TAAG Closure January 2020

TAAG closed its doors after the Christmas exhibition so that we can prepare the building for the work needed to be done on behalf of Teignbridge District Council to separate the TAAG building from any development at the rear of the building.

The rear wall of the building will be demolished along with the existing workshop area and replaced with a new external wall which will be on a line through where the existing toilet is. As part of this work some asbestos content material, mainly on the first floor, will be removed.

For safety reasons during this work no one but the contractors will be allowed in the building.

The work is anticipated to take around three months with a start date around the end of January. This takes us to at least the end of April.

We then need to build a new staircase to the first floor, provide disabled and standard toilet facilities plus a new kitchenette. We are also going to need a lift to the first floor where we hope the workshop will be.

We will then embark on some serious fund raising through funders for renovation of the outside of the building, provisions of facilities and some studio spaces for rent on the upper floors.

If anyone wants to help us with the fund raising either because they have experience of doing the paper work involved then can contact us at info@teignmoutharts.org.

Anyone wishing to donate to the fund can email us as above or do so by bank transfer as follows

Lloyds Bank Newton Abbot Branch

Sort Code 30-84-67

Account Number 67274660 TAAG Community Interest Company

Thank you

Photos of moving the Etching Press and supporters checking how much has been raised so far.

Press Release re temporary closure

The TAAG Arts & Community Centre in Teignmouth is a hive of activity at the moment as preparation for the purchase of the building has finally started. This has meant complete disruption to the daily routine as the workshop has to be emptied clearing the area so Teignbridge District Council can have access to demolished the back of the building and reinstate  the dividing wall as part of the Brunswick Development.  It means that TAAG has to close it‘s doors temporarily during the building works, possibly for 6 months.  

However, the Centre will reopen for a short time in January to formally launch the Fund Raising appeal with an Art exhibition of works donated by local artists with funds going towards the purchase and initial refurbishment of the building. This exhibition starts on January 5th and continues until January 23rd and will feature many artworks both 2 and 3D. There will also be the opportunity to find out more about the timescale of the refurbishing which will be very extensive as TAAG will be expanding into the upper floors.

Liz Lockyear said ‘We hope that people will continue to give generously as finally being able to buy the building provides a legacy for the Arts and Community serving both Teignmouth and the local area. TAAG will be in a trust ensuring it has a long term future and always be in community hands. Progress towards raising the initial purchase price and essential early repairs can be seen in the window of the TAAG building.’ 

All renovations are complicated when the users of a building have to reorganise the contents that have accumulated over ten years of uninterrupted use into a smaller space that will not be in the way.  TAAG is no exception to this problem as has lots of useful equipment that needs to be kept, housed the Sculpture TRAIL and bulky recycling materials, stored lanterns from the switching on of the Christmas lights and materials for many other community projects that had to be sorted and stored. Reorganising all of these items has been achieved by the hard work of a team of volunteers that have been helping to clear out the rear workshop and cupboards that will be impacted by the build.   Moving the heavy etching press was a major achievement as, weighing close to ½ ton, required some very careful lifting and manoeuvring to get it to its new, unfortunately only temporary storage position.  

Roger Smith said ‘TAAG are very grateful to Paul Kennedy for his help and advice moving the press and the many other volunteers that have made this reorganisation in only a few days possible. TAAG hope to get back in the building by the early summer of 2020 and will then reopen as soon as vital safety and other essential work is completed.’

Anyone wanting to know more or how to donate can find further details here