Grundy Art Gallery facts for kids
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Grundy Art Gallery with signpost
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| Established | 26 October 1911 |
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| Location | Queen Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Type | Art museum |
| Public transit access | Blackpool North railway station |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Central Library and Grundy Art Gallery | |
| Designated: | 20 October 1983 |
| Reference #: | 1072014 |
The Grundy Art Gallery is a cool art museum located in Blackpool, England. It shows off all sorts of art. You can see everything from old historical pieces to brand-new modern art. The gallery first opened its doors in 1911. The local council in Blackpool owns and runs it.
The Grundy is a special building. It is a Grade II listed building. This means it's important and protected because of its history and design. It's an Edwardian building. This means it was built during the time of King Edward VII (1901-1910). It shares its building with the Central Library. Both buildings were listed as important on October 20, 1983.
Contents
History of the Grundy Gallery
How the Gallery Started
The Grundy Art Gallery was built thanks to two brothers. Their names were John and Cuthbert Grundy. They were both artists from the Blackpool area. In 1908, they gave 33 artworks to the town. They also gave money to help build a new gallery. Cuthbert was known as a leader in the town's art, writing, and science.
The gallery was designed by Cullen, Lockhead and Brown. It has special Ionic columns that stand in pairs. These columns support a stone pediment. A pediment is a triangular shape often found above doors or windows. On this pediment, you can see a carved Blackpool Borough crest. The gallery and the Central Library opened together on October 26, 1911. The building has an Edwardian Baroque style.
Growing the Art Collection
In 1912, a special fund was set up. This fund was used to buy new artworks for the gallery. This helped the collection grow beyond the first 33 pieces. By the late 1930s, the gallery needed more space. So, two extra galleries were added. This extension opened in 1938.
By 2009, the Grundy had almost 2,000 art objects. In 2017, the collection had grown even more. It included 2,315 objects. These were divided into four main types: fine art, decorative art, modern jewellery, and special items like old tickets or posters.
Future Plans for the Gallery
In 2023, a study looked into making the Central Library and Grundy Art Gallery bigger. The idea was to extend them into a nearby car park. This study suggested that making them bigger could bring in many more visitors. It could add 59,000 visitors each year. This includes 15,000 more tourists. It could also boost how much money visitors spend by £860,000 each year.
Ellis Williams Architects were chosen to design this new project. The money for this comes from a grant. Blackpool received nearly £6 million in July 2022. This money is part of the government's Levelling Up plan. This plan aims to improve different areas across the country.
The gallery is run and supported by Blackpool Council. It is also an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. This means it gets funding from Arts Council England to support its work. The Grundy is also a member of the Contemporary Art Society. It also has Museums Accreditation status. This shows it meets high standards for museums. Since 2018, Paulette Brien has been the curator of the gallery. A curator is someone who manages and organizes the art collection and exhibitions.
What You Can See: The Permanent Collection
The Grundy's own artworks are shown in temporary exhibitions. These include Victorian oil paintings and watercolours. You can also see modern British paintings. The collection also features contemporary jewellery and video art. There are oriental ivories, ceramics, and old photographs and souvenirs of Blackpool.
Some famous artworks in the collection include:
- Aircraftsman Shaw by Welsh painter Augustus John
- Sanctuary Wood by English landscape painter Paul Nash
- The Yellow Funnel by English painter Eric Ravilious
- The Waterway by English painter Lucy Kemp-Welch
- Woods and Forests by English landscape painter John Linnell
Many other important British artists are also shown. These include Anna Airy, Samuel John 'Lamorna' Birch, Stephen Bone, Thomas Sidney Cooper, Frederick William Elwell, Stanhope Alexander Forbes, Patrick Hughes, Laura Knight, Charles S Ricketts, David Roberts, Charles Spencelayh, and Henry Scott Tuke.
Other artists whose work you might see include Craigie Aitchison, Richard Ansdell, Thomas Sidney Cooper, Martin Creed, Thomas Creswick, Stanhope Forbes, Laura Ford, Gilbert & George, Hubert von Herkomer, John Frederick Herring, Sr., Edward Atkinson Hornel, Harold Knight, Lilian Lancaster, Henry Herbert La Thangue, Peter Liversidge, David Roberts, Lindsay Seers, William Shayer, Julian Trevelyan, Eugène Joseph Verboeckhoven, and Benjamin Williams Leader.
Exciting Exhibitions
The Grundy Art Gallery often hosts special exhibitions. These shows bring in unique art and collections.
Past Exhibitions
- On November 25, 2008, American singer Mary Wilson visited the Grundy. She launched her collection of gowns. These were worn by the famous Motown female singing group The Supremes. The exhibition was called The Story of The Supremes from the Mary Wilson Collection.
- In 2016, the gallery had a show called Neon: The Charged Line. This was Britain's "biggest ever survey of neon art." It featured amazing pieces by artists like Joseph Kosuth, Tracey Emin, and Gavin Turk.
Recent Major Exhibitions
The Grundy has also hosted other important exhibitions recently:
- Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences (2018)
- Artist Rooms: Roy Lichtenstein (2019)
- Artist Rooms: Louise Bourgeois (2023)
- Bloomberg New Contemporaries (2023)
The Grundy plans a program of contemporary art exhibitions. These shows feature work by artists from the UK and other countries. They include both well-known and new artists. The gallery also borrows important historical artworks from other major UK institutions. Sometimes, they show objects from their own permanent collection. The Grundy also holds an annual Open Exhibition. This is where local artists can submit their work to be displayed.
Visitor Information
The Grundy Art Gallery has steps at its entrance. However, there is also wheelchair access to the ground floor galleries. The Grundy shop sells special artist-made jewellery.
