Since the Government eased Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on art galleries, museums and cinemas, the team at the Lichfield Street gallery has been putting measures in place to ensure that the building is safe for both staff and visitors so that the city’s collections can be enjoyed once again.
This includes social distancing measures, health check questions on arrival, and track and trace as required by the NHS. There will be a separate entrance and exit and a one way route around the gallery. Face coverings will need to be worn while in the gallery and sanitisation stations will be available. There will be an alternative accessible route available for those who need it.
A video is also available at Wolverhampton Art Gallery to outline what to expect when you visit.
City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “I am delighted to announce that Wolverhampton Art Gallery is back open to the public.
“During lockdown art and culture has been an escape for many and Wolverhampton has provided many online resources and exhibitions that will still be available for people to view.
“In line with the Government guidance a number of social distancing measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of staff and visitors.
“I do hope residents will take this opportunity to indulge in art again and explore the collections and touring exhibitions we have as we look forward to the year ahead.”
While the gallery hosts over 300 years of art and the largest collection of Pop Art outside of London there is so much more to see. Located on the first floor visitors will be able to enjoy the permanent displays in the Georgian and Victorian galleries as well as having a second chance to view Phoebe Cummings: This Was Now and Victoria and Albert: Our Lives in Watercolour from the Royal Collection Trust, which had to close early due to lockdown. These exhibitions are free and have now been extended until Sunday 27 September.
Also opening at the gallery this weekend is a new exhibition Here to Stay. Running until Sunday 10 January, 2021, the exhibition comprises 23 photographic portraits of Black nurses and healthcare professionals who have worked in the NHS in the Midlands, including some who came to Britain from the Caribbean around the 1950s as part of the Windrush generation. Each portrait will be accompanied by a transcript of a conversation between the artist and the sitter along with a new video.
The gallery will be open Monday to Saturday (10.30am until 4.30pm) and Sunday (11am until 4pm) and is free to attend. The first floor café will also be open, serving a limited menu.
It also marks the build up to British Art Show 9. The British Art Show 9 is Britain’s largest touring exhibition of contemporary art. It will open in Wolverhampton on 6 March, 2021, and will run until 30 May, before moving to Aberdeen, Plymouth and Manchester.
