Bilston Craft Gallery facts for kids
Facade of Bilston craft Gallery.
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| Established | 1937 |
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| Location | Mount Pleasant, Bilston, West Midlands |
| Type | Arts and Crafts |
The Bilston Craft Gallery is a cool place in the West Midlands where you can see amazing crafts. It's the biggest gallery of its kind in the area! You can find it on Mount Pleasant, close to Bilston town centre.
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What is the Bilston Craft Gallery Building Like?
The building where Bilston Craft Gallery is located has a long history! It's a two-storey stone house that was first built in 1905. It was originally a home for the Harper family, who made locks in the area. Before this house, an even older building called Brueton House stood here, built way back in 1818.
Later, from 1918 to 1930, the house became Bilston Girls High School. After the school moved to a bigger place, the building was changed. A large new part was added to the back. From 1937 until the 1990s, this building was home to the Bilston Art Gallery and Museum. Today, it also shares space with the Bilston Library.
The History of Bilston Craft Gallery
The Bilston Art Gallery and Museum first opened its doors in 1937. Professor Thomas Bodkin officially opened it. He was the first director of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham.
The gallery's first collection started with about one hundred paintings. These were given to the gallery in 1937 by William Thompson. He used to live in Bilston but later moved to Colwyn Bay, Wales.
Over the years, the gallery often showed art by local artists. It also received many gifts and donations. This helped it build a large collection of local art and items about the area's history.
In the 1990s, changes happened in how cultural places were run. The art collection was moved to Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The Bilston Museum then became the Bilston Craft Gallery. It is now part of the Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service.
What Can You See at Bilston Craft Gallery?
The Bilston Craft Gallery has different types of exhibitions for visitors to enjoy.
Permanent Exhibitions
The gallery has a special permanent exhibition called 'Craftsense'. This display shows items from local industries that are very old, from the 1700s. It also features new art pieces that use similar old techniques.
A big part of this display is almost one hundred Bilston enamels. These are beautiful objects made with a special shiny coating. In the 1990s, some of these enamels were moved to Bantock House. People were upset, but they were brought back in 2005 when the Craftsense gallery opened.
Together with the enamels still at Bantock House, this is the largest collection of enamels anywhere. Only the Victoria and Albert Museum has more.
Temporary Exhibitions and Learning
Bilston Craft Gallery often has new, temporary exhibitions. These shows feature modern craft works by different artists. The gallery also offers many ways to learn for people of all ages.
You can even access the Crafts Council Photostore. This online collection has pictures of over a thousand talented designers and makers. There's also a creative gallery called 'Craftplay' that was made just for young children before they start school.
The 'First Floor Gallery' is a space that groups or individuals can rent. They can use it to show their own art and craft exhibitions.
The Gallery Garden
Behind the gallery, there is a large garden filled with many different flowers. You can also find several craft works in the garden. These include two wooden dragons carved by Graham Jones and a circle of stone sculptures.
