Significant developments at Municipal Art Gallery over the last five years

During the period November 2014 to August 2019 there were the following developments and activities:

- Building renovation costing 100,000 Euros
- 63 individual and group exhibitions - paintings, sculpture, engravings and photography
- Collaboration with recognised cultural foundations and bodies - local and national:
* Parliamentary Library
* Ministry for Culture
* National Museum of History
* Benaki Museum
* National Art Gallery
* Museum of Asian Art
* Ionian University
* General State Archives - Corfu
* Reading Society
* Angelos Gialinas Art Gallery Foundation

Significant decisions for the functioning of the Legal Entity
- Approved registration in the Statute of Internal Services for the first time since the establishment of the Gallery in 1992.
- Complete inventory of works of art and other property for the first time - listing 1,214 works of art.
- Drawing up of balance sheet for the first time - for the years 2015-18
- Inclusion in the Ministry for Culture & Sport register of cultural bodies.

Mr. Pagratis went on to talk about some board decisions for the future: "We have begun procedures to add a special needs lift in the Colonnade Section and, having received tenders for the work, have submitted an application to Corfu Inspectorate of Antiquities. A complete study needs to be submitted to the Central Archaeological Committee (KAS) as the building is an archaeological site.

The Board has discussed submitting an application to the Town Council for an increase in the annual Municipal subsidy from 92,000€ to 120,000€. This will allow the Gallery to organise even bigger events in the future.

Finally, I would like to thank the following for their excellent and fruitful cooperation:

All of the members of the Board. In a body that has existed since the beginning of Democracy a variety of voices shows that we are following the right path. All criticism is welcome as long as it is well-intentioned and constructive. The work we present is the answer to any false news and gossip.

My warm thanks to the members of the Artistic Committee for their objective judgement and assessment of candidate artists."

Lack of personnel

The Mayor of Corfu also spoke and said that the Gallery has been one of the three pillars of the Municipality's cultural policy. "It is one of our children that the Municipality is proud of. We got good marks in this area," he said.

Nevertheless, he also referred to the personnel needs of the Gallery: "A gallery of this stature with the works of art it has should not be lacking in personnel. It cannot function under conditions of complete deprivation - this has to come to an end. We are making desperate efforts to continue with the help of volunteers. It is not only an Artistic Director that is needed but other personnel as well - there are no guards and we are juggling with personnel in the Municipality and the Gallery. This is ridiculous and needs to be said. I would like to hope that the incoming local authority will provide the necessary personnel. I hope so..."