Whitechapel Fine Art Exhibition , 1882-1900
Whitechapel Art Gallery , 1901-

Whitechapel Fine Art Exhibition , 1882-1900
Whitechapel Art Gallery , 1901-

In 1881, Canon Samuel Augustus Barnett, vicar of St Jude's Whitechapel, and his wife Henrietta, instigated what was to become and annual art exhibition of the best contemporary British works, along with some Old Masters. This fine art loan exhibition was held at St Jude's School House, Commercial Rd. The Barnetts believed that pictures 'would educate people so that they might realise the extent and meaning of the past, the beauty of nature, and the substance of hope'. The free annual exhibitions proved very popular, attracting 10 000 visitors in 1881, rising to over 55 000 by 1886. This popularity persuaded the Barnetts of the need for a permanent exhibition space in the East End. Land was purchased next door to the John Passmore Edwards Library, with a large donation from Passmore Edwards himself, and Edgar Speyer, A F Yarrow and Lord Iveagh.

In March 1901, the Whitechapel Art Galley, a purpose built arts and crafts building designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, was opened on the Whitechapel High St for the first Spring Picture exhibition. More than 200 000 visitors passed through in six weeks. The Gallery continues to provide space for a diverse range of temporary exhibitions. It holds no permanent collection of its own.

The WG is governed by a trust scheme, registered with the Charity Commissioners founded in 1901, with Canon Barnett as the first chair until his death in 1913. Of the sixteen trustees on the board, eleven are nominated by the Statutory authorities and the other foundations and institutions with which the Gallery has long standing ties, and five are co-opted members, traditionally with expertise of experience complimenting the nominated members.

The WG has always featured a wide range of exhibitions, including those by local artists and children, modern pictures and exhibitions form the national museums of objects illustrative of trades of periods. In 1901, this was born out by the exhibition of contemporary artists such as Ford Maddox Brown and Edward Burne-Jones, followed by an exhibition of Chinese Life and Art. In 1914, and early retrospective exhibition - Twentieth Century Art: a Review of Modern Movements, was followed by Jewish Art, which included works by Jacob Epstein. Annual exhibits have been held at different time for the Women's International Art Club, and the Artists International Association, amongst others. Exhibitions of design have also been a regular part of the calendar, and have included trades unions as well as the Contemporary Arts Society. In 1939, the gallery was used by the Aid Spain movement for a fundraising exhibition in which Picasso's Guernica took centre stage. During the 1950s and 1960s, exhibitions included works by Modernist masters such as Braque, Kandinsky, Barbara Hepworth, Jackson Pollock and Robert Rauschenberg.

In 1982 WG Board felt the need for a separate Trust to be created to channel non-government funding in the form of exhibition sponsorship and donations to the gallery, and a planning group for a Development Trust was established. This led to the formation of the Whitechapel Art Gallery Foundation on 1 Feb 1984. At the same time an Advisory Board was set up to provide expert advice to the gallery on areas such as advertising, marketing and sponsorship. In 1988, an annual joint meeting of the Gallery and Foundation trustees was instituted.

Recent exhibitions have included artist such as Liam Gillick, Gilbert & George, Eva Hesse, Bruce Nauman, Gerhard Richter and Rosemarie Trockel, and survey exhibitions Inside the Visible, Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa, and Live in Your Head.

The Whitechapel Art Gallery Society was formed in February 1948, in order to support the gallery financially through private and business subscription and to serve as an opinion forming body on Gallery policy. It was intended that Society subscriptions be used to fund visible improvements to the gallery, however they tended to be absorbed into the day to day running costs. The Society declined in the 1960s, but was relaunched in 1970 when a salaried secretary was appointed. The Secretary resigned the same year 1970, however the financial records continue until 1978.

The American Friends of the Whitechapel Art Gallery Foundation Inc was incorporated in New York in 1987 to raise funds for the gallery in the USA.