Bluecoat Gallery

The Bluecoat began life as a school in 1718. By the following year, it had 50 children, with room for 100 more with construction finally reaching completion in 1725. The Bluecoat possesses a rich artistic history further enhanced by the building’s architectural importance and its UNESCO World Heritage and Grade I listed status. Its artistic history boasts Augustus John as an exhibitor and outside the capital one of the first British centres to hold the first Post-Impressionists show, which came to Liverpool in 1911 following an earlier showing in London organised by critic Roger Fry. It featured works by Picasso, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Matisse and Gauguin, exhibiting alongside British artists for the first time. It has also housed the Liverpool School of Architecture and the Sandon Studios Society.

Bluecoat Society of Arts was established in January 1927, following a successful campaign to save the building for the arts. The Sandon Studios Society continued to organise exhibitions in the building, including many involving its artist members. The Sandon remained tenants of the building and had an active role in its artistic and social life until their decline in the 1970s and eventual dissolution in the early 1980s.

During World War II the building was severely damaged during the Merseyside blitz of 1941, and it wasn't until 1958 that it was fully restored to its former glory. From the 1960's onwards the Bluecoat firmly established itself as a cornerstone of Liverpool's artistic life. John Willett's book (detailed below) originally commissioned by the Bluecoat in the mid-60's, remains a classical treatise on the arts in Liverpool and provides a blueprint for much of its subsequent development. The Bluecoat Gallery was formally established in 1968, to exhibit work by contemporary artists. The building has an equally distinguished history in the performing arts. Igor Stravinsky, Bella Bartok and Benjamin Britten all performed there. After an extensive £14 million renovation commencing in 2005, the gallery was reopened in March 2008 to celebrate Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture.