Shipley Art Gallery
Creative Tourist
The Shipley Art Gallery can be found on Prince Regent Road (named after Queen Victoria’s Husband Prince Albert) and was created in 1917 after Joseph Shipley, a local solicitor, bestowed his collection of 504 paintings to create a gallery for local people. Since then, the gallery has grown with over 800 works of art.
The Shipley Art Gallery also puts on events, and fairs for crafts and vintage fashion throughout the year
In the modern age, the gallery has expanded. In 1977 the Shipley made a purposeful decision to start collecting contemporary art which had been made within the British Isles. This decision has been beneficial, as it has become known as one of the best galleries outside of London.
The Shipley is also fortunate to play host to a collection donated by Henry Rothschild. A member of the larger Rothschild family, Henry was a patron to many up-and-coming ceramics makers by providing a workshop at Primavera, on Sloane Street in London. This enabled him to gather a large number of talented craftspeople helping to promote them and develop their skills.
This has paid off for the Shipley, as this expansive collection led the gallery to be declared a site of National Importance in 1998. Alongside generous gifts from famous philanthropists, the gallery is also home to William Irving’s painting The Blaydon Races, a race that used to occur on the Stella Haugh, which was covered by the Stella Power Station, now demolished. The Blaydon Races has been immortalised in a much-loved song. It is often devotedly sung across the whole of Tyneside – often on the way to football matches.
The Shipley Art Gallery also puts on events, and fairs for crafts and vintage fashion throughout the year, so you may be able to find something to take home with you. On your trip to the North East, visit the Shipley to discover an amazing range of British art equal to any collection that can be found in London.
