The Hepworth Wakefield opened in 2011 to house Wakefield’s art collection and provide a legacy for Barbara Hepworth in the town in which she was born.
The original Wakefield Art Gallery was established in 1934 and became one of the most forward-thinking galleries of its time, supporting artists including Hepworth and Henry Moore early in their careers. With gifts from local industrialists, the gallery built a collection of works by some of the most significant and avant-garde British artists of the 20th century. Supporting contemporary artists and developingthe collectionfor future generations is something that The Hepworth Wakefield continues to be committed to today.
In 1996 Wakefield Council started to promote the benefits of investing in a new purpose-built art gallery, which would act as a catalyst for wider regeneration, attract tourism and inward investment and increase local pride.
