AN association set up to support the Arts Centre has raised more than £21,000 in its first year.

The Friends of Swindon Arts Centre - FoSAC - celebrated its first anniversary this week and the group has already funded the redecoration of the Gallery Bar.

The group has attracted more than 250 members in the first year, raising about £3,000 in subscription fees.

Their fundraising efforts will go towards more improvements to the venue, which are due to take place this summer when the theatre is refurbished and the 220 seats, dating from the 1920s, are replaced.

The group launched a scheme to sponsor an Arts Centre seat at a cost of £150 per seat last year.

So far, about 130 people, including celebrities such as actresses Dame Judi Dench and Jenny Seagrove, have taken up the offer.

Swindon Council granted the centre £19,200 over three years to go towards the interior refurbishment.

Joan Cheshire, chairwoman of FoSAC, said: "We can all feel proud of what has been achieved, but that doesn't mean we can sit on our laurels. We really have to go out on a limb in the coming months.

"The council has loaned us the money to refurbish the theatre, but of course we have to pay it back so we have to keep on encouraging sponsorship of the remaining the seats."

Arts Centre manager Clarry Bean looked back on an eventful year for the venue, during which it was closed for seven months for a £665,000 revamp.

This included renovating the front entrance, creating a new box office and disabled toilets.

Mr Bean also claimed there had been increased supernatural activity on the site during the renovations!

He said: "There was increased activity with our ghost. We heard tales of drinks being moved and letters being taken out of envelopes.

"But she has gone quiet now so she must have liked what has been done to the building."

The re-launch was delayed by two months when work was not completed on time.

Mr Bean added: "It was an unexpected disaster.

"But we have had a very good first half of the year in terms of the box office. We have had some excellent returns."

Ticket sales have gone up by around 20,000 annually in three years. During the season running from December 2000 to April 2001, 68,000 tickets were sold. Two years later, the figure was 89,100.

After the annual general meeting this week, a debate in the style of the BBC's Question Time ensued, with panellists Matt Holland, the director of the Swindon Festival of Literature, Rosa Matheson, director of Swindon Arts, and Mr Bean answering questions from the audience.

Anyone interested in sponsoring a seat or joining FoSAC should call the Arts Centre on 01793 466565 or send an e-mail to artscentre@Swindon.gov.uk.