Art gallery launches campaign for redesign

Modern Art Oxford wants to raise the final £25,000 of a £2m figure for a major revamp

An art gallery has launched a crowdfunding campaign so it can undergo a major redesign.

Modern Art Oxford wants to raise the final £25,000 of a £2m figure to revamp its ground and lower ground floors.

The gallery said the building was "stretched to its limits" and the Victorian infrastructure could not meet demand.

Director Paul Hobson said his team was "so close" to realising their "transformational vision" for the site.

The gallery is redesigning its ground and lower ground floors

It is crowdfunding through Art Happens to realise the new art spaces

He said if the campaign through Art Happens was successful it could "fully equip and furnish" its public spaces "to enable the best possible welcome and creative offer for our diverse communities".

The plans consist of a refurbished entrance, a social area with a digital display for housing interactive commissions and archive material, a new gallery for exhibitions celebrating Oxford’s creative community, a dedicated studio space, and a new cafe designed by artist Emma Hart.

The gallery has been working with David Kohn Architects

Rewards available to campaign donors include artist-designed merchandise by Ms Hart and Harold Offeh, an afternoon in the cafe, an invitation to the opening of the new spaces, a private art-making workshop in the studio space, and a London contemporary art tour with Mr Hobson.

The gallery has been working on the new designs with David Kohn Architects.

Modern Art Oxford first opened in 1965 and has hosted exhibitions by Agnes Martin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Yayoi Kusama, Marina Abramovic, Yoko Ono, Tracey Emin, and Jenny Saville.

The gallery says the building's Victorian infrastructure cannot meet demand