The Restoration of Watts Gallery
Saving a Building at Risk
Watts Gallery was opened to house the studio collection of George Frederic Watts OM RA (1817-1904), one of the most important artists of the Victorian age. The collection contains more than 1,000 works of art including portraits, landscapes, symbolist paintings, sculptures and drawings, as well as pottery by the artist’s wife, Mary Seton Watts. Great social philanthropists, GF and Mary Watts left the Gallery to the nation. Without the resources to maintain it, the beautiful Grade II* listed Arts and Crafts building was placed on English Heritage’s ‘At Risk’ register. The building needs to be restored and financially secure if it is to survive another century.
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Watts Gallery is a registered museum and charity that was established by GF and Mary Watts in 1904 to encourage ‘art for all’. It existed for 100 years without public funding but was rapidly declining into disrepair.
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Rain was coming in through the roof and the fabric of the building was rapidly decaying. The Hope Project will save the building and make it more accessible to wider audiences.
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Much of the collection was not on show, there was insufficient storage and urgent remedial work was necessary on all elements. The Hope Project is conserving and enhancing the collection and creating more exhibition and storage space with proper environmental controls.
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There was limited access for disabled visitors to parts of the building, no facilities for school parties, groups and volunteers and no public toilets. The Hope Project will improve access and provide facilities for visitors.
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The Hope Project will establish Watts Gallery as a centre for the exploration of Victorian art, social history and craft and develop a wide-reaching learning programme.
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The Hope Project will strengthen the role of the Gallery locally, nationally and internationally, engage more audiences and secure its financial future.
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In late 2008 the Grade II* listed arts and crafts building was closed for refurbishment after an appeal for help raised £10.2m.
The Hope Emergency Fund - £70,000 still needed
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In August 2009 the main building contractor went into administration, a victim of the recession. With only a quarter of the work complete, the project was set back 7 months.
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A new contractor started on site in February and is set to finish by the end of 2010, however the delays and loss of income has created extra costs of £1.2m.
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The Heritage Lottery Fund and several other funders have generously helped meet some of these extra costs. However, we still urgently need to raise £70,000.
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Please consider helping us meet this shortfall by joining as a Patron, Corporate Patron or making a donation, payable to Watts Gallery.
For more information contact Stephanie Dennison, Fundraising Manager,
appeal@wattsgallery.org.uk or Perdita Hunt, Director, director@wattsgallery.org.uk
Our Partners in the Restoration
The architects for the Hope Project to restore Watts Gallery were ZMMA.
ZMMA
ZMMA are committed to creating exciting, innovative space for contemporary life. The practice designs spaces for the arts, for pleasure and for living.
The practice has, among its other projects, developed special experience in visual arts and mixed-use arts buildings, galleries and museums. The practice has a particular focus on major remodelling of historic buildings, together with their conservation, and designing new buildings for historic sites.
Past projects include galleries for private collections, retail art galleries for Sam Fogg, Spink and Sotheby's. Ongoing projects for museums and arts organisations include a museum and also a craft centre in Dorset for Walford Mill Crafts, a mixed-use arts centre - converting a historic chapel in Hampshire - and recent commissions for two public space art installations.
Funders of the Restoration
Click here to see a list of supporters of the Hope Project to restore Watts Gallery
