Volunteers at Liverpool’s Academy of Arts are pleading for a new gallery to showcase the work of local talent.
The academy’s old gallery in Seel Street was forced to close last August after being sold for redevelopment.
The search for a new location comes after the academy has not been able to relocate in the six months since its closure.
A volunteer for the academy, Marie McGowan, said she wants to re-engage with the local artists they used to help. She told JMU Journalism: “I feel sorry that many artists have lost the opportunity to show their work in an established gallery.
“The gallery was available for hire by individual or groups of artists, including several university Fine Arts students.
“We also had ‘open’ exhibitions through the year when artists could enter their work for a very reasonable fee and our policy of non-selection gave many artists the opportunity to show their work in a gallery for the first time.”
Marie believes that due to government cuts, art facilities and galleries are “not given priority over essential services”.
She said: “We hoped we might have had offers from businesses with empty premises which could be used rent free or at a discounted rent.
“I’d like to say please consider us. We’re an independent, non-funded gallery and a registered charity. We have made a positive contribution to the local arts scene for over 25 years and it would be sad if we had to close permanently.”