Paisley Art Gallery

Paisley Art Gallery opened in 1871 in a Victorian building designed by the Glaswegian architect John Honeyman with money donated by the Coats family of thread manufacturing fame. The Gallery houses a fine selection of paintings by the Glasgow Boys, Scottish Colourists and local painter and writer John Byrne. Also housed there is an extensive ceramics collection considered by many to be the finest north of the Border with many examples of contemporary British potters such as Lucie Rie, Bernard Leach and Hans Coper. Artists included in the collection are Joan Eardley, John Lavery, Philip Reeves, Eric Schilsky, Margaret Thomas, Archibald McGlashan, Charles McCall and William Birnie.

Paisley Art Institute is the exhibiting arm of Paisley Art Gallery and holds annual exhibitions in the gallery. This has been a continual event since 1876 with the exception of World War II years and a brief period in the late 1970’s when the gallery was closed for refurbishment. The exhibition is open to artist members as well as entrants from all over the UK. Unusually but commendably the Institute encourages school pupils within the county of Renfrewshire to exhibited entries of their own work during the annual exhibition. Prizes are awarded for the best entries. Since its inception in 2003 the Institute has hosted the Aspect Prize which at £15,000 for the winner is the most valuable art award in Scotland.