KUBE Staff have been overwhelmed and touched by the reaction to the news of our closure at the end of January. We would like to share with you just some of the comments we have received from our supporters...
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"Back in the autumn, someone described Poole as a town of chavs and I thought he was wrong - now I wonder. Closing the Kube gallery basically tells not just the people of Bournemouth and Poole, not just the county of Dorset, but the whole country that this is a town that doesn't value its cultural life at all, and academic institutions that place no value on the contemporary culture and artistic life of the town and the county.
The visual arts at the Lighthouse are negligible - the quality is fine but there isn't enough. Jem Main was one of the best curators in the business - he programmed exhibitions that were consistently interesting and of very high quality at a national level - do you remember the taster exhibition for the last Dorset Arts Week? Or Robert Golden's Home. Not to mention the current retrospective of Abi Kremer, one of Dorset's most important painters.
And that's not to consider the fantastic educational work, the public workshops - the sheer excitement of high quality artworks exhibited in the only really good piece of contemporary architecture in the whole conurbation.
This was a national treasure - where are those exhibitions going to take place now?"
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"This is undoubtedly a travesty of the highest order and I would like you
to know how highly regarded the venue and the staff were to a great many
of us at The College."
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"I am deeply saddened to hear of KUBE's closure at the end of this month. I think it's an awful tragedy for the arts in Poole. We have so many talented people in the Dorset area and this was one of only a few visible, easily accessible public venues for people in Poole to view artists' work. I can only hope that decent funding for the arts becomes available again in the not too distant future and that KUBE in particular can find a way to re-establish itself. Thank you in the meantime for all the wonderful work you have made available to the public and for providing a platform for artists to exhibit. I really enjoyed the exhibitions I attended, both alone and with my young son."
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"I for one am saddened that Bournemouth and Poole College does not have the foresight to understand the value of the Kube to student, staff and the community. In a semi rural area such as Dorest, galleries such as the Kube make visual art and exhibition available. The Kube also provided a complimentary programme of events at which the Arts University and BU were able to participate and react to in education. These were equally as important to bring together a wider arts interested community.
Community is the key intervention that the college seems to miss here. Surely as a Community based education provider in FE, opening its doors to those from less traditional educational backgrounds then the Kube is a key provision. I will be asking Principal Vincent where his students will be exhibiting or practicing from now on and whether that provision is as viable as the Kube. What are the plans for the space?
I hope for the best in the meantime whether that be Facebook group protest or a rethink of the situation."
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"I am really sorry and sad to hear this news. I know colleges are under financial pressure and I can't see how things in that regard will improve in the foreseeable future, but I do hope something can be done to rescue what, unless I'm mistaken, is the only contemporary art space in the county."
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"Very sorry to hear the news of the loss of this great venue."
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"What an awful shame. Thank you for all the fabulous work you have done. It is appreciated"
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"I was astonished to read the news in the Echo and have written in support. Good luck to you all."
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"That is very sad news indeed. i am truly sorry to hear this. What a loss to the area and our cultural identity. Glad to hear some things will not cease but continue in the community and i hope the funding is there for that, i really do. Sounds a struggle. I guess the recession is everything to do with this."
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"Very sorry you are closing - my boys loved your workshops, so they will be sadly missed..what a shame such a lovely venue will be closing. Wishing everyone who works there best wishes for 2010."
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"It would be criminal to deprive Poole and the wider community of such avaluable resource. ('criminal' in a metaphorical sense, of course:though some body is depriving us of £1'8 million of 'our' money, bywasting the Arts Council capital funding for this project). Good luck with your protest."
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"Living up in the Midlands I have not physically yet been to the Kube, but since Ania Bas started working at the Kube I have been very jealous of the diversity of events the gallery has held and wished that our galleries were braver and interested in exploring new ways of utilising space. So sorry to hear of the closure."
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"I think the Kube is an important facility for the community - many people would never encounter art otherwise. I've been to a few exhibitions there, including one featuring work by local schools, and found them int...eresting, thought provoking and enjoyable. I really hope this can make a difference."
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"So sorry to hear about this, and angry too. I first went to the Kube when it was the Study Gallery and saw an excellent exhibition of work by Jeremy Gardiner, Prunella Clough and Peter Joyce (if my memory is right). I have visited exhibitions on and off since I moved to London to work in the arts (Saatchi Gallery, So...theby's Contemporary art dept, Karsten Schubert gallery...). I moved back to Poole in October and been enjoying my visits to the Kube. Where else is there in the area to see these kind of shows? If galleries like this continue to close (and places like Southampton start selling off their collections) then the cultural gap between London and the rest of the country just widens."
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"This is sad news and dismantles so much hard work put in by the dedicated staff of The Study Gallery / Kube. Said venue welcomed me into the cultural milieu as a bewildered graduate looking to get a foot in the door! The SG offered me a place to develop my ambitions as an artist and offered me the space to realise new ones. The thought of that wonderful space being used to house managers, administrators, secretaries and overpaid jobsworth's is a sad end to what was once a 'promising' arts venue. Very sad!!"
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"The Kube Gallery in Poole is one of the few centres for cultural activity in Dorset and will be a great loss to the community. The residents of Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole desperately need more, not fewer opportunities to engage with the Arts. I would also like to point out to 'All Seeing Eye' that apart from the inherent value of art (inspiring and fulfilling the intellectual and spiritual needs of humanity) and design (everything that is not naturally occurring is designed by someone), they also contribute over £8 billion to the British economy and, therefore, offer a diverse range of employment opportunities." - from Daily Echo comments.
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"The people of Poole realise that the loss of this valuable facility will not be replaced at a later stage. Poole is not a cultural wasteland but a town of intellectual folk who will be heard on this important issue."
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"I think it's a shame - I've been to events there, including one which featured work from school children across Poole. I don't know anything about art, but it was interesting and enjoyable to dip my toe into the water! What a pity there won't be further opportunities to do so."
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"I am a Video Production student from Weymouth College, whose course is run through Bournemouth University. The entire year group, including myself have to put on an exhibiton in conjunction with Bournemouth & Poole college students in order to showcase all of our work over the past year. Each group must create a company in which to do this as if launching a real production company. Since the Kube has been pre-booked in advance for our exhibition in May, which is 5 days long, I'd like to know what they suggest we do in terms of a location to display our work? This is for a grade at the end of the day and if there are no other suitable exhibition spaces available, like you mention, between Southampton and St. Ives to put on the exhibition, there is no grade and no degree. Obviously this has come as a bit of a shock as I would have thought B&P college would have given some thought to the students that have exhibitions planned, as we have been planning this since September, so cheers for the heads up. I hope the lottery step in as it is a great space and it would be a shame to lose it. I'd like to know if anyone else is in the same boat too, so please leave some more thoughts on the matter."
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"This is shocking, I can't believe they want to get rid of the KUBE. Bournemouth and Dorset has no art scene other than the KUBE."
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"You've done a fantastic job making something of what used to be the study gallery and it's sad to hear that after many years of being underused and ignored, the acheivement you have made in making the KUBE a success is under threat. I really hope you get the opportunity to continue the good work as you have been doing ...by creating a platform for art and creativity in an otherwise culturally-barren Poole area."
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"It is indeed criminal to deprive all who are interested in the arts of this beautiful facility - a real asset to the town of Poole - It has always been a very uplifting experience visiting the gallery - an absolute pleasure - We must do all to keep it for what it was intended for - the arts - not offices."
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"It seems that the college does not recognise what a resource the KUBE is for them. The opportunity to exhibit in a professional environment is no doubt a draw for students who choose Bournemouth & Poole College for Art, Design and Creative Studies over other institutions. Losing this provision will make the college les...s attractive to potential intake, and therefore more likely to take themselves and their money elsewhere. As Paul Hearn pointed out on the discussion board, the creative industry continues to grow despite the ‘recession’; therefore it would be very poor judgement for BPC to significantly reduce their offer to students choosing this area of study at this time.
In my opinion the KUBE (and formerly the Study Gallery) staff have always done a fantastic job in presenting a varied programme, and have really worked hard to build such a valuable cultural resource for the area. The thought that this resource could be lost is very sad. SAVE THE KUBE!"
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"It will be a real shame if the kube gallery gets shut down. It seems clear that Bournemouth and Poole are towns determined to destroy their artist communities. Shame to see that even a college wants to get rid of what little interesting there is around in order to build offices."
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"The Kube must stay as an art gallery for Poole, what a fantastic asset it would be to the town, this is one of the best things Poole has going for it and it's heartbreaking to think of it being used for any other purpose. I have been supporting the Kube since way before it opened as the Study Gallery and have been so... proud to take visitors there. Poole Council are always looking around to find tourist attractions for Poole - bizarre structures on the Baiter come to mind - look what the Tate did for St. Ives, completely rejuvenated a depressed small seaside town - think what the Kube could do for Poole."
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"KUBE has been a fantastic resource in Dorset and both my students (I'm head of an art in a North Dorset school) and I have enjoyed exhibitions, workshops and events there. I took part in the last Artists Book open exhibition and really appreciated the opportunities to discuss art and its making with other practitioners.... Norma; you and all the staff have always been so welcoming - thankyou! What a shame it is all to end already. I can't imagine what use other than a gallery the building can be used for. To alter it would be a sin - it is such a fabulous space to be in. I will be writing to the principle of the college to add my voice to what I hope will be a huge protest. Take heart, Sherborne House seems to be assured of its arts space despite the sale of the building so maybe something positive will happen."
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"I remember sitting on the terrace at Leeson House ( an A-level Art residential) listening to Jem describe his great vision which was to become the Study Gallery and was so pleased when he realised it. When I attended the opening of The Study Gallery (now KUBE) with my baby, now 12, I was accosted by college staff picke...tting the Gallery in protest about lecturers' pay and security. There has never been a good relationship between the college and the gallery which is ridiculous because they should have been mutually beneficial."
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"As a local artist I am amazed that the powers that be are letting such a vital art facility close."
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"Save KUBE - The local artists need it, the national artsists need it, the international artists need it, the people of Poole and Bournemouth need it, childeren need it, adult education needs it etc ... DON'T let it loose it's identity and become sterile corporate offices ... this would be a crime to do this to the artworld of Dorset! - SAVE KUBE NOW -"
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"...having read the Bournemouth & Poole College's press release, this looks, on the face of it, like an irreversible decision made in hard times ... to lose the whole building would be a tragedy, but conversely to try save it 'as it is now' is probably unrealistic ... I guess the finances must look very bad (mis-manage...d?) ... so a more realistic expectation might be to salvage something from this mess ... perhaps the ground floor (or more) could be retained as an art and performance space? ... if no-one has explored this, then they should! ... save a bit of KUBE may a realistic aim ... the volume (and even quality) of events in 2009 has been impressive, so how can the art and performance opportunities survive, even if access to the building is severely compromised? ... I dunno, Woolworths, Borders, KUBE ... where will it end ... grrrrr ..."
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"This would be a total tragedy, does the college not see the benefits of having the gallery?"
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"For the KUBE to close would be an outrage. The Kube has an international reputation and is an essential part of the Bournemouth & Poole contemporary art ecology and research activities. I'm not sure what I can do to help stop this but I want to take action to protect the building, the staff and the incredible work that happens there."
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“They have brought in so many fantastic initiatives,” added Elspeth McBain. “That’s why it’s so galling they haven’t been given any additional time to develop those ideas.”
She called for businesses, sponsors and the arts community to be “galvanised” to find a solution.
“The whole life and flavour of the region is actually defined by the cultural offering. If it starts being knocked off one by one what are we going to be left with?
“It really is quite extraordinary that something so significant can be lost just like that. We need to campaign hard to find an alternative space for it to keep going.”
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"If the Kube is lost we all lose - the whole community will be impoverished by the loss of an all to rare local arts space. Dorset has for far too long been a cultural wilderness."
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"sad to loose this very iconic building. just shows you how many people drive and walk around with thier eyes wide shut.college running out of money then.money was obtained from the lottery for this so it belongs to the people not wholly the college.needs to be sorted out by all not just the college"
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"I'm an artist who has had work exhibited at KUBE this year (and no, I never have been an art student at The College). I'm shocked that KUBE could close. There've been some fantastic exhibitions there, which you couldn't see anywhere else in Dorset - some of it YBA stuff I never thought I'd see down here.
But I do think it's hard for people to find the venue, even when you know roughly where it is. And as for its sister venue, Lighthouse, I've struggled to find out if there have been any art exhibitions there - they haven't been listed on the website, sometimes they're not included in brochures and an email enquiry went unanswered. Better publicity is definitely needed in future, otherwise why bother holding exhibitions at all?
As for using KUBE as 'a state-of-the-art teaching zone', what an utter waste of a fabulous building. What could The College possibly teach there that would utilise the exceptional layout of the building? For those who don't know it, the upper 3 floors have stairs running diagonally across the space, with a floor on one side and nothing on the other, so one half of the building is an open drop for 3-4 floors. There's not a lot of actual floor space, but as a gallery it's great because it's so dramatic and different. I really don't think The College should have it because it seems so unsuitable for teaching use: it would be a complete waste and very impractical.
Can't somebody save it? It's not as though we have a lot of art venues in Dorset. Everything seems to be closing."
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