Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1948-2015 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
15 bundles
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
York Art Gallery reopened in 1948 following the Second World War, when it had been requisitioned by the military. The Gallery had sustained bomb damage in 1942, and it would be more than a decade before the vision of the Director, Hans Hess, his team and volunteers, plus the generosity of benefactors created an Art Gallery of some renown.
The reopening coincided with the foundation of the York Art Collection Society, whose mission was and is today the 'creating of a lively interest in all artistic matters and establishing a fund from which, from time to time, works of permanent value can be acquired for presentation to the Art Gallery'. The Society was later renamed the Friends of York Art Gallery in 1955.
In 1975 the Friends began a programme of tours, talks and outings, which has continued to increase over the years. Alongside this work, the Friends have supported the Art Gallery financially in acquiring a number of works of art for the collections. The Friends fund the annual sponsorship for an MA student (History of Art) at the University of York, Family Saturdays and lectures by visiting artists, such as the annual Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) lecture.
The appeal launched in 2012 to raise £70,000 towards the cost of the Art Gallery's Fine Art Store has been the Friends most significant financial contribution, and in 2014 a grant from the Friends helped the Art Gallery purchase two tour audio guide systems, aimed at tour guides taking large grops round the galleries.
Supports the work of York Art Gallery.
Repository
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Includes meeting minutes, names and addresses of members of the Friends and some publications produced by them. Arranged into chronological bundles.
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Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Material is available subject to the usual terms and conditions of access to Archives and Local History collections.
Conditions governing reproduction
Images are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
Language of material
- English