Malmesbury gallery expansion 'fabulous' for town

Malmesbury's Caerbladon gallery and arts centre has moved to a new, much larger location in the High Street.

Its new home is five times bigger than the previous one and provides the town's artists with dedicated exhibition and work spaces.

Founder Karen Drake said: "The key to success is our philosophy of 'see art, own art make art'. We can help anyone achieve all three of those things."

Local artist Paul Deacon said Caerbladon's expanded facilities are "fabulous for arts in the town".

He added: "Karen and David's vision has meant artists have somewhere to show our work locally."

Caerbladon gallery owners Karen and David Drake are delighted with the extended new facilities

Karen and her husband David founded the not for profit, community interest company in March 2022 in a tiny shop behind the town's Market Cross.

The move to much bigger premises means they can expand the programme of community arts events and workshops offered.

Mrs Drake explained that any profits made will be "redistributed back into opportunities for artists and creatives locally".

"We work equally well with other large arts organisations like the Arts Council and with smaller local groups," she said.

"The new studio workspace upstairs means we will now be able to offer a many more opportunities to young people.

"We have a great deal more gallery space now but also greater room to include poetry, music, literature and even food and drink in our projects."

Caerbladon's new premises includes meeting rooms and studio space

The couple said browsers are "very welcome" and they enjoy meeting art lovers who just want to enjoy the work of the artists displaying in the gallery space.

The exhibitions change about every five weeks and may include ceramics, photography and embroidery, as well as paintings.

The downstairs shop stocks art materials and gifts, upstairs is a meeting room, a studio and a multi-purpose creative space.

The gallery stocks art supplies and gifts