New Art Foundation Launched at Goodwood

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon announced that the Goodwood Art Foundation will open in May next year. As a new destination for contemporary art in the UK, the Foundation will present works by internationally acclaimed artists in the beautiful natural landscape of the Goodwood Estate in Sussex.

The not-for-profit Goodwood Art Foundation will focus on the three pillars of Art, Environment and Education. It will not only create inspirational experiences but will foster creativity and life-long learning for people of all ages through an engagement with art, education and a connection to nature.

Each annual season, from May – October, will have a headline exhibition by an exceptional artist of international standing. In the 2025 opening season this will be devoted to Rachel Whiteread, one of the most highly respected sculptors of her generation and the first female artist to win the Turner Prize. Alongside her characteristic sculpture which will be shown in the newly developed landscape, the Pavilion Gallery will feature photography by the artist, a little known and rarely exhibited aspect of her work. In the following years artists of a similar stature will be selected for the headline exhibition, similarly profiling work that is either new or rarely seen by international and local audiences.

Alongside this, among the works by other artists selected to be shown in the opening season, is a major outdoor installation by Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica (1937-1980), the first work from his ‘Magic Square’ series to be shown outside Brazil. A hugely significant figure within 20th century art, Oiticica coined the term ‘Tropicalia’ that came to identify an entire movement of art, music and Brazilian identity in the late 1960s. He is known for his innovative exploration of colour, and works from his ‘Magic Square’ series are monumental embodiments of these investigations. The work will be constructed on site according to the artist’s instructions, and audiences will be able to enter into the heart of the installation.

The opening season will also feature new work responding to the specific environment of the Goodwood Art Foundation by the Montserrat-born, London & New York based sculptor Veronica Ryan, winner of the 2022 Turner Prize.

Through the generous support of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation, an extensive programme of landscape development has been planned for the new grounds at the Goodwood Art Foundation by the award-winning horticulturalist and landscape architect Dan Pearson. Located within the Schwarzman Gardens, the Western Amphitheatre will provide a multi-use space for schools and education groups to convene and share their experiences of the Foundation’s art and environment, as well as a stage for public-facing open-air performances during the summer programme.

Dan Pearson’s naturalistic approach is recognised for its sensitivity to place, intuitive design and bold plantings, which will invigorate the wild aesthetic of the Foundation’s landscape. Visitors will experience a rich, biodiverse setting and benefit from a place of reflection and escape. A specific layer of twenty-four distinct seasonal moments have been designed to enliven the site and draw visitors to defined destinations, ranging from areas of intense spring colour to subtle autumn moments when the leaves begin to change. The visitor experience is at the heart of the landscape vision, connecting the art installations within the setting, offering designated paths and routes, as well as opportunities for rest and contemplation.

A new and ambitious learning programme is central to the development of the Goodwood Art Foundation, as a separate but linked activity to Goodwood’s well-established Education Trust. Founded in 1976, the Trust works closely with local authority, educational institutions and charities to improve access to outdoor learning opportunities for children and young people, and welcomes more than 4,000 school and college students into the Estate each year.

The learning programme for the Foundation will offer something different by significantly scaling up its existing learning offer with new creative programmes for schools locally, across the region and beyond. Activities will be tailored to each year’s art programme, delivering a creative on-site and off-site education programme which will support children’s personal and skills development within the inspirational setting.

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon, CBE, DL, said: “We are taking our commitment to the visual arts to a new level. A forward-thinking scheme, the Goodwood Art Foundation will present the very best of international art in an innovative and engaging way. It will place important works of contemporary art in a beautiful, ever-changing natural environment, while also delivering a powerful education programme to inspire all our visitors. I am thrilled to be launching this great new venture, which will form a vital part of Goodwood’s 21st century legacy. Over the last three hundred years, the Dukes of Richmond at Goodwood have collected masterpieces by Canaletto, Reynolds, Romney, Stubbs and Van Dyck. The creation of the Goodwood Art Foundation signals the next chapter in this long and pioneering history of engagement with art.”

Rachel Whiteread, DBE, Artist, said: “I am delighted to be the first artist profiled in the inaugural exhibition within the beautifully refurbished Pavilion Gallery and landscape of the new Goodwood Art Foundation. The ethos of providing audiences with the opportunity to experience contemporary art integrated into a carefully designed natural environment is something I particularly respond to. It has been an honour to work with the curatorial and exhibition team from the outset, alongside the journey of discovery within the landscape.”

Dan Pearson OBE, Landscape Architect, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating on a project that balances contemporary landscape design, increased biodiversity and exceptional contemporary art. The rich history of the Goodwood Estate and its relationship to the distinct landscape character of the South Downs National Park are the starting point for a reimagined experience of art at the Goodwood Art Foundation. Our masterplan creates a landscape setting in which a selection of carefully curated international artworks will feature, ensuring that that the resonance between art and landscape is at the core of this new project. The dual experience of encountering works of art and discovering a beautiful, contemporary landscape offers visitors the chance for escape, delight, reflection, and illumination.”

Stephen A. Schwarzman, Donor, said: “I’m proud to support the Goodwood Art Foundation, particularly its historic landscape. It is so critical to create compelling settings like this where students and visitors of all ages can engage with the arts and history.”

 The Foundation’s art programme is led by consultant curator Ann Gallagher OBE, an independent curator working internationally with extensive experience of curating exhibitions in various roles, most recently working as Director of Collections, British Art at Tate. The landscape programme for the Schwarzman Gardens has been devised by the landscape architect Dan Pearson OBE. The learning programme is directed by Sally Bacon OBE, a writer and consultant with a career in championing cultural learning across the education and arts sector.