Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London will open a newly transformed sculpture garden to the public on 6-7 September, as the centerpiece of its £5m Open Art project. The redevelopment reclaims previously underused green space for a rotating programme of contemporary art on two-year loans, alongside permanent works including a land art piece by Kim Wilkie, an ArtPlay Pavilion designed by HoLD Collective and Carmody Groarke, and a new entrance restoring elements of John Soane's 1811 plans. The project is funded by principal donor The Lovington Foundation, The Julia Rausing Trust, the Manton Foundation, and a public campaign, as the gallery receives no regular government funding.
This redevelopment matters because it represents the gallery's most significant transformation in a generation, building on its heritage as England's first purpose-built public art gallery. Director Jennifer Scott emphasizes that the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the need to make better use of the grounds for public health and mental well-being, aligning with the gallery's mission to "unlock art for everyone." The project also addresses the challenge of attracting visitors from central London by creating a more compelling destination, while maintaining connections with 150 local schools, neighbouring boroughs, and a local NHS GP surgery in an area with significant deprivation.