We are deeply concerned by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s (PCNPA) plan to downgrade the Pembrokeshire Landscape Gallery, "Oriel y Parc," St Davids, replacing a world-class art space with a National Park Discovery Centre. This would mean turning away from a purpose-built, publicly funded gallery designed to showcase the artistic treasures of Wales, including the extraordinary bequest of Graham Sutherland’s works. By signing this petition, you are supporting our campaign to protect its original purpose as a landscape gallery. We, the undersigned, ask PCNPA to reinstate the whole of the Class A gallery space to host exhibitions of treasures from the National Collection continuously alongside the permanent rotating display of works by Graham Sutherland as part of the rolling exhibitions. We also want PCNPA to keep the architectural integrity of the building.  

Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of PCNPA, recently stated in a BBC Wales Today interview (27/03/2025):

"The gallery has to change. You know, 15 years - all organisations evolve and develop; their audience tastes develop during that time. I think we would be rightly criticised if we hadn't evolved and tried to meet the needs of current visitors and current residents. But we've had very popular and very significant exhibitions that have attracted tens of thousands of people."

We agree that the gallery should continue evolving to engage visitors and residents alike. However, the decline in visitor numbers is not due to a lack of interest in art but rather a lack of significant fine art exhibitions since 2018. How can a gallery thrive when it is no longer given the opportunity to showcase the art it was built for? The success of past exhibitions, such as those featuring works by Graham Sutherland and Constable, proves that world-class art has a place in Pembrokeshire and can bring in tens of thousands of visitors, boosting the local economy and enriching cultural life.

Art is for everyone; it inspires and motivates people of all ages and backgrounds. Schools, families, artists, and tourists have all benefited from having access to exhibitions of national and international significance. Oriel y Parc was built with £3.3 million in public and EU funds to house and display these artistic treasures, and it must not be reduced to a secondary function.

Instead of abandoning the gallery’s original purpose, we urge PCNPA to work with the National Museum of Wales and the wider arts community to restore and reinvigorate Oriel y Parc’s art programme. Let’s bring back world-class exhibitions that can once again make this gallery a cultural jewel of Wales, and St Davids, and an asset for both local residents and visitors.

Sign our petition to show your support for saving our gallery.

Together, we can ensure that Oriel y Parc remains a place where art thrives for generations to come.