Work is set to start on the redevelopment of Kendal’s Abbot Hall soon – with plans to reopen next year.
Abbot Hall is the home of Lakeland Arts but is owned by South Lakeland District Council. The authority is managing the redevelopment and it is hoped phase one will begin in the coming weeks.
Abbot Hall closed in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with the pandemic and economic uncertainties, a decision was made to take a prudent approach to the redevelopment by phasing the work over time.
The first phase is focused around opening the building as soon as possible and making it safe to welcome visitors, including essential upgrades to the electrics, flooring and redecorating.
Councillor Robin Ashcroft, the council’s portfolio holder for economy, culture and leisure, said: “We are pleased that work is set to begin.
“As a Grade I listed building, we have a duty to make sure we are taking great care to maintain and protect Abbot Hall as an important asset for the Kendal community. It’s also critical that the environmental standards within the building enable Lakeland Arts to be able to show internationally significant exhibitions to maintain the gallery’s reputation.
“In common with many capital programmes across the country at this time, the project has faced a variety of challenges and impacts from circumstances beyond our control, including the knock-on effects of the pandemic and cost of living crisis, which has had direct implications for things like material costs and timescales.
“We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we worked hard with our partners to resolve these issues and we are delighted that work is now progressing and look forward to seeing the building reopen next year.’’
Abbot Hall has been home to the Lakeland Arts collection for 60 years. The charity’s collection includes a variety of painted works from acclaimed portrait painter George Romney as well as work by Dame Barbara Hepworth, JMW Turner and John Ruskin.
The Lakeland Arts Trust fundraised to save the building from being demolished and opened it as a gallery to showcase the collection in 1962. The charity has leased the building since and has expanded to also operate Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house and Windermere Jetty Museum in Bowness as well as Lakeland Museum in Kendal.
Rhian Harris, chief executive of Lakeland Arts said, “We are very much looking forward to the works being finalised so we can reopen for visitors next year. We are pleased work will begin shortly and we are able to confirm the much anticipated commission and exhibition by internationally recognised artist Julie Brook will go ahead alongside the reopening next year.”
The exhibition will be a multimedia experience of Brook’s work created during residencies in the UK and Japan and will include a new installation on the Abbot Hall site using stone from a local quarry, in response to the Cumbrian environment. Brook will also select pieces from Lakeland Art’s extraordinary collection to appear alongside the exhibition.
Since Abbot Hall closed for redevelopment in 2020, Lakeland Arts has continued its work in Kendal and surrounding Cumbrian communities and schools. Grasmere.
