February Project and Reward Update

Thank you again for supporting our Art Happens crowdfunder.

As you'll know, the extraordinary circumstances over recent months has significantly delayed some Rewards, for which we sincerely apologise.

The worst hit has been the bespoke Sketch Book featuring work by Peter Randall-Page RA RWA, part of the Curated Art Kit. However, we’re now delighted to say that this is finally in production, meaning that it should only be a short while before this last reward will be sent out by the ArtFund. Recipients of the Art Kits will receive an email soon to ask them to confirm their delivery addresses.

We're really sorry for the delays. It is not how we would have wanted to have rewarded your support of this project, and hope you understand the difficulties of these unprecedented times.

Our Light & Inspiration capital project, too, has been hit by delays, and also by significant cost increases, so we are still very actively fundraising, but please be assured that your previous support is ringfenced for the completion of the family room.

The project is at an exciting stage, with the huge new lift shaft now being constructed, ready to be clad in enamel with an espaliered tree design by Peter Randall-Page, thanks to an Art Fund commissioning grant. Our spacious new café is taking shape, and the galleries are nearing completion ahead of our public opening date of 2 May, with our forthcoming exhibition, Me, Myself, I: Artists’ Self Portraits - a stunning selection ranging from Reynolds and Hogarth to Gormley and Perry.

We’re also delighted to be working with garden designer Jane Porter and Bristol Natural History Consortium to create two large new planting schemes alongside our stone-clad public piazza space, making the RWA a hub not only for the community but also for urban biodiversity, and we’re proud that our project will result in us eliminating carbon fuels from our heating and lighting.

If you'd like to keep up to date with the project and our reopening plans, do please visit our website to sign up for our newsletter, and THANK YOU again for your generous support.