Woking’s new gallery, The Lightbox, has been praised by critics in the national press, and by ordinary people enjoying its restaurant, permanent local history display, changing local exhibitions in the Upper Gallery, and larger exhibitions. There’s an education room, links with schools are being encouraged, and there are activities geared to families.

But the Lightbox has been slated by correspondents writing to the local press as a waste of taxpayers’ money. One colleague suggested to me I should be careful about speaking out in praise of it, because ‘it doesn’t play well on the doorstep’.

2D – 3D, the new exhibition in the main gallery, opened last Friday the 1st of February. It is a selection of sculpture and sculptors’ drawings from the personal collection of Chris Ingram, the businessman who also owns Woking Football Club. They are modern pieces by Jacob Epstein, Elizabeth Frink, Henry Moore, and others.

Most of them are easy to like, with rounded shapes that become more complex and fully human with viewing. My favourite is a life-size figure by Eduardo Paolozzi: ‘Portrait of the Artist’, modelled on ‘The artist as Hephaestus’. I must confess this is largely because it has stood in the café area for some time before being moved into the main exhibition hall, and I focussed on it during a creative writing workshop. Familiarity, in this case, bred admiration.
Enjoying and appreciating art is a personal experience that can take time. If, like me, you are not deeply knowledgeable, to come away with a feeling for one or two pieces is enough. Sometimes more – the rush around a huge National collection, a significant journey away – can be less. This is even more the case for families with children.

The ‘2D – 3D’ exhibition is small enough to begin to take in over one visit, and also – very important! – free, so that it’s possible to come to see it, and revisit at will, without it costing anything extra to your Council Tax or past lottery ticket. The existence of the Lightbox has allowed Mr. Ingram to provide much of the value.
I am not a total softy when it comes to arts funding. The Lottery takes money from the less well off. Tax-payers don’t have bottomless pockets. In my opinion a utilitarian approach to Arts funding is justified.

But here we have great value for money: a unique exhibition open free to everyone, in the centre of Woking. Anyone of any age could get something from looking around it. If you’re in Woking, give it a go.