A ‘BIG Birthday Bash’ has marked the 25th anniversary of Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.
It began with a ‘creative creatures’ children’s parade through the town centre, featuring children and families from schools and community organisations who had worked with artist Kate Morris to create costumes for the parade.
At the Little Elborow Street venue, Ascension Dance delivered pop-up parkour workshops for youngsters, the Irregular Art Hub hosted a street art workshop, and Far Out Faces offered animal-themed face-painting inspired by the new Great and Small Crafted Creatures exhibition.
Science on Stilts toured the venue during the party, with professional scientists – and accomplished stilt walkers – entertaining with simple experiments and answering visitors’ scientific questions.
Event illustrator Esther Sketches captured the creative spirit with live illustrations inspired by the venue and visitors.
Visitors were invited to enter the birthday spirit by creating a pom-pom party hat and helping to decorate a giant cardboard birthday cake, while Do Touch brought a sculptural world of squishy monster creatures for young children.
Rugby Borough Council’s Play Rangers team brought Absolute Playhem to the Big Birthday Bash with a range of fun activities for children.
Artist Mark Curtis Hughes revealed the secrets of papercut art during a mask-making workshop, Director’s Cut brought a photobooth so visitors could take home a free birthday snap, and Hello Sunshine illustrator Jo created fun, ten-minute live portraits.
During the celebrations, Mayor Barbara Brown unveiled the latest star attraction to The Rugby Collection of contemporary British art – Construct 2, an oil painting by acclaimed artist Barbara Walker.
