Watts Gallery was founded in 1904 by visionary couple George Frederic (G F) Watts and Mary Seton Watts. Artists and social pioneers, G F and Mary initially relocated to Compton from West London having built Limnerslease as a winter retreat.
G F was one of the foremost artists of the 19th century and became known as 'England's Michelangelo' for his powerful works and portraits. Mary, a visionary designer and artist, founded the Potters' Arts Guild at Compton, a progressive business with the aim to promote traditional craft practices and create jobs for the local community.
G F and Mary shared an enduring conviction that art has the power to inspire and transform lives. We proudly continue their work today.
Watts Gallery is a place to learn, explore and create. We curate and care for our extraordinary collection of art, we host a dynamic range of temporary exhibitions, and offer an inspiring year-round programme of talks, tours, workshops, and courses.
Our 18 acre site is home to an incredible collection of Arts and Crafts buildings, grounds and gardens, set in the beautiful Surrey Hills, just outside Guildford.
We actively support contemporary artists through our artist-in-residence programme and run our "Art for All" community programme, which continues the ethos of our artist-founders who believed that art had the power to change society and should be available for everyone to experience and enjoy.
Discover over 7,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, prints and photographs in Watts Gallery's collection.
As a registered independent charity the generosity of our visitors and supporters helps to fund our mission. Your support enables us to safeguard our collection, protect our buildings and care for our grounds. It makes it possible for us to work with community groups, schools and organisations and make art available for all. Most of our income comes from fundraising and donations. So each time you visit us - whether you're grabbing a coffee, buying a gift or attending an event - you're directly helping us to continue our work. Our mission is made possible by the generous support of our visitors, shoppers, Friends, Patrons, donors, volunteers and supporters.
One of the best ways to support us is to become a Friend. Find out more here