the work of the Trust ...
We are an educational charity which promotes contemporary visual arts and crafts to as wide a public as possible, through a programme of changing exhibitions, projects with artists and educational events.
In 2004 the Gallery completed a quarter-million pound redevelopment by Paul Archer design. This created a superb, light and open space in which to exhibit contemporary fine and crafts. The architect designed venue is a demonstration of the Ashgate ’s commitment to art and artists, visitors and the community as a whole.
  
aims of the Trust ...
The Gallery’s principal activities are supporting arts and crafts practitioners through our exhibition and education programme. Through these, we aim to be a catalyst for visual arts activity in the region; promoting, improving and advancing the arts in general and contemporary arts 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 educational opportunities and support arts practitioners on a financial and practical level.
We were originally formed as an artist cooperative in 1959 and became a charitable trust in 1976. 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.
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. These include ceramics, jewellery, glassware, metalwork, painting, printmaking, sculpture and textiles.
 
The Gallery shows new and challenging work by UK and international artists alongside its existing popular artists. It is also committed to developing exhibition opportunities with European galleries and artists. The newly designed and fully accessible gallery space will enable the Trust to meet these aims.
graduate exhibition ...
Every year we undertake a major annual graduate exhibition, showing the work of recent graduates from arts degree courses across the country. This high profile exhibition then tours to further venues. This exhibition is a significant opportunity for the graduates who take part and is often their first show after leaving college.
In addition to the opportunity to show their work, we offer the graduates a series of professional practice seminars with access to major funders and practitioners. This exhibition and assosiated events are run to support and promote new artists at what can be a difficult time at the outset of their careers. This exhibition and the training days have been kindly supported by the Billmeir Trust for a number of years.
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