Ownership of Rodd Court, the last home of Australian artist Sidney Nolan, has been transferred to the Sidney Nolan Trust through the government’s Acceptance in Lieu scheme, ahead of the site being made open to the public from 2019.
The trust plans to turn the West Midlands estate, which houses Nolan’s library, study, and the barns in which he painted and exhibited, into a cultural centre opening to the public in the spring. The trust currently runs artist residencies and camps at Rodd Court, as well as a learning programme for those, particularly the young and disadvantaged, who would otherwise be unable to engage with the arts and the natural environment.
Acceptance in Lieu allows for offsetting some or all of an inheritance tax, capital transfer tax or estate duty bill by offering a preeminent work of art or heritage object to a public collection in lieu of payment, with buildings and land considered under ministerial discretion. The transfer of Rodd Court has been negotiated by the executors of Lady Nolan and represents a £598,400 tax offset.
Richard Catt, the chair of the Sidney Nolan Trust, said the move would enable the trust, founded by Nolan himself in 1985, “to progress our plans and fully realise his vision for it”.
“We are working to conserve and adapt the land and buildings in our care in order to improve and create new facilities to enhance the artistic and cultural opportunities and experiences we are able to offer,” he said. “Building upon our respected and highly successful creative and learning programmes, we intend to firmly establish The Rodd as a major arts facility bridging the English Midlands and Mid Wales, allowing us to further enrich the artistic and cultural life of these rural areas.”
Visits are currently by appointment only but the trust plans to open up the site to the public, starting in spring 2019 with a series of events. Plans include guided tours; public events, talks and recitals; facilities for academic research and for the storage and conservation of the Trust’s Nolan Collection and Archive; meeting rooms and facilities for local arts and community organisations; a base for friends and volunteers; a café; and an events space for income-generating activities.
Michael Ellis, the minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said: “Sidney Nolan was a magnificent artist whose work is known across the world. I am delighted that, through the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, we will preserve Nolan's residence, within his adopted home, for the benefit of the nation. It is also excellent news that the Sidney Nolan Trust will now open the house to the public for the first time, alongside its existing gallery, studio and programme of exhibitions.
"By acquiring Nolan's last home, we will firmly establish a resource for research, and develop an artistic centre dedicated to one of the most experimental and leading artists of the twentieth century.”
Rodd Court photo: Alex Ramsay
Inset: It's My World, Sidney Nolan Trust Learning Programme
