The Friends of the Smith
The Friends of the Smith is a membership organisation separate from the management of the museum itself. The Friends have their own constitution and an executive committee to manage their affairs, and are a Registered Scottish Charity in their own right.
Membership
is by payment of an annual fee or a one-off Life Membership fee. It is open
to anyone anywhere with an interest in the well-being of the Smith Art
Gallery and Museum, or even just a general interest in the cultural life of
Stirling and museum matters in Scotland.
The Friends were formed initially when the Smith was under threat of closure
in the early 1970s, when a group of interested individuals fought to keep
the Smith open.
The
Friends exist in order to help the Smith, and have provided support in a
number of ways, including fundraising schemes for conservation of the
collections, repairs to the building, and the purchase of paintings for the
collections, and equipment for the café. On occasion, members have
also offered practical help such as helping to set up exhibitions, cleaning
artefacts and working as gallery guides for special exhibitions.
The Friends are also responsible for running a hugely successful series of lectures on a wide variety of different subjects. They are held in the Stirling Smith's lecture theatre area, and over the years have covered diverse themes ranging from fine art to mountaineering, from music to literature, and many other topics besides. To find out more about the Friends' lecture series, please click here.
Membership brings a range of benefits including regular mailings with
information about the Friends’ achievements, as well as notification of
exhibitions and events. Members receive invitations to exhibition
openings and previews, sometimes giving them first chance to buy any works
from selling exhibitions.
If you would like to join the Friends of the Smith, membership application forms are available for download from this link. Please print the form, complete the details, and return it to:
The Membership Secretary
Friends of the Smith
Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum
Dumbarton Road
Stirling
FK8 2RQ
Application forms are also available from the Stirling Smith's reception area.