Shropshire Magazine

A View of the Engllish Bridge, Shrewsbury, by Edward Dayes (1763–1804). This landscape painting in oil was acquired by Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery in 1987, with a grant of £4,500 from The Art Fund, which went towards the £18,000 purchase cost.

Neil Thomas discovers the important behind-the-scenes work that helps keep national treasures from disappearing from public view

Earlier this year an intriguing range of vintage treasure and contemporary art works could be found across the grounds of Weston Park in Shropshire. However, it was not as part of an exhibition, but being sold at a country house car-boot sale and contemporary art fair, in aid of The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity.

This unusual event, arranged by the Shropshire branch of The Art Fund, raised a staggering £23,000 towards the charity’s vital work to secure important works of art of all kinds for the public to enjoy in museums and galleries across the UK.

It was attended by artists including Mary Kenyon Slaney, the award-winning flower painter, landscape artist John Alford, sculptor Jemma Pearson, and painters Fiona McAlpine, Lisa Henderson and Penny Timmis.

Since it was founded in 1903, The Art Fund has helped to acquire 860,000 objects for more than 600 museums across the country, ranging from Bronze Age treasures to contemporary sculpture.

The Three Graces, by Antonio Canova (1757–1822).

These included buying some of the world’s most significant works of art. Without The Art Fund famous works such as The Rokeby Venus by Velázquez, Canova’s Three Graces and Turner’s Blue Rigi would have gone abroad, never to return. Instead they were saved for the nation and are now held in public collections for all to see.

But it’s not only about saving major blockbuster works; our public collections are enriched by an enormous variety of works of art across a wide range of local and regional museums and galleries.

More than 300 works of art have been secured for Shropshire’s public collections with a net value of more than £374,000. These have included Coalport, Salop by John Piper which is now part of the permanent collection at the Jackfield Tile Museum in Ironbridge, and The Corporation and William Hill Jug which was acquired by Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, all with The Art Fund’s help.

“It is only with the contributions of our 80,000 members and many volunteers, including many in Shropshire, that The Art Fund can carry on this important work,” says Eleanor Houghton, communications assistant for The Art Fund.

“The Shropshire committee of volunteers organises interesting and sociable events for The Art Fund’s members and interested members of the public, and these have included exclusive visits to private houses and lectures in unusual locations. These events all raise money for the charity and build awareness of The Art Fund’s vital work, while providing members with the chance to meet like-minded people with a shared interest in art and culture.”

The Art Fund exists with no funding from government or the Lottery. As an independent charity it depends entirely on members of the public for the funds that are so urgently needed. The easiest way to support the charity’s work is by becoming a member, at a cost of £42 a year for a single membership.

“This independence allows The Art Fund to speak out and campaign on behalf of our museums and galleries and their visitors. The Art Fund became one of the public champions of free admission to museums and galleries, dramatically raising its profile among politicians, museums, the public and media – a campaign which achieved success in 2001,” says Eleanor.

The Art Fund also runs fundraising appeals, calling on the public for help in securing a particularly important work. It was just such a campaign that ensured Turner’s Blue Rigi was dramatically saved for the nation last year. Visitors to the charity’s website were invited to ‘buy a brushstroke’ and raised over £550,000 in just five weeks.

Exceptional

“But what is exceptional about this charity is that those who support it directly benefit. Thousands of works in our nation’s public collections can be viewed free of charge by members of The Art Fund, who benefit from free entry to more than 200 museums and galleries across the country. This includes many museums in Shropshire such as the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Boscobel House, Blists Hill Victorian Town and Wroxeter Roman City.

“Free entry can also be gained to some National Trust and English Heritage properties, as well as venues such as Kensington Palace. Art Fund members are also entitled to 50 per cent off entry to major exhibitions at the Tate galleries, National Galleries of Scotland, V&A, the National Gallery and many more.

“Another membership highlight is a free subscription to Art Quarterly, The Art Fund’s beautifully illustrated magazine which is packed with news, views and lively articles from the art world by celebrated art experts and writers.

“The Art Fund’s members also receive exclusive invitations to events, private views, behind-the-scenes tours and discounted entry to art fairs and exhibitions across the country.

“So if you want to help save the next Freud, Monet or Turner, and take part in the forthcoming events held by The Art Fund’s volunteers in Shropshire, the answer is simple. Just join The Art Fund.”

• For information about The Art Fund, becoming a member, or how to volunteer in Shropshire, contact the Shropshire committee’s regional representative Diana Flint on 01691 690266 or visit www.artfund.org

Weston Park curator Gareth Williams (left) and Diana Flint (middle), Shropshire’s Art Fund regional representative, with members of Shropshire branch of The Art Fund.