Towner as a case study to investigate histories of gender representation in regional UK galleries

The project will use Towner as a case study to investigate histories of gender representation in regional UK galleries. Primarily collections-based, a key objective of the project will be to conduct a critical analysis of Towner's repositories, examining artworks acquired from the moment of the gallery's inception in 1923 through to the present day.

The lack of female representation in public galleries is widespread. The National Gallery recently upped the number of works by women artists in its collections to twenty, which still represents one percent of its total holdings. There is a growing consensus that regional galleries likewise need to assess and redress gender imbalance in their collections: This project will focus on histories of gender representation at the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne. While Towner's history is dominated by the names of male collectors and artists, 18% of the artists in the collection are women, and female collectors, including an important early gallerist, have made major donations of works during the twentieth century. As Towner approaches its centenary in 2023, a deeper awareness and understanding of the role women have played in the gallery's history will help to support its commitment to improved gender representation in future acquisitions, exhibitions and public engagement with the collection.