Round 1 (2016-2019)
The first National Partners Programme gave galleries and museums in Liverpool, Birmingham and Eastbourne the opportunity to host the acclaimed Arts Council Collection as part of a diverse programme exhibitions taking place between 2016 and June 2019.
Round 1 partners: Towner Art Gallery, Birmingham Museums Trust and The Walker Art Gallery hosted 24 exhibitions over 3 years, alongside the Collection’s longstanding partner, Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Highlights of the Round 1 exhibitions programme include: Walker Art Gallery’s Coming Out: Sexuality, Gender and Identity, a ground-breaking and vital exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of male homosexual acts in England and Wales (1967 Sexual Offences Act); Towner Art Gallery’s At Altitude exploring the enduring appeal of the aerial image; Women Power Protest at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery a celebration of the bold work of feminist artists and activists and Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s Revolt & Revolutions, exploring some of the counter-culture and anti-establishment movements of recent decades.
Round 1 also saw the development of a number of artist-led projects, including exhibitions curated by Arts Council Collection artists: Rachel Maclean, Anne Hardy, Leo Fitzmaurice, Haroon Mirza, Rana Begum and Turner Prize-winning artist Lubaina Himid.
Learning and Engagement activity is at the heart of the National Partners Programme. Developing relationships with audiences on a national and local level to ensure the Arts Council Collection is enjoyed and appreciated as widely as possible.
We work collaboratively with our National Partners to develop a programme of public engagement aimed at opening up the Collection to audiences through activity in galleries, online and beyond.
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