On Thursday 20 February, exactly 25 years to the day since it opened its doors, The New Art Gallery Walsall will hold a special celebratory event and late-night opening.
The evening (5.30-8pm), open to all, will be an opportunity to preview new exhibition, The Joy Project, enjoy a special performance by The Blue Lights Choir, a group created to empower young women in Walsall, explore the Gallery’s world-class collections and exhibitions after normal opening hours, and celebrate 25 years of creativity, community collaboration, exceptional exhibitions and activities.
The Joy Project, held in the building’s Community Gallery is a heartfelt and personal exploration of what ‘joy’ means today, brought to life by the Gallery’s Youth Panel and local youth groups. From the beauty of nature to the power of music, this exhibition will be a celebration of positivity and hope.
As part of the exhibition, the Youth Panel have revived the Gallery’s popular The People’s Show. First taking place at Walsall Art Gallery in the 1990s, the exhibition showcased local people with their collections, from commemorative neck ties to plastic bags, and beer mats to snow globes. A series of newly commissioned photographs will showcase contemporary collections and young collectors in 2025.
The week’s celebrations will continue into the weekend:
On Saturday 22 February Walsall’s Youth Hopper Bus will be in Gallery Square offering lyrics workshops from The Blue Lights Choir, DJ session workshops as well as karaoke. There will also be the chance to meet members of the Gallery’s Youth Panel and take part in a variety of free activities as part of the daytime launch of ‘The Joy Project’ (12-4pm. Free, drop-in).
On Sunday 23 February the Gallery will hold a special birthday edition of their popular weekly Sunday Art Club. The free art club gives children and young people the chance to meet artists and creatives, learn to paint, sculpt, craft and more. The birthday edition will see the making of colourful Gallery shaped bunting and feature tea, squash and birthday cake! (12-3pm. Free, donations welcome. Drop-in. Ages 4+)
Stephen Snoddy, Director of The New Art Gallery Walsall, said:
“In February 2000 The New Art Gallery Walsall opened. It kickstarted a renaissance of new build Gallery capital projects in the regions. If Walsall could do it and set the example, then why not Milton Keynes, Middlesbrough, Wakefield, Nottingham, Eastbourne, Margate, Colchester, Hastings and Woking? It really was and is a trailblazer, and now it is the cornerstone and at the heart of Walsall’s Town Centre Masterplan. Throughout our 25th year our beautiful building will be full of an exciting programme of events, exhibitions, learning and engagement opportunities. We invite all to visit and spread the word.”
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair of Arts Council England, said:
“Congratulations to Stephen Snoddy and everyone at The New Art Gallery Walsall on its 25th birthday. I’d like to congratulate them for their contributions to the arts over the past quarter of a century since the opening which was a pivotal moment for visual art galleries across the country.
“Since 2000, local, national and international audiences have visited the gallery, which has hosted high profile touring exhibitions, including Damien Hirst’s first year-long exhibition and the important ‘Re-Imagining Asia Exhibition’, as well as being a permanent home to the Garman Ryan and Clive Beardsmore collections. The gallery has also been instrumental in supporting contemporary artists and engaging local communities, remaining firmly committed to accessibility and inclusion in the sector.”
Throughout the year there will also be lots of opportunities to explore, create and celebrate with the Gallery:
- Walsall-born artist Hannah Maybank will create and gift a new work for the Gallery’s 25th birthday exploring chrysanthemum flowers. Maybank’s new work explores memory, ageing, change and transformation. All works in her exhibition will all use elements which change colour over time to create ‘living still lives’. (Exhibition: June – December 2025)
- Outside In, the award-winning charity providing a platform for artists encountering significant barriers to the art world, hosts its seventh National Open exhibition at the Gallery, exploring the theme of ‘shelter’ (Exhibition: 27 June – 20 October 2025)
There will also be a number of celebrations including Lunar New Year celebrations with traditional Chinese folk fan and lion dancing (1 February); a World Book Day event inspired by the beauty of peacocks with performances from Sonia Sabri Company and Pep the Poet (8 March); Holi festivities including dance performances and creative workshops (15 March) as well as a summer celebrations (7 June).