Kirkcaldy group honoured at town arts venue for its work over 30 years

Heather Stuart, ONFife chief executive, fifth from left, with Margaret Simpson, chair of the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries, sixth from left, and Lesley Botten, Interpretations team leader, sixth from right, and members of the Friends beneath the plaque in the galleries.

Last week ONFife unveiled a new plaque at the town venue to recognise the valuable contribution the Friends of Galleries has made since forming in 1991.

Over the past three decades the Friends have given around £135,000 to fund many projects which have enabled the development and preservation of the collections.

Their support has assisted curators in purchasing new objects, such as Wemyss Ware pottery and paintings by Alison Watt and George Leslie Hunter.

You may also be interested in:

Budget D-Day Fife braced for maximum Council Tax rise

Plans to restore locomotive in Fife still on track

Appeal to buy special helmet for four-month-old Fife boy

Funds have also allowed for essential conservation treatment of many paintings and objects which otherwise would not have been displayed.

Recent projects include the conservation of a beautiful Chinese cabinet and Japanese samurai armour for an exhibition of East Asian objects and currently on

display in Kirkcaldy Galleries are two newly-conserved paintings – a Scottish

Colourist oil painting by F.C.B. Cadell and a portrait of Bailie Robert Philp, a

Kirkcaldy linen manufacturer who gave money to fund local schools and the

education of hundreds of schoolchildren in the 19th century.

The group has also funded the conservation and rebinding of a book containing the earliest burgh court minutes for Kirkcaldy from 1567-8.

Later this year the conservation of a rare floorcloth banner will also be completed

thanks to Friends’ funding.

Financial support has also been given for photography and digitisation of collections.

Heather Stuart, chief executive of ONFife, said: “The contribution made by the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries cannot be overstated.

“Their passion and commitment to Kirkcaldy’s cultural heritage has allowed many

projects to be undertaken that could not otherwise have gone ahead and has helped

preserve works for future generations to enjoy.

“We are thankful to have the Friends and look forward to having their support for the next three decades and beyond.”

Margaret Simpson, chair of the Friends, thanked ONFife for organising the occasion

and said the plaque was a token of the rapport between the Friends and the charity.