Grundy Art Gallery
Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
The Grundy Art Gallery is one of the essential stops on any trip to Blackpool. The gallery was established in 1911 by brothers Cuthbert and John Grundy with a founding ambition to show the best art of the day to the people of Blackpool. Over one hundred years later the Grundy is recognised as a leading contemporary arts venue in the North West, where it continues to programme the work of established and emerging artists from the UK and around the world, alongside historic art from its own collection.
Set within a beautiful Grade II listed Edwardian building located just a few hundred metres from the famous Blackpool North Pier, promenade and seafront, the Grundy was expanded with two extra galleries in 1938 having outgrown its original space. In more recent years, the gallery has been keen to engage with the town’s rich cultural heritage and place in contemporary popular culture.
Since 2015, the Grundy Art Gallery has developed a special interest in artists who use light as a material in their work. Timed and linked to the famous Blackpool Illuminations, the gallery has presented light-themed exhibitions each year. These have included work by the likes of Tracey Emin and Joseph Kosuth, alongside new additions to the permanent collection by Turner Prize nominees Jark Titchner and Andrea Büttner, as well as prize-winning filmmaker Chris Paul Daniels.
At the start of each year, visitors will find the gallery playing host to an OPEN exhibition which places a spotlight on creative talent from across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast. The Grundy is also the perfect place to find a gift or souvenir, with a shop fully stocked with exhibition specific merchandise, arts journals, exhibition publications, creative toys and greetings cards. Meanwhile an engagement programme caters to young people, children and families with a variety of workshops, tours and school visit options.
