Harley Gallery and Foundation

The Harley Gallery and Foundation is an educational charity situated on the ducal estate of Welbeck Abbey in North Nottinghamshire.

The Harley Foundation

The Harley Foundation was set up in 1977 by Ivy, Duchess of Portland, "to encourage creativity in all of us".[1] The Harley Foundation works towards this aim through the activities of The Harley Gallery and The Harley Foundation Studios. The Harley Foundation is a registered charity and in 2010-11 had a gross income of £11,416,110.[2]

The Gallery works towards the Foundation's objectives through the historical and contemporary exhibition programme, craft shop, events and education activities. The Gallery won a HETB award for excellence in tourism.

History and architecture

The Harley Gallery was built in 1994, "converted with great aplomb by Leo Godlewski from the old estate gasworks built by the 5th Duke in 1860."[3]

The gas works were built to illuminate the 5th Duke's "New Works" at Welbeck, and were one of his early buildings. These works provided light and heat for the gallops, gardens and "underground drives which lace the Park... lit both by circular, plate glass skylights and gas lamps fed from the Duke's own purpose-built gas works (now the Harley Gallery)."[4] The gas works were in a state of ruin when work began to convert them into the Gallery; however, parts of the original detail and character of the original building were retained - including an original roof truss which is still visible within the building.

The building won a Civic Trust Award for Architecture in 1995.[5]

Exhibitions

The Gallery has four exhibition spaces - one of which is the "Treasury" Gallery / Museum which is the only exhibition space in the UK dedicated to The Portland Collection. This is the historical fine and decorative art collection of the Cavendish-Bentinck family, including "one of the great unknown British aristocratic collections of plate".[6] The displays show a selection of items from the collection, and are themed to illustrate the lives of selected family members, and change every two years.

The other three galleries are used to exhibit a wide variety of contemporary and historical art and craft, with exhibitions changing five times a year. Previous fine art exhibitions have included David Hockney, Peter Blake, Euan Uglow and George Stubbs. Craft exhibitions have included Kate Malone, Junko Mori and Hiroshi Suzuki.

The Craft Shop, recognized by the Crafts Council as a quality retail outlet, stocks work by over 300 makers.

The Gallery building is situated in courtyard gardens, adjacent to the 5th Duke's extensive kitchen garden. This garden was modelled after "the seventeen acre royal walled gardens in Windsor Great Park. Not to be outdone, the Duke of Portland enclosed twenty two acres".[7] The kitchen garden walls are still present, and Dukeries Garden Centre is situated within the walls. Some of the original Victorian glasshouses can be seen in the garden centre. The car park for The Harley Gallery is located in the area of the Kitchen Garden that was known as "California" - being the warmest, sunniest area.

The courtyard gardens also contain the Welbeck Farm Shop and the Limehouse Cafe, described in The Guardian as "A very, very nice cafe".[8] The cafe building was converted from the Lime House, which was used in the production of the gas, which was then stored in large circular gasometers- the circular shapes can still be seen in the courtyard.

The Gallery commissions artwork, and the courtyard gardens contain seating by Jim Partridge and a kinetic sculpture by Martin Smith which can be seen in one of the sites of the old gas holders.

Events and education

Harley Art and Food Market and Harley Open Studios is an annual, key event in the Gallery's calendar.[9]

The Gallery and Foundation provide an educational programme of events, including workshops for primary school children, in depth lectures on art history, and work with local students.[10]

The Harley Foundation Studios

The Harley Foundation Studios are workspaces close to the Harley Gallery, which are used by a wide variety of artists and craftspeople. Studio artists have included conservators, fine artists, photographers, textile artists, ceramicists, printmakers and s culptors. The studios are open to the public once a year, as part of the Harley Art and Food Market and Open Studios.

History and architecture

Situated inside what was the Welbeck Estate's extensive kitchen gardens built by the 5th Duke of Portland, the Harley Studios have been built within the "Tan Gallop", and on the sites of the cucumber and pineapple pits - the latter - "Pineapple Place" designed by John Outram.[11]

Support for artists

The Harley Foundation provides "craftspeople and artists affordable working space in peaceful surroundings".[12] Artists are welcome to apply for studio spaces, details can be found on the Harley Gallery website. The Foundation also operates an "incubator space" for new artists, to assist them in setting up their practice, and grant-aid.

References

  1. ↑ The Harley Gallery , accessed May 11, 2011.
  2. ↑ Charity Commission. THE HARLEY FOUNDATION, registered charity no. 276611.
  3. ↑ Financial Times, July 22, 2006, Moore, Susan. The unsung patroness . London, online version accessed May 11, 2011.
  4. ↑ Adlam, Derek (2007). The Enigmatic Fifth Duke of Portland. The Pineapple Press. pp. 10–11.
  5. ↑ "Civic Trust Awards - Winners". Civic Trust Awards. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  6. ↑ Glanville, Philippa (June 2, 2009). "Pantries packed with silver". Country Life: 150–153.
  7. ↑ Adlam, Derek (2007). The enigmatic Fifth Duke of Portland. The Pineapple Press. p. 9.
  8. ↑ Dyckhoff, Tom (20 March 2010). "Let's move to Sherwood Forest and the Dukeries, Nottinghamshire". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  9. ↑ Dening, Sophie (4 November 2010). "UK: five of the best Christmas shopping destinations". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  10. ↑ Farrelly, Liz (May–June 2011). "Food Glorious Food". Crafts Magazine. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  11. ↑ John Outram - We Travel Light
  12. ↑ Dunn, Judith (March–April 2011). "Dining with a Duke". Antiques Diary: 10–12.
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