Leeds Art Collections Fund
Encyclopedia
The Leeds Art Collections Fund or LACF has been supporting the visual arts in Leeds
since 1912. Founded by Frank Rutter, who was Director of the Leeds City Art Gallery at the time, with the support of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds
, Michael Sadler
, the LACF was established to encourage the visual arts in Leeds and, most importantly, to provide a source of funding that was independent of the municipality for the purchase of contemporary and historic works of art and design for the people of Leeds.
Today, most of the LACF's work is channelled through the Leeds City Art Galleries, and it operates as one of Britain's oldest supporting art gallery 'friends' organisations. Through subscriptions and fund-raising events the LACF has helped to enrich the visual life of Leeds by making purchases of art works for display in Leeds at the Leeds City Art Gallery
, Temple Newsam
House and Lotherton Hall
. The works bought by the LACF for display in Leeds are too numerous to mention in full, but they include works by such well-known names as Thomas Chippendale
, J.M.W. Turner, John Sell Cotman
, John Atkinson Grimshaw
, Stass Paraskos
, Francis Bacon
, Paula Rego
, Bridget Riley
, Henry Moore
and Auguste Rodin
.
The LACF has also supported various educational and publishing activities associated with the visual arts in Leeds, and continues to do so, not only at the Leeds City Art Galleries, but other visual art centres in Leeds, including the University of Leeds
Art Gallery and East Street Arts (Vitrine project).
The LACF is an independent charity, but it maintains close links with Leeds City Council
, and with other organisations with an interest in the artistic life of Leeds, including the University of Leeds
, East Street Arts, the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society
and local businesses. Its chairperson is Benedict Read
.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
since 1912. Founded by Frank Rutter, who was Director of the Leeds City Art Gallery at the time, with the support of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, Michael Sadler
Michael Ernest Sadler
Sir Michael Ernest Sadler KCSI was a British historian, educationalist and university administrator. He worked at the universities of Manchester and Leeds. He was a champion of the public school system.-Early life and education:...
, the LACF was established to encourage the visual arts in Leeds and, most importantly, to provide a source of funding that was independent of the municipality for the purchase of contemporary and historic works of art and design for the people of Leeds.
Today, most of the LACF's work is channelled through the Leeds City Art Galleries, and it operates as one of Britain's oldest supporting art gallery 'friends' organisations. Through subscriptions and fund-raising events the LACF has helped to enrich the visual life of Leeds by making purchases of art works for display in Leeds at the Leeds City Art Gallery
Leeds Art Gallery
Leeds Art Gallery in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is a museum whose collection of 20th century British Art is recognised by the British government as a collection "of national importance". Its collection also includes 19th century and earlier art works. The gallery opened on 3 October 1888 as...
, Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam is a Tudor-Jacobean house with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
House and Lotherton Hall
Lotherton Hall
Lotherton Hall is a country house near Aberford, West Yorkshire, England. It lies a short distance from the A1 motorway, 200 miles equidistant between London and Edinburgh....
. The works bought by the LACF for display in Leeds are too numerous to mention in full, but they include works by such well-known names as Thomas Chippendale
Thomas Chippendale
Thomas Chippendale was a London cabinet-maker and furniture designer in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs, titled The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director...
, J.M.W. Turner, John Sell Cotman
John Sell Cotman
John Sell Cotman was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator and author, one of the leading lights of the Norwich school of artists.-Early life and work:...
, John Atkinson Grimshaw
John Atkinson Grimshaw
John Atkinson Grimshaw was a Victorian-era artist, a "remarkable and imaginative painter" known for his city night-scenes and landscapes....
, Stass Paraskos
Stass Paraskos
Stass Paraskos is an artist from Cyprus, although much of his life was spent teaching and working in England.-Early life:Paraskos was born in Anaphotia, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 1933, the son of a shepherd farmer. He went to England in 1953 and became a cook in his brother's...
, Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon (painter)
Francis Bacon , was an Irish-born British figurative painter known for his bold, austere, graphic and emotionally raw imagery. Bacon's painterly but abstract figures typically appear isolated in glass or steel geometrical cages set against flat, nondescript backgrounds...
, Paula Rego
Paula Rego
Paula Rego is a painter born in Portugal although she is a naturalised British citizen.-Biography:Rego was born in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, the daughter of an electrical engineer who worked for the Marconi Company. Although this gave her a comfortable middle class home, the family was...
, Bridget Riley
Bridget Riley
Bridget Louise Riley CH CBE is an English painter who is one of the foremost proponents of Op art.-Early life:...
, Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
and Auguste Rodin
Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin , known as Auguste Rodin , was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past...
.
The LACF has also supported various educational and publishing activities associated with the visual arts in Leeds, and continues to do so, not only at the Leeds City Art Galleries, but other visual art centres in Leeds, including the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
Art Gallery and East Street Arts (Vitrine project).
The LACF is an independent charity, but it maintains close links with Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council is the local authority for the City of Leeds metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.-History:The city council was established in 1974, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973...
, and with other organisations with an interest in the artistic life of Leeds, including the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, East Street Arts, the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society
Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society
thumb|rightLeeds Philosophical and Literary Society is a Learned society in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1819, and its museum collection forms the basis of Leeds City Museum, which reopened in September 2008...
and local businesses. Its chairperson is Benedict Read
Benedict Read
Benedict William Read is an English art historian, the son of the eminent art critic and poet Sir Herbert Read...
.