In 1914, the wealthy industrialist Samuel Joshua Cooper bought the former Barnsley Grammar School building in his hometown and presented it to the public as an art gallery, complete with his collection of more than 200 paintings.
Cooper’s initial donation has been augmented by the collections of other benefactors, and the gallery’s permanent collection now has more than 400 works. In June this year, the gallery that bears his name reopened following a comprehensive restoration and extension, which was supported by a £638,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The Cooper Gallery passes the first acid test for new visitors – it is well signposted. This potentially glib fact illustrates an important point – the gallery is supported by the town council. This is significant when many places such as Barnsley are struggling to maintain funding for museums. The town has already demonstrated the potential of HLF-funded projects with the successful Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre, which opened in 2007. It is heartening to see the council recognising the opportunities provided by grant-giving bodies.
The Cooper Gallery is housed in a potentially problematic building. Built 240 years ago, with an extension added 80 years ago, the building could easily suffer from the classic problems of historic structures: confusing navigation, a mixture of architectural styles and adaptations for different uses.
The extension has skilfully addressed these potential issues: orientation around the building is clear and the decoration is clean and welcoming. Good space has also been given to the cafe, shop and toilets at the main entrance. In this sense the Cooper Gallery teaches a clear lesson – it is always worth investing time and resources in good design. The gallery curator was in constant dialogue with the architects and designers to ensure the space would be as effective as possible, and it was energy well spent.
Social history
The temporary gallery space was, at the time of my visit, hosting an exhibition by local artist Terry Brookes (which finished on 29 October). His bold, accessible style suits the subject matter of mod-influenced youth culture and the ways in which this has changed through his lifetime. His paintings depict moments from his own youth alongside fantasy retellings of significant events. Among the works was a fantastic recreation of the Beatles’ final gig, reimagined on the roof of Barnsley Town Hall. An exhibition with such a rich popular cultural resonance is a good way of encouraging visitors to the shop and cafe through the rest of the building.
The permanent collection is formed from the personal collections of six donors. It is these individuals that provide the narrative for the display. The opening group of paintings is from the collection of Samuel Cooper, before moving on to the collection of his contemporary James Fox. Focusing on the benefactor is a clever approach to curating the collection. It concentrates an otherwise thematically disparate group of works through a single human voice, making them more accessible. It also allows discussion of the donor’s life and what this can tell us about Barnsley’s social history.
For example, significant events in the town, such as the 1821 Norcroft mining disaster in which 11 people died, can be retold alongside works purchased at the time. Fox’s father was the only survivor of the mining accident and his compensation payment gave him the financial means to gain the skills needed to establish his own business. It was from this business that he earned his fortune, much of which was spent on the artworks on display.
Ceramics on show
Alongside the HLF grant for the extension, the gallery also ran a campaign to raise money for conservation work on many of the paintings. This was a valuable opportunity for it to form partnerships with new benefactors. Interested donors were given a catalogue of individual works with estimated costs for restoration. Some also came to the gallery to look through the stores. The conserved works, such as the Café de Galata, Constantinople by Charles Théodore Frère, include the name of individuals who funded the restoration on the label.
The extension has added two large spaces at the rear of the building. Architecturally, this looks seamless, both inside and out. The added space has allowed more works from other collectors to be displayed, including pieces by Vanessa Bell, JMW Turner and Paul Nash from the collection of British historian Sir Michael Sadler.
The extension also allows for a large case for the display of ceramics. These are loaned by the local artist Malcolm Whittaker (see box), who works from his home in Barnsley. His collection is displayed alongside some of his own pieces and a film in which he explains his motivations for collecting. The inclusion of this modern voice alongside historic collections is a neat way of making the collection relevant to current visitors.
Playful curation
The gallery space at the rear of the extension is reserved for more creative temporary displays and is currently showing an exploration of portraits from the permanent collection. The use of a crowded hang with no labels is a contrast to the rest of the galleries and suits the large wall space. This area has been designed to allow for more playful curation, providing an opportunity for creative work in the future.
The redevelopment doesn’t just include new gallery spaces – a delightful enclosed garden has been created alongside the extension. Like the galleries, this is a well-planned and intrinsically beautiful place in its own right, and also comprises Barnsley’s first publicly accessible living wall, a surface growing live foliage from it.
There are plans for community projects and outdoor sculpture here, and these will complement the displays perfectly. The garden links to a courtyard established for the cafe, and provides a fitting end piece to what is an effective and complementary redevelopment.
Simon Brown is the curator of community history and world cultures at Nottingham City Museums and Galleries. He is also the Museums Association representative for the East Midlands
Whittaker’s longstanding friendship with the potter David Roberts led to the acquisition of his first piece of studio pottery when they agreed to swap a pot for a painting.
The collection contains beautiful pieces by contemporary ceramic artists, reflecting a range of techniques and forms. Two highlights are a striking brown and white vessel by John Ward and a sleek balancing form by Antonia Salmons.
Four pieces by David Roberts provide an expressive group display of the artist’s skill in creating line, form and texture.
Whittaker has generously offered his collection as a future bequest to the Cooper Gallery to ensure that the artworks can be shared with others. This offer gave even more impetus for the need to extend display space for the gallery’s permanent art collection, which has been realised in the new extension.
The Cooper Gallery’s collection of more than 400 paintings and drawings has been built on the philanthropy of Barnsley collectors since Samuel Joshua Cooper gave the building and his own collection for free public access more than 100 years ago.
Whittaker’s bequest continues this tradition and has also added stunning examples of a different medium to the gallery’s collection.
Natalie Murray is the collections manager for Barnsley Arts, Museums and Archives Service
Main funders Heritage Lottery Fund; Trustees of the Cooper Gallery; Barnsley council
Architect GHM Partnership
Exhibition design and
Interpretation PLB
AV hardware Fusion LX
AV software Spiral Productions
Interactives Sirius
Display cases Showguard
Exhibition fitout The Hub
Admission Free
Cooper’s initial donation has been augmented by the collections of other benefactors, and the gallery’s permanent collection now has more than 400 works. In June this year, the gallery that bears his name reopened following a comprehensive restoration and extension, which was supported by a £638,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The Cooper Gallery passes the first acid test for new visitors – it is well signposted. This potentially glib fact illustrates an important point – the gallery is supported by the town council. This is significant when many places such as Barnsley are struggling to maintain funding for museums. The town has already demonstrated the potential of HLF-funded projects with the successful Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre, which opened in 2007. It is heartening to see the council recognising the opportunities provided by grant-giving bodies.
The Cooper Gallery is housed in a potentially problematic building. Built 240 years ago, with an extension added 80 years ago, the building could easily suffer from the classic problems of historic structures: confusing navigation, a mixture of architectural styles and adaptations for different uses.
The extension has skilfully addressed these potential issues: orientation around the building is clear and the decoration is clean and welcoming. Good space has also been given to the cafe, shop and toilets at the main entrance. In this sense the Cooper Gallery teaches a clear lesson – it is always worth investing time and resources in good design. The gallery curator was in constant dialogue with the architects and designers to ensure the space would be as effective as possible, and it was energy well spent.
Social history
The temporary gallery space was, at the time of my visit, hosting an exhibition by local artist Terry Brookes (which finished on 29 October). His bold, accessible style suits the subject matter of mod-influenced youth culture and the ways in which this has changed through his lifetime. His paintings depict moments from his own youth alongside fantasy retellings of significant events. Among the works was a fantastic recreation of the Beatles’ final gig, reimagined on the roof of Barnsley Town Hall. An exhibition with such a rich popular cultural resonance is a good way of encouraging visitors to the shop and cafe through the rest of the building.
The permanent collection is formed from the personal collections of six donors. It is these individuals that provide the narrative for the display. The opening group of paintings is from the collection of Samuel Cooper, before moving on to the collection of his contemporary James Fox. Focusing on the benefactor is a clever approach to curating the collection. It concentrates an otherwise thematically disparate group of works through a single human voice, making them more accessible. It also allows discussion of the donor’s life and what this can tell us about Barnsley’s social history.
For example, significant events in the town, such as the 1821 Norcroft mining disaster in which 11 people died, can be retold alongside works purchased at the time. Fox’s father was the only survivor of the mining accident and his compensation payment gave him the financial means to gain the skills needed to establish his own business. It was from this business that he earned his fortune, much of which was spent on the artworks on display.
Ceramics on show
Alongside the HLF grant for the extension, the gallery also ran a campaign to raise money for conservation work on many of the paintings. This was a valuable opportunity for it to form partnerships with new benefactors. Interested donors were given a catalogue of individual works with estimated costs for restoration. Some also came to the gallery to look through the stores. The conserved works, such as the Café de Galata, Constantinople by Charles Théodore Frère, include the name of individuals who funded the restoration on the label.
The extension has added two large spaces at the rear of the building. Architecturally, this looks seamless, both inside and out. The added space has allowed more works from other collectors to be displayed, including pieces by Vanessa Bell, JMW Turner and Paul Nash from the collection of British historian Sir Michael Sadler.
The extension also allows for a large case for the display of ceramics. These are loaned by the local artist Malcolm Whittaker (see box), who works from his home in Barnsley. His collection is displayed alongside some of his own pieces and a film in which he explains his motivations for collecting. The inclusion of this modern voice alongside historic collections is a neat way of making the collection relevant to current visitors.
Playful curation
The gallery space at the rear of the extension is reserved for more creative temporary displays and is currently showing an exploration of portraits from the permanent collection. The use of a crowded hang with no labels is a contrast to the rest of the galleries and suits the large wall space. This area has been designed to allow for more playful curation, providing an opportunity for creative work in the future.
The redevelopment doesn’t just include new gallery spaces – a delightful enclosed garden has been created alongside the extension. Like the galleries, this is a well-planned and intrinsically beautiful place in its own right, and also comprises Barnsley’s first publicly accessible living wall, a surface growing live foliage from it.
There are plans for community projects and outdoor sculpture here, and these will complement the displays perfectly. The garden links to a courtyard established for the cafe, and provides a fitting end piece to what is an effective and complementary redevelopment.
Simon Brown is the curator of community history and world cultures at Nottingham City Museums and Galleries. He is also the Museums Association representative for the East Midlands
Focus on: Studio pottery and philanthropy
A popular and inspiring part of the new galleries is the display of studio pottery, a collection brought together by Malcolm Whittaker. He is a successful artist who has spent most of his life living and working in the Barnsley area. He is also a significant collector of contemporary studio pottery. Whittaker’s longstanding friendship with the potter David Roberts led to the acquisition of his first piece of studio pottery when they agreed to swap a pot for a painting.
The collection contains beautiful pieces by contemporary ceramic artists, reflecting a range of techniques and forms. Two highlights are a striking brown and white vessel by John Ward and a sleek balancing form by Antonia Salmons.
Four pieces by David Roberts provide an expressive group display of the artist’s skill in creating line, form and texture.
Whittaker has generously offered his collection as a future bequest to the Cooper Gallery to ensure that the artworks can be shared with others. This offer gave even more impetus for the need to extend display space for the gallery’s permanent art collection, which has been realised in the new extension.
The Cooper Gallery’s collection of more than 400 paintings and drawings has been built on the philanthropy of Barnsley collectors since Samuel Joshua Cooper gave the building and his own collection for free public access more than 100 years ago.
Whittaker’s bequest continues this tradition and has also added stunning examples of a different medium to the gallery’s collection.
Natalie Murray is the collections manager for Barnsley Arts, Museums and Archives Service
Project data
Cost Exhibition design and fitout £167,000; build £471,000Main funders Heritage Lottery Fund; Trustees of the Cooper Gallery; Barnsley council
Architect GHM Partnership
Exhibition design and
Interpretation PLB
AV hardware Fusion LX
AV software Spiral Productions
Interactives Sirius
Display cases Showguard
Exhibition fitout The Hub
Admission Free
