Mission Statement
The New Ashgate Gallery is an educational charity that supports and brings together contemporary arts and crafts to diverse and wide audiences through a programme of changing exhibitions, creative learning events and professional development and mentoring with artists and makers. The Trust works with a wide range of partnerships to deliver its objectives.
History and Legacy
Originally established as the Ashgate Gallery in 19 South Street, Farnham in the early 1960s by Elizabeth Naydler, the gallery has been based in 17th Century buildings in the Waggon Yard, Farnham since the mid 1970s. The Ashgate was established with a board of trustees who administered the profits from sales to create prizes and scholarships, and for the purchase of paintings and sculpture for local and national museums. It was the first provincial gallery to show artists with an international reputation as well as supporting local talent.
Elfriede Windsor took over as director of the Ashgate Gallery in 1974, after the retirement of its founder, Elizabeth Naydler. Elfriede closed the gallery for a year, refurbished it and reopened it as the New Ashgate Gallery. Elfriede Windsor retired in the 1990s and was succeeded by Susan Szabanowicz, Joanne Barber, Melissa Jarvis and Joanne McCarthy. The current director is Outi Remes.
In 2004, the Gallery completed a quarter-million pound redevelopment by Paul Archer design. This created a superb, light and open space gallery for changing exhibitions. The architect designed venue is a demonstration of the Ashgate’s commitment to art and artists, visitors and the community.
  
Aims of the Trust
The Gallery’s principal activities are supporting art and craft practitioners through an exhibition and education programme. The New Ashgate Gallery Trust aims to be a catalyst for visual arts activity in the region; promoting, improving and advancing the arts in general and contemporary art in particular.
By providing an environment that is accessible, open and stimulating, we aim to promote awareness and knowledge of the visual arts, encourage and engage audiences, offer creative learning opportunities and support arts practitioners on a financial and practical level.
The Gallery is unique within the South East region in that it is a non-profit-making Charitable Trust funding its cultural and educational remit through the sale of contemporary art and craft, thus also supporting arts practitioners from across the region and throughout the UK. Any funds raised by the trust are invested in cultivating visual arts and crafts through exhibition opportunities, professional practice programmes, mentoring and partnership projects.
The exhibitions are at the heart of the Trust’s work and the Gallery is committed to running an all-year programme of contemporary fine and crafts exhibitions. Work is selected on the basis of originality and quality of design whilst balancing a wide range of art forms and media.
 
The Gallery shows new and challenging work by UK and international artists alongside its existing popular artists. It is committed to developing exhibition opportunities with European galleries and artists.
Rising Stars: Showcasing the Best of Emerging Talent
Supporting emerging artists and makers is at the heart of our practice. Every year the Gallery undertakes a major annual graduate exhibition, showing the work of recent graduates from arts degree courses across the country. This exhibition is a significant opportunity for the graduates who take part and is often their first show after leaving college.
The annual Rising Star symposium offers emerging artists and makers free professional practice talks and workshops as well as access to major fundres and arts professionals. The Rising Stars exhibition and symposium is supported by the Billmeir Trust. We have also recently launched the Rising Stars Professional Development Prize, supported by Andrew and Lucinda Fleming. The 2012 winner is Michelle Arieu whose work combines wall-based ceramics with references to Japanese tableware and Italian architecture.
Baines Surrey Artist of the Year
Every year, the Gallery also organises the Baines Surrey Artist of the Year exhibition, a major exhibition showcasing the work by Surrey artists and makers in partnership with the Surrey Open Studios and the Baines Charitable Trust. The 2011 winner, Stuart Stanley, will present his new work in a solo exhibition in June-July 2012.
The Big Draw
Each year the gallery participates in The Big Draw, an annual campaign to get the nation drawing. In 2009, the activity was sponsored by the Farnham Institute Charity, and in 2010, by the Farnham South Street Trust.
Collectors: Our major funders
Each year, thousands of collectors purchase art and craft from the gallery by living artists and makers, contributing to the country's creative economy. Commission on sale of work is paid directly to our exhibitors, which is an investment in the creative lives of living artists and makers. The gallery commission on the sale of art and crafts funds the payment of overheads as well as funding large elements of our charitable activities. Our collectors are passionate about supporting the individual, the handmade. This passion drives us forward to create programmes of exhibitions, events and education.
Angels and Patrons
A core group of our collectors support us through the Angels and Patrons scheme. By donating an amount of money to the gallery each year, our Angels and Patrons support our charitable activities. The Gallery welcomes new members to the scheme.
Trustees
The Gallery is supported and lead by a dedicated group of Trustees who steer the organisation in a focused manner towards attaining our charitable and trading aims. The Chair of the Trustees is Norma Corkish.
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