Wolverhampton Art Gallery wins £100,000 award for work with young people

Wolverhampton Art Gallery has won £100,000 in a major new national awards scheme recognising its work helping young people develop careers in the creative industries.

The Lichfield Street gallery is one of just three organisations across the UK to be named an inaugural winner of the Freelands Awards 2026.

The awards, run by the Freelands Foundation as part of a new £1.5 million five-year programme, recognise organisations taking progressive approaches to visual art education and making a demonstrable impact in their communities.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery was selected for two projects – ArtForum and MORE ART INC – which form part of its Arts and Culture Youth Programme.

Both schemes are free and aim to give young people opportunities to develop their artistic skills while gaining practical experience of the creative industries.

ArtForum is a hands-on group for people aged 14 to 25, whose members create their own artwork and gain experience staging exhibitions and events.

MORE ART INC, meanwhile, is an incubator for emerging artists aged 16 to 30 from Wolverhampton and surrounding areas, helping participants develop the skills and knowledge needed to pursue careers in the creative industries.

The gallery says many of those taking part have previously had little or no experience of galleries, exhibitions or artistic practice.

The programme has been designed to provide a pathway for young creatives, with ArtForum members able to progress into MORE ART INC before pursuing further opportunities including exhibitions and residencies elsewhere in the UK.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, which owns the gallery, said: “This is a fantastic endorsement of the work taking place at Wolverhampton Art Gallery – and a celebration of the amazing talent in our city.

“The art gallery youth programmes have created opportunities for young people from across the city, some who didn't think that art galleries were somewhere they belonged but have now gone on to start inspiring careers in the creative industries.

“This award will enable the art gallery team to be even more ambitious in our offer and approach to working with young people, bringing new cultural investment into the city.”

Wolverhampton was selected alongside The Burton at Bideford in North Devon and SIGNAL in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, with each organisation receiving £100,000.

Judges considered entries from galleries and arts organisations of different sizes across the UK before visiting a shortlist of projects and choosing the three winners.

Dr Henry Ward, director of the Freelands Foundation and chairman of the judging panel, said the winning organisations were examples of the “progressive work” continuing to take place despite the challenges facing arts education.

He said: “All three demonstrate innovative, collaborative approaches to visual arts education, working closely with their local communities, responding to the specific places in which they are situated, and creating programmes where everyone is learning.

“Together, they reflect the remarkable breadth of this work, engaging everyone from primary school children and teachers to young people and emerging artists.

“Visiting them was a joy, and the judges were inspired to see first-hand the extraordinary impact they are having. They are true beacons of hope.”

As part of the award, Wolverhampton Art Gallery will also work with the Freelands Foundation to produce a case study film showcasing its approach to art education, which will be made available as a resource for other organisations.