Our ‘offer’ to members

Free entry both to the permanent collection and all exhibitions (on production of a membership card)
Invitation to special Friends-only previews of major exhibitions (on a first-come-first-served basis and normally held on a Friday morning)
A total of 20 tickets are earmarked for the Friends for previews of all other exhibitions (to be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis)
Regular ‘Artwork of the Month’: lunchtime Gallery talks on a Wednesday on a single artwork
An attractively illustrated Annual Report, distributed in February (one per household), also containing membership cards, information about events, notice and agenda for AGM
Various online communications: monthly newsletter; e-Bulletin (one per year); a substantial archive of materials on works of art etc
Access to the University of York Library (including borrowing rights) can be applied for on production of a membership card – this agreement was reached when the book collection held by the Gallery was relocated to the University Library
Access to the archive and files held in the picture store in the Gallery (The Friends of York Art Gallery Fine Art Store, paid for by the Friends) – to obtain access contact Robert Wake at the Gallery by e-mail (Robert.Wake@ymt.org.uk)

10% discount in main Gallery shop, excluding ceramics (on production of a membership card)
10% discount in Gallery café (on production of a membership card)
Varied programme of events (individually charged), including lectures, visits, longer trips, including trips to the European continent (in the past Madrid, Munich, Berlin, Bayeux), etc. – the events also contribute to our fundraising and ability to help the Gallery

Purchasing new artworks – over the last 75 years we have wholly funded or contributed to funding for over 100 artworks, including some of the most important and popular works in the Gallery (our most recent significant purchase, from a legacy, was Laura Knight’s Early Morning in a Gypsy Camp)
Funding the conservation and restoration of artworks in the collection – this has allowed a number of works to be exhibited for the first time
Funding special projects, including raising the funds for the new picture store in the Gallery, and, most recently, paying for a major relighting of the Burton Gallery
Assisting the gallery in its educational mission and in increasing knowledge and appreciation of the fine arts, e. g. through funding an annual bursary in collaboration with the Department of History of Art at the University of York for MA students who work as an intern in the Gallery and so learn their craft
Continuing to work with Gallery staff to achieve a full refurbishment of the Burton Gallery and ways of displaying more of the permanent collection

For assisting the Gallery (ever more necessary in view of chronic underfunding of museums and galleries by both local and central government) we depend entirely on contributions by our members: annual subscriptions; modest profits from events; fundraising for special projects; contributions to our Collection Fund; individual donations (you can make this online); the occasional legacy (if you would like to leave a legacy to the Friends in your will, please contact the Treasurer)

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