ever been exhibited and only a handful of items are on permanent display.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition to developing a new display area on the original museum staircase, the funding will support the creation of a high profile temporary exhibition of costume at peak visitor season. The project will begin with the temporary costume exhibition, ‘Who, What, WEAR, When’, which will be on display at Ceredigion Museum from Saturday 23 July 2016 to Sunday 16 October 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carrie added: “The support from The Friends of Ceredigion Museum has been magnificent, with the ‘Dressing Up’ project a crucial element of the wider ‘New Approaches’ project that will secure a vibrant future for the museum though developing audiences, income streams and creative engagement practices.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘Dressing Up’ is part of the wider £1.3million ‘New Approaches’ redevelopment project aimed at securing the future of the museum by creating opportunities to generate income and attract more visitors to the venue. The project has received funding support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, CADW, The Friends of Ceredigion Museum and a range of trusts and foundations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​