Churchdown art exhibition in doubt after vandalism

Vandals have put an art exhibition in Churchdown under threat after the posters advertising the event were ripped down.

The summer exhibition for the Churchdown Community Association Art Group has been put at risk by the work of the vandals.

The posters were put up across Churchdown on Monday but by Tuesday they had disappeared.

Martyn Dymott, chairman of the art group, said; “The exhibitions that the group run are reliant on numbers.

“The money that it costs to put on these events is recouped by getting people through the door and selling art.

“However, this has really damaged our advertising strategy for the exhibition.”

This exhibition will mark the 50th anniversary of the art group.

The group are concerned that they could lose money on this particular event.

Mr Dymott added: “There is a chance that the group could go into the red on this exhibition.

“Thankfully it does not endanger the group because we are funded by membership fees but we will have to take money from the group to cover what the event could lose.

“It is disappointing because we really just want to celebrate the group and they art we are creating.”

This has happened once before at the event, during their November exhibition two years ago.

“The notices are not in anybody’s way, they are put up the Monday before the event and taken down the Sunday after, we have never been told by authorities that we are doing anything wrong,” said Mr Dymott.

The exhibition will take place at Churchdown Community Centre this Saturday, between 10am and 5pm.

 

Margaret Daniels, a member of the group, said: “It is very disappointing that this has happened and it is very odd.

“None of the posters have been retrieved, they all still missing, so I don’t know where they have been taken.”

There will also be a competition involving Churchdown Village Junior School, who have entered 60 pieces of art by their pupils.

Mrs Daniels added: “It is just upsetting, we are a super group and this is just spoiling our advertising.

“I hope that it doesn’t harm the event too much, we have a very loyal following in the Churchdown community and I hope that they get behind us again.”