Visiting the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool

The Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool offers a contrast to the town’s often garish seaside attractions, providing a space dedicated to arts and culture. Opened in 1911, the gallery has become an integral part of Blackpool’s cultural landscape.

Over the years, the gallery has played a significant role in Blackpool’s cultural development. It has hosted numerous exhibitions featuring works by both local and international artists. The Grundy Art Gallery’s collection includes a range of paintings, prints and decorative arts, with a focus on British art from the 19th and 20th centuries. In recent years, the gallery has also become known for its contemporary art exhibitions, which often explore themes relevant to Blackpool’s social and cultural context.

The Grundy Art Gallery is Blackpool’s principal art museum, noted for its collection of British modernist art. (Photo: Barbara Carr [CC BY-SA 2.0])

What to see at the Grundy Art Gallery

Visitors to the Grundy Art Gallery can see a diverse range of artworks across different media.

One of the highlights of the gallery’s permanent collection is its selection of British modernist works, including pieces such as Aircraftsman Shaw by Augustus John and the Yellow Funnel by Eric Ravilious. The gallery also houses an impressive collection of prints, ceramics, and decorative arts.

In addition to visual art, the Grundy Art Gallery occasionally features installations and performances that engage with the unique character of Blackpool.

Temporary exhibitions at the Grundy Art Gallery

In addition to its permanent collection, the Grundy Art Gallery hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and planned exhibitions include:

Stim Cinema: The Neurocultures Collective and Steven Eastwood
The Stim Cinema exhibition (28 September–14 December 2024) explores stimming – physical repetition as a sensory experience often linked to autistic behaviour. Co-created by The Neurocultures Collective and artist-filmmaker Steven Eastwood, the exhibition connects stimming with the early days of cinema and modern GIF culture. Featuring zoetropes, an 18-minute video loop and production props, the work highlights the shared enjoyment of repetitive actions and their link to both autistic experience and the essence of moving images.

The pARTnership: Connor Gavin + Candice Swallow
Connor Gavin and Candice Swallow create visually striking works through repetitive mark-making using paint, felt-tip pens and oil pastels. This exhibition (28 September–14 December 2024) features their new drawings, presented as both works on paper and digital animations, alongside moving image works from the Neurocultures Collective. Gavin and Swallow are founder members of the pARTnership, a project supporting artists with learning disabilities, led by Grundy Art Gallery in collaboration with Blackpool Council’s New Langdale service.

Collection spotlight: Tony Heaton OBE + Amy Ellison / Nicola Dale + Rachel Goodyear
This exhibition (28 September–14 December 2024) pairs two light-based works by Tony Heaton OBE and Amy Ellison with video works by Nicola Dale and Rachel Goodyear that explore repetition and loops. Heaton’s Raspberry Ripple and Ellison’s Cocktails were acquired with Art Fund’s support, while Goodyear’s Stirrings and Dale’s Echo Chamber were commissioned through collaborations with Salford and in response to Covid-19. The series highlights works from Grundy’s permanent collection.