The idea for the Gallery on the Green came about when a group of residents living around the Green in Settle heard that BT were writing to local parish and town councils offering them the opportunity to buy under-used phone boxes for £1. A group formed and contacted Settle Town Council, who agreed to sponsor the project. Settle Town Council duly paid the £1 and also provided a small grant to the project, which was supplemented by funding from Craven District Council. The funding was used to buy paint and other materials and to pay for some initial publicity. During spring 2009, the volunteers repainted the phone box and fitted it out for use as a gallery. The mosaic floor and ‘Sistine Chapel’ ceiling were designed and made. A grand launch party was held in July 2009, with the Mayor of Settle officiating in cutting the ribbon.
A few months later, the BT Adopt-a-Kiosk scheme ran a competition for the best community project using one of their phone boxes. The Gallery on the Green was awarded the regional first prize. Our most famous exhibition took place in the autumn of 2010, when Brian May came to Settle with an exhibition created with collaborator Elena Vidal
Are you thinking of trying this yourself?
Here are a few hints and tips to get started, but please feel free to contact us with any specific questions.