Young Gallery in Salisbury to be supported by merged trusts

Two charitable trusts have merged to support a free art museum in Wiltshire.

The former Edwin Young Collection and the John Creasey Museum have joined forces to enable the Young Gallery to renew its accreditation through Arts Council England.

Located on the first floor of Salisbury Library, the Young Gallery has a collection of over 4,000 artworks, prints, sculptures, books and photographs.

Art curator Dr Emily Dunbar said the merger was “a crucial step towards developing a dynamic and free art museum in Salisbury city centre”.

She added: “It marks an exciting new stage for the Young Gallery, which we plan to build over the rest of the year.”

The two charities formed the Young & Creasey Gallery Trust.

The Young Gallery collection began with approximately 300 watercolor paintings by Edwin Young (the museum’s namesake).

It now also has 2,000 books in over 20 languages, as well as manuscripts and designs for book jackets related to crime and thriller writer John Creasey, who became part of the collection in the 1970s.

Artists featured in the collection include Robin Tanner, Edgar Barclay and William Goldsmith, as well as prints by JMW Turner, John Constable, David Hockney and Henry Moore.

The Young Gallery’s full exhibition program will launch in October, allowing more artworks from its collection to be displayed, as well as collaborations with local artists and projects.

Leader of Wiltshire Council Richard Clewer said: “The Young Gallery is a real asset not only to Salisbury but to the surrounding area.

“The work that has taken place recently has been vital to enable the gallery to move forward and become a vibrant space that can become part of a cultural quarter for Salisbury.”