Chester Visual Arts – the independent company aiming to put the city on the national and international stage for the visual arts – and Grosvenor Estate hosted a reception at Chester Cathedral to celebrate the Ark Sculpture and the Victoria & Albert Museum Pop Art in Print Exhibitions in the city.

The reception for more than 200 guests was attended by the trustees of the Grosvenor Estate, including the Duke of Westminster, and key people representing the arts and culture in Chester, local and national government, alongside the region’s business leaders, to celebrate the city as a cultural destination and these hugely popular exhibitions.

Chairman of Chester Visual Arts Ian Short said: “CVA is a not for profit organisation whose goal is to build the audience for high quality visual arts and realise a permanent fit for purpose public art gallery for the city, alongside an inclusive arts education and community programme.

“Our V&A Pop Art in Print Exhibition has proved there is a huge appetite for the visual arts and a dedicated gallery, with over 1000 out of our 15000 visitors making this plain in our visitors’ book.

“With the combined weight and experience of our board members from Grosvenor Estate, the University of Chester, Chester Cathedral and the North West Business Leadership Team, and new supporters we expect to recruit, we now will push on with our plans.

“This will include further potential collaboration with the V&A and ongoing liaison with other arts organisations and artists, including the British artists represented in our exhibition, especially Richard Woods, who was born in Chester and educated at Christleton High School and has offered his support.”

Rupert Collis, Ian Short and Liz Wright

Estate Manager at Eaton Estate Rupert Collis said: “As gold sponsors of Ark, we have been proud to be able to support the cathedral and the team of staff who made this wonderful exhibition possible. We are delighted to have been involved and, in doing so, strengthen our ties with both the cathedral and the city.

“As an active member of the CVA Board, we hope to build on these successes and use them as a springboard to bring more high profile arts and cultural events to the city in future.”

Chairman of Marketing Cheshire Clive Sykes said: “What a wonderful year of culture in Chester! Ark and the V&A Pop Art exhibitions have put Chester back on the cultural map and hopefully this is the start of a sustained cultural renaissance in the visual arts which is vital to quality of life in the city.

“Bravo Chester Visual Arts; I’m very excited about the future.”