Hartlepool's art treasures are Unlocked following easing of pandemic restrictions

Unlocked, which runs from Saturday, August 28, to Saturday. October 30, at Hartlepool Art Gallery, in Church Square, is seen by Hartlepool Borough Council as “an exciting opportunity for us to welcome back our visitors” following the venue’s closure during the Covid pandemic.

It will celebrate the recent reopening of the popular tourist attraction by displaying items from the town’s collection of art.

The new exhibition will feature famous pieces by LS Lowry, Margaret Green and John Bratby, works by 19th Century British artists, pieces by local artists celebrating industrial Hartlepool and modernist and abstract works by female artists.

The exhibition also features works by one of Hartlepool’s finest artists, John W McCracken, who was well-known for his portraits of Hartlepool people and who was instrumental in acquiring several important contemporary works of art for the town’s collection.

Art gallery manager Georgina Ascroft said the display “reflects the importance of art to the history of the town” while showcasing “the breadth of our collections”.

She added: "The recent reopening of the gallery is an exciting opportunity for us to welcome back our visitors and showcase some of the fantastic artworks in the collection.

“The exhibition showcases the breadth of our collections and reflects the importance of art to the history of the town, with works from our founding collections gifted to the town by William Cresswell Gray over 100 years ago to pieces from contemporary visual artists.

“Visitors will be able to see Idleness by Alice Hogarth Nicholson, which is one of the original artworks that William Gray donated to the town in 1920, as well as popular pieces such Seaton Carew Beach by Margaret Green and various lesser-known, but no less significant artists.”

As well as enjoying the display, visitors can also relax in the gallery’s Vestry café and browse the gift shop.

The Church Square gallery is open 10am–5pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays and entry is free.

More information is available by telephoning (01429) 869706 or by going online to its website at www.hartlepoolartgallery.co.uk.

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