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Yorkshire Sculpture Park makes it through to final shortlist for
The Gulbenkian Prize for museums and galleries

The Underground Gallery at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park has made it through to the final, shortlisted stage of The Gulbenkian Prize for museums and galleries. Having previously been longlisted, it is now one of just four venues competing for the UK’s largest arts prize worth £100,000 given annually to one museum or gallery anywhere in the UK.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is the only Yorkshire-venue shortlisted for the Prize which recognises originality, imagination and excellence in museums and galleries. The Underground Gallery is one of the largest purpose-built galleries to have been constructed in Britain for a number of years and has captured the support and imagination of local visitors.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s distinctive building, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley architects, is one of the largest purpose-built gallery spaces to be constructed in Britain in recent years. It benefited from over £1.7m of ERDF funding. The Underground Gallery development has developed 1849m2 of land, created 54 new jobs, accommodated 17 jobs and contributed over £1.5m of Increased Business Sales.

Executive Director Peter Murray commented:
“We are absolutely thrilled to be one of the four shortlisted venues. The new gallery marks the culmination of our £13 million development programme and provides YSP with the indoor facilities its reputation deserves. The nomination is a tribute to the vision, enthusiasm and commitment of YSP supporters, trustees and staff.’

This year’s shortlist, chosen from a longlist of ten, demonstrates both a visionary approach to display, from the Bronze Age to contemporary work, as well as extraordinary feats of preservation.  

Chair of the judges, Lord Robert Winston, said:
“The panel have had a wonderful time visiting ten outstanding museums on the long list.  Selecting only four for the short list was hard, but those chosen all show innovation, variety and excitement, and each is devoted to a special area of importance but with wide interest. This remarkable short list shows that the museum world in Britain is truly vibrant and alive.  It has been a privilege for the judges to see the enthusiasm and pleasure that each of these museums generates amongst its visitors.”