Fancy a visit to a gallery showcasing the best contemporary watercolours and prints? Then you have arrived at the Bankside Gallery. It is located on the Thames Path. This places it perfectly between Tate Modern and Blackfriars station. The Bankside Gallery is not just an art space. It is also an educational charity.
Bankside Gallery is home to the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. These societies have a 200-year-old tradition. Members are elected by their peers. This ensures a high standard of artistry. The gallery offers changing exhibitions. These exhibitions feature contemporary watercolours and prints. Special events accompany these shows. These include artists’ talks and tours. An education programme covers the theory and practice of art each year.
Queen Elizabeth II opened Bankside Gallery in 1980. It marked the start of a new cultural quarter. The Globe Theatre joined in 1997. Tate Modern followed in 2000. The Queen visited again in 2004. This visit celebrated the Royal Watercolour Society’s bicentenary. The Society is the second oldest artistic society in Great Britain. Only the Royal Academy is older. It is the oldest watercolour society in the world. Queen Victoria granted the title Royal in 1881. She was a keen watercolourist herself.
Bankside Gallery has collaborated with many organisations. Network Rail and Cass Art created an art competition in 2010. It celebrated London’s energy. The winner had their work displayed on Blackfriars Bridge for a year. The Royal Albert Hall collaborated in 2011. Royal Watercolour Society artists captured a year in the life of the Hall. The Royal Horticultural Society collaborated in 2014. An exhibition showcased works featuring the RHS gardens. The Globe Theatre collaborated in 2016. The exhibition celebrated Shakespeare’s life. The Chelsea Physic Garden collaborated in 2021. Artists recorded a year in the life of the garden.
The Bankside Gallery is known for its memorable events. A fun art workshop in 2013 encouraged children to draw what they loved about London. During a private view in 2017, a performance was given. A song about monoprint was specially commissioned. A pop-up paint party in 2017 encouraged breaking the boundaries of water-based media. Another jolly event was a Halloween-themed drink and draw evening. In 2022, for the private view, drinks were served by a cyberman.
The gallery has hosted spectacular exhibitions. The inaugural show in 1980 featured JMW Turner’s drawings. An exhibition in 2004 unveiled little-known facts about the Royal Watercolour Society. An exhibition in 2015 offered new insights into Agatha Christie’s life. In 2018, an exhibition focused on human and animal migration. Another exhibition celebrated the 200th anniversary of Sir Francis Seymour Haden. In 2022, an exhibition featured works by Laurel Holloman.
Bankside Gallery launched an art fundraiser in aid of Ukraine in 2022. Artists of the Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers donated works. The fundraiser raised over twenty thousand pounds. Also in 2022, Quentin Blake and Linda Kitson showcased their work in a joint exhibition.
Bankside Gallery is free to enter. It is open daily from 11 am to 6 pm during exhibitions. The gallery and bookshop are accessible by ramp. Dogs are welcome too. So, whether you are an art enthusiast or simply looking for an inspiring experience, Bankside Gallery offers a vibrant and welcoming space.