'Unveiled' is a landmark exhibition bringing together all 257 works from the Rugby Art Collection in a single gallery space for the first time in decades.
Founded in 1946, the Rugby Art Collection was developed with the support of organisations such as the Contemporary Art Society and guided by influential figures including Eric Newton. Over the decades, it has grown to reflect changing artistic concerns, materials and approaches, while remaining rooted in civic ambition and public access.
UNVEILED is arranged chronologically across eight decades, allowing visitors to trace artistic developments from post-war realism and industrial scenes through abstraction, Pop, political art and contemporary practice. Works by internationally recognised artists including L.S. Lowry, Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, Bridget Riley, Paula Rego, Lubaina Himid, Maggi Hambling and Gillian Wearing are shown alongside lesser-known and unexpected works, creating new dialogues across generations.
The exhibition also foregrounds the role of public collecting, highlighting how many of the works were acquired through partnership, trust and careful negotiation at key moments in the Collection’s history. Together, they tell a story not only of artistic change, but of how a local authority collection can engage with national conversations while remaining connected to its community.