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It took four months to move four miles, but it was worth the wait for devotees of the Harbour Gallery as they attended two ‘re-berth’ launch parties.
The gallery, which had faced homelessness as it reached the end of its lease at former premises in St. Aubin at the start of this year, has now re-opened after moving to a new site at the opposite end of the bay.
Opening formalities at the two launch events were carried out by the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice-Admiral Jerry Kyd, and St. Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft.
Guests were able to check out the new site, which in many respects has a similar layout to the former premises in St. Aubin, where the gallery was based for more than two decades.
The site features a range of different spaces, studios and offices which will host exhibitions by local artists, craft workshops and community groups.
Pat Robson, co-founder of the Art in the Frame Foundation, which runs the gallery, said she was delighted to be welcoming her regulars back after a difficult transition period.
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She said: “It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding – we’ve had a nomadic existence since January, using various locations, but we’ve kept things going and St. Clement’s Parish Hall have been particularly kind in accommodating many of our classes.”
The Harbour Gallery is situated next to Normans at Commercial Buildings and is open every day except Tuesday from 10:00-16:30.
Although there is no café, as was the case in St. Aubin, visitors can make themselves tea and coffee, while members of Genuine Jersey are booked to deliver cakes and Jersey Wonders at weekends.
The move from St. Aubin came after the foundation’s lease was up at the start of this year, bringing to an end a 20-year period in which the gallery survived a major fire in the adjacent boatyard in 2015, and launched a crowd-funding appeal to help survive the financial impact of the pandemic.
A planning application was submitted in November to convert the St. Aubin site into four self-catering units, with the application being approved last month.
Details of all activities are available via the gallery’s Facebook page.
(Photographs of the grand reopening by Rob Currie)
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