NEW GALLERY AT SCOUT HQ

A NEW arts and housing project opens in Lewes on May 13 on the site of the former Guide and Scout headquarters in St John Street.

It is the brainchild of property developer Martin Elliott and business partner Michael Rees.

The old headquarters was opened in the 50s by Lady Baden Powell, when she was county commissioner for Guides in Sussex.

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And Martin had his own connections with the building for, like his grandfather before him, he was a Scout and regularly attended meetings there.

When the Rees Elliott Partnership bought the site for housing, Martin was keen that part of the development should be earmarked for arts and community use.

The Scouts, meanwhile, have relocated to new premises.

The gallery - HQ Art Space - is on two floors with a terrace looking towards the Downs.

With distinctive curved glazed frontage and lighting, it is flexible enough to show work in a variety of media.

The gallery will be run by Sarah O'Kane.

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'This will be the first purpose-built gallery in Lewes, a quantum leap which the region has been crying out for,' she said.

Sarah aims to promote established artists in order to reach a wider audience, and to find and encourage new artists.

She also hopes to build up a showcase for ceramics and sculpture and will be showing the work of Sussex ceramicist Carolyn Genders from July 8 to 22.

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