

Print copy of Hansard. Fabulous to be mentioned in this important debate.
Thank you to John Slinger MP for mentioning (in Parliamentary Debates, Thursday 30 January 2025) the arts in Rugby. Specially mentioning not only Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, but also naming the Rugby Artists and Makers Network and some of the artists he met at recent ‘Five Senses’ exhibition and also the Alex. YES, WE WERE MENTIONED IN PARLIAMENT LAST THURSDAY! This is what he said (our emphasis), recorded online and in print in Hansard!:
‘This week I visited Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, which is managed brilliantly by Sally Godden and her team, and I met Rugby Artists and Makers Network painters Jan Clark and Magesh Aishwarya, ceramicist Belinda Edwards, and spinner Angela Dewes. Does the Leader of the House agree that any support given to such municipally run galleries, or to creative entrepreneurship such as Art at the Alex – a former pub run by Chris Pegler and Steve Davies – is much needed to allow artists to showcase their talent, strengthen our community, inspire the next generation, boot the local economy, and, importantly, make a living through their artistic endeavour, and will there be time for a debate on that?’
We really appreciate the support from John in visiting the exhibition, meeting artists and always being so engaged with what we are trying to do. Thank you also to Deputy Mayor Barbara Brown and Mayor Simon Ward, and RBC councillors Richard Harrington and Bill Lewis who also visited, as well as nearly 500 other visitors across the 11 days we were open. It great to see such genuine interest in the arts in Rugby.
