Cooper Gallery

The Cooper Gallery is the perfect place to discover stunning art and new exhibitions. Located in the heart of Barnsley town centre since 1914, the Gallery is free to all and all are welcome!

Samuel Joshua Cooper purchased the Gallery building in 1912 when its occupants, the Holgate Grammar School, moved premises to Shaw Lane. His intention was to provide an art gallery for the people of Barnsley and to place his own art collection there for all to freely enjoy. Sadly, Samuel died in 1913 and did not live to see the opening of the Gallery in 1914. Before his death he had arranged for a board of Trustees to establish and maintain the Gallery and the collection of 275 paintings and drawings.

The permanent art collection ranges from the 17th to 20th centuries and contains over 400 works. After the initial gift of 275 paintings by Mr Cooper, the Gallery also received several gifts of artworks from the visionary art collector Sir Michael Sadler. The Fox family, who were local brewers, donated paintings as well as funding the construction of the Gallery’s Fox Wing in 1934. The collection was further enriched in 1978 by the Addy Bequest and in 2001 by the donation of pictures previously belonging to the Sutherland brothers. The most recent addition to the Gallery is a selection of studio pottery collected by the local artist, Malcolm Whittaker.