York Art Gallery underwent a major redevelopment prior to it’s grand reopening on August 1 2015.

We have increased the gallery’s display space by 60% by creating a new first-floor gallery in the space above the Main Gallery on the ground floor. We have created an entirely new gallery above the existing South Gallery and expanded into the rooms next door to the gallery, formerly occupied by the City Archives.

York Art Gallery’s collection of paintings spans more than 600 years and works range from 14th century Italian panels and 17th century Dutch masterpieces to Victorian narrative paintings and 20th century works by LS Lowry.

Centre of Ceramic Art

Our collection of British studio ceramics is one of the most important in the UK. These are displayed in the Centre of Ceramic Art. Containing the work of over 600 artists and in excess of 5,500 objects, CoCA continues to grow through gifts, bequests and purchases.

The building which houses the gallery opened its doors to the public in 1879 for the second Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, inspired by the Great Exhibition in London of 1851. In 1892 it became the City Art Gallery.

The gallery looks out over Exhibition Square, also created in 1879, and beyond to the city walls and York Minster. The centrepiece of the square is a statue of York artist William Etty which was erected in 1911.

York Art Gallery holds the largest collection of work by Etty and in 2011 held the first major exhibition of his work for 50 years, showing many of these paintings and sketches alongside loans from other major galleries.

Click here to visit the York Art Gallery website.

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