Wakefield’s Evolution from Coalmining to Yorkshire’s Coolest Art Town

Most people know about Yorkshire, but not that many know about Wakefield – until now. From being a slightly sleepy mining town, Wakefield has gone through a transformation that is indeed remarkable. In the 80’s there were 56 collieries spread out over all of Yorkshire, with 15 of them being located in Wakefield. This part of the area’s history has helped shape the history of Yorkshire, but now, Wakefield is writing its own story, and the plot of the story is art. The city is now filled with galleries and events, and the city council does not play any games either, as they in 2020 appointed the Contemporary Art Society to shape a vision for future public art development back in 2020. What is art? It might be more than you realize. Let’s find out.

What is art?

Art is a topic that has sparked debate throughout all of human history. Many have stood in a museum, taken in a piece of art, and thought, “Our kids or we could have created something just as good, maybe even better.”. Art is more than a painting or a sculpture – art is a message, a thought, and not everyone understands. When it comes to the development of art in Wakefield, surely there will be a lot of people who won’t understand either, but one thing is sure – there is a gallery, a park, or an event that will suit anyone’s perception of art.

Hepworth Wakefield

The Hepworth Wakefield is a gallery dedicated to exhibiting the best of national and international modern and contemporary art. Named after one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Barbara Hepworth, the gallery has established itself as one of the most important places of art in Yorkshire. On top of the many fascinating art pieces, the Hepworth also has regular markets and fairs, and a beautiful garden, designed by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, who is internationally renowned for his work. All of this combined makes the Hepworth Wakefield an institution on the British art scene, and a place worth visiting.

family browsing art exhibition inside the Hepworth gallery, color lifestyle photography, –ar 16:9 –v 7 Job ID: 1cb98b3c-8f5d-496e-b37d-a0e508243201

Wakefield’s public art

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the city council in Wakefield also sees the value in art and has asked the Contemporary Art Society to help shape the vision for public art in the city. One of the things focused on is murals and 2D art. A lot of cities all over the UK and in Europe have long praised street art as a new era, taking the art out of the museums and into the streets where it can be seen and enjoyed by anyone passing by.

There is no doubt about Wakefield being the art hub of Yorkshire, and it has been a frontrunner in sparking an art revolution throughout the county, by supporting artists and galleries, and inspiring young and upcoming artists, whether they work in their atelier or if they work on walls in the street. For any art lover in the UK, one has to strongly consider going to Wakefield and see the art come alive with one’s own eyes.