The Grundy is an art gallery located in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. Its eclectic programme consists of regional historic to recent contemporary art exhibitions. Opened in 1911, it is owned and operated by Blackpool Council.
Blackpool Council commissioned the building of the Grundy Art Gallery in 1908 following a bequest of 33 artworks and a financial gift from brothers John and Cuthbert Grundy, both of whom were local artists. Cuthbert was described at the time as "A leader of the artistic, literary and scientific life of the town."[3][4] Designed by Cullen, Lockhead and Brown, the gallery has coupled Ionic columns supporting a stone pediment bearing a carved Blackpool Borough crest.[2] Together with Central library the gallery opened on 26 October 1911.[5] The Edwardianbaroque building is Grade II listed.
In 1912, a purchase fund for new artworks was set up to build upon the 33 artworks. By the late 1930s, the collection and general ambition of the gallery had outgrown the original building, and so an extension of two extra galleries was built. It opened in 1938.[5]
In 2009, the Grundy contained nearly 2,000 objects.[6] In 2017 the Grundy's collection consisted of 2,315 objects divided into four main areas: fine art, decorative art, modern jewellery and ephemera.[7]
In 2023 a feasibility study was carried out on extending Central Library and the Grundy Art Gallery into a neighbouring car park. It stated that extending the library and art gallery had the potential to increase visitor numbers by 59,000 per year, including 15,000 additional tourists, and boost annual visitor spend by £860,000. Ellis Williams Architects were appointed to lead the design process. Funding for the project comes from a grant of nearly £6m awarded to Blackpool in July 2022 from the Shared Prosperity Fund – part of the government's Levelling Up agenda.[8]
The gallery is operated and supported by Blackpool Council and is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. It is a long-standing member of the Contemporary Art Society and holds Museums Accreditation status. Since 2018, its curator has been Paulette Brien.[9]
Permanent collection
The Grundy's works are displayed as part of temporary exhibitions and represent Victorian oils and watercolours, modern British paintings, contemporary jewellery and video, oriental ivories, ceramics, and photographs and souvenirs of Blackpool.
In 2016 the gallery hosted Neon: The Charged Line, Britain's “biggest ever survey of neon art” which included pieces by artists including Joseph Kosuth, Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk.[15]
The Grundy organises a programme of contemporary visual art exhibitions featuring the work of established and emerging artists from the UK and overseas, as well as historically important artwork loaned from major UK institutions and objects from its own permanent collection. The Grundy also hosts an annual Open Exhibition.
Millar, Delia (11 December 2001). The Victorian Watercolours and Drawings in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen (The drawings and watercolours in the royal collection). Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. p. 382. ISBN0-85667-436-2.