The Quay Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids  |
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The Quay Arts Centre in August 2011.
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Warehouse |
| Town or city | Newport |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 50°42′07″N 1°17′33″W / 50.7019°N 1.2924°W |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Tony Fretton |
The Quay Arts Centre is a super cool place for art and live shows! You can find it in Newport, right by the River Medina on the Isle of Wight. It's the main spot on the island for checking out art and watching performances.
This amazing centre has three art galleries, a shop with handmade crafts, and a theatre that can fit 134 people. There's also a cafe where you can grab a snack. The whole building got a big makeover in 1997 by an architect named Tony Fretton. The Quay Arts also runs another building nearby called Jubilee Stores.
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How the Quay Arts Centre Started
The idea for the Quay Arts Centre began in 1974. A painter named Anne Lewington and a graphic designer named Nigel Lewington thought the island needed a special place for art. They looked at old brewery warehouses by Newport Harbour. These buildings seemed perfect, and that's exactly where the centre is today!
In 1976, the buildings were sold to the Isle of Wight Council for £14,000. The centre officially opened its doors in 1982.
Dealing with Floods
Since it opened, the ground floor of the centre sometimes had problems with flooding. To help stop this, a flood wall was built in 1993. Even with the wall, some flooding still happened.
In 1996, the centre got a special grant from the National Lottery. This money helped them completely rebuild and improve the centre. It reopened in 1998, looking better than ever! The nearby Rope Store building was also developed to hold more art.
Fun Events at the Cafe
The main cafe area at the Quay Arts Centre isn't just for food. It also hosts cool music events! "Acoustic Originals" is a show where local musicians can share their talent. "Songs in the Quay of..." invites performers to sing songs by famous artists.
What You Can Do at Quay Arts
The Quay Arts Centre has lots of different spaces for art, performances, and learning. Here are some of the main parts:
Anthony Minghella Theatre
This theatre is named after Anthony Minghella, a famous writer and director from the Isle of Wight. He even opened it himself in 1997! You can watch all sorts of live shows here. This includes funny comedy acts, world music, folk, jazz, and blues. They also have small plays and shows just for kids. Plus, they show cultural movies.
Seminar Room
This is a smaller room right next to the cafe. It's about 57 square metres and can hold up to 50 people. It's a great spot for meetings or workshops.
Green Room
The Green Room is located in the Rope Store building. It's a bit smaller than the Seminar Room, fitting about 15 people.
Cafe Wall Gallery
This is like the fourth art gallery at the Quay Arts Centre! It's a special place for new artists, young artists, and people showing their work for the first time. You can see at least 11 different art shows here each year.
West Gallery
This is a large space for exciting and new visual art. It was named after General Sir Michael West. He was part of the group of artists who helped start the Quay Arts Centre in 1975.
Rope Store Gallery
The Rope Store opened in 1997 after the big renovation of the Quay Arts Centre. It's a smaller space that shows art by single artists or groups. It hosts at least nine exhibitions every year.
Clayden Gallery
This gallery is mainly for showing art by young people and new artists from the island. Sometimes, it connects with the West Gallery's shows. It hosts at least ten exhibitions each year.
Craft Shop
The Craft Shop is a fantastic place to find unique handmade items. It features work from over sixty local and regional craft makers. Many of the crafts you find here are special to the Isle of Wight!
Jubilee Stores
Jubilee Stores is a separate building right on Newport Harbour. It has special workshops for ceramics (making things from clay), general crafts, and printmaking. It also has seven private studios where artists can work.
