Visitors flock to newly-opened gallery at Twycross Zoo

Over 1000 visitors came through the doors of the new art gallery at Twycross Zoo in Warwickshire which opened this weekend to see the huge selection of paintings, limited edition prints, sculpture, photography, ceramics and glass. They were also treated to a complete ‘art experience' using elements of other creative industries such as music and design.

Highlights included featured artists such as Russell Hatton, who won a top award at last week's Chelsea Flower Show, and specialises in painting on aluminium using state of the art materials and award winning sculptor Stephen Charlton's unique animal sculptured forms in bronze for both indoors and outdoors also proved highly popular as did Helen Thorpe's work which explores the relationship between animals and humans in a light-hearted manner.

Twycross Gallery forms part of the Zoo's groundbreaking Public Art Strategy which is designed to bring high quality art to the site as an interpretive and interactive medium and has a key objective of increasing access to the arts in the Midlands area. Its focus for selecting art and artists for representation is closely aligned to the Zoo's values, in particular ‘Excellence by Design', ‘Integrity with Passion' and ‘Knowledge and Learning'. A great example of this is artist Shauna Richardson, whose background is in conceptual art and who is currently working on a major commission called the Lionheart Project. Celebrating the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012, the work features three giant hand-crocheted lions in a custom-built mobile taxidermy style case that will tour during 2012. These highly anticipated lions will be at Twycross Gallery in the Autumn 2012.

Services offered include bespoke commissions, a home approval period, delivery and installation, interest free finance (through Arts Council England's ‘Own Art' Scheme), advisory service and wedding/birthday accounts.

Sylvia Jamieson, Retail and Gallery Manager, said: "Whilst our core objective remains environmental conservation and education, Twycross Zoo is also committed to contributing positively to its local community wherever possible. As part of this we have developed a strategy to bring high quality art to the site as an interpretive and interactive medium.

"It is the Zoo's intention for the strategy to aid both in the site's audience development and cultural impact, while also increasing access to the arts in the Midlands area. Using high quality contemporary art we want to provoke curiosity and engage people with the living world in a direct and visceral way."

Other key elements of Twycross Gallery's Public Art Strategy include launching an annual Artist-in-Residence programme which will embed artists in the life of the Zoo. There will also be a programme of involving artists in all new capital developments ensuring that artists are included in all design and project development teams, with the intention of contributing to an exciting site and bringing new perspectives to interpretation. The long-term aim is developing an artists resource centre which will be seen as a centre for excellence for public art projects in zoos.

The gallery will act as an information and marketing hub for the exhibitions and activities programmed as part of the Zoo's art strategy. It will also provide commercial opportunities for merchandise relating to the Zoo's conceptual and public art projects. Complementary activities will extend from the gallery into the areas of education and research, to form the most exciting art venue in the region.

The recent gallery preview event in Himalaya on 27th January 2011 proved hugely successful in terms of providing an opportunity to consult our stakeholders on the plans for the gallery and its role within the developing art strategy. The concept was well received by all in terms of its potential to add value to the visitor and staff experience and highlight the Zoo's activities and objectives. The event generated over £2500 in sales of artwork and with further additional sales enquiries received thereafter. It reflected the type of events that the gallery would include in its exhibition programme and also provided key networking opportunities that will benefit the Zoo and its commercial and educational ambitions.

This will be achieved through three main programmes:

• An annual Artist-in-Residence programme which will embed artists in the life of the Zoo through an
ongoing programme of activity. The Zoo will provide accommodation and resources to support
this programme with the long-term aim of developing an artists resource centre which will be seen
as a centre for excellence for public art projects in zoos'.

• A programme of involving artists in all new capital developments ensuring that artists are included
in all design and project development teams, with the intention of contributing to an exciting site
and bringing new perspectives to interpretation.

• A gallery and external projects programme that links all of the aspects of the strategy, and
presents a programme of high quality arts and commissions, ‘editions' and ‘multiples' by artists
for sale at the Zoo.