Welcome
The Fry Public Art Gallery was opened in 1987 and houses an impressive number of paintings, prints, illustrations, wallpapers and decorative designs by artists of the 20th century and the present day who have local connections and have made a significant contribution to their field. There is an emphasis on those who for a variety of reasons settled in Great Bardfield between the early thirties of the last century and the death in 1983 of John Aldridge RA who had lived in the village for fifty years.
The Gallery is run by volunteers, both invigilators when it is open to the public and other helpers throughout the year. Please contact us if you would like to become more involved.
The Fry Art Gallery is now closed for the season. We are open in 2026 between Sunday 5th April and Sunday 25th October.
Our 2026 season opens with two exhibitions:
- ‘Fry’s Popular Delights’ co-curated by Mark Hearld and Colin Wilkin featuring works from our Collection, and exploring the link between the ‘Fry Artists’ and Popular Art.
- a selection of work by illustrator and collage artist Michelle Thompson, who has been shown at the RA and whose clients include The Guardian, The New York Times, and Marvel.
Film by Thomas Völker © 2022
Online Shop
The Fry’s online shop has a range of gifts, from textiles to books.
Please click HERE for more information.
Become a member
If you would like to become a Fry Gallery Member you can now do so online. Please choose an option below.
DONATE
The Fry Art Gallery receives no regular core funding. Click here if you would like to make a donation.
Visit the Collection
Browse the Fry Gallery collection online here.
News and Events
Appointment of new Chair of Fry Gallery Trustees
As we look ahead to a new exhibition year, we are delighted to announce that the Fry Art Gallery has appointed a new Chair, Mark Myers to succeed David Oelman, who stands down at the beginning of March 2026. Mark's professional background is at board level in Banks,...
New season: People at work!
The gallery is closed for the winter and the walls are bare. But behind the scenes things are stirring. Colin Wilkin, the Keeper of the Fry Collection has been busy with Mark Hearld selecting pieces from the stores to put on show in ‘Fry’s Popular Delights’. The...
Recent arrival: Richard Bawden’s watercolour box
Watercolour box owned by Richard Bawden The Fry Gallery's collection doesn't consist solely of artworks. We also own a surprising quantity of ephemera relating to 'our' artists, as well as an ever-expanding treasure trove of archive material. We were therefore...
Work of the month
Work of the Month: Self portrait by Olga Lehmann
Self Portrait oil on canvas by Olga Lehmann. The feisty young artist boldly returning the viewer's gaze is a young Olga Lehmann, probably at home in her Charlotte Street studio in Fitzrovia in the 1930s. The gallery has recently been able to purchase this arresting...
Work of the Month: Spring Wedding by John Bolam
Spring Wedding Oil on Canvas by John Bolam The days are getting longer. Winter is coming to an end. The bare trees and long coats of the guests identify this as the season depicted by John Bolam in the painting newly donated to the Fry Art Gallery by his niece Frances...
Work of the Month: Wintry Outlook
A Snowy Day by Edward Bawden watercolour & gouache 1955 The weather warnings for snow and ice at the start of 2026 could equally apply to Great Bardfield in January 1955, at the start of what became known as 'Britain's big freeze'. Looking out across and down the High...
Exhibitions
Coming Soon: Fry’s Popular Delights
The Farmyard watercolour by Edward Bawden 1950. A design for a tapestry for the Edinburgh Weavers Ltd. Difficult to pigeon-hole precisely, Popular Art is a non-academic, non-fine art with bold visual impact, jolly and decorative. Posters, prints, wallpaper, shadow...
Richard Bawden: The Hadleigh Years
26 July 2025 to 26 October 2025 Richard Bawden: The Hadleigh Years We continue our 40th anniversary season with an opportunity to view and buy a selection of works from the later years of Richard Bawden's creative life. Richard, like the Fry Gallery, started a new...
40th Anniversary Exhibition: Finding a Home at the Fry
6th April to 26th October 2025 Finding a Home at the Fry The Fry Art Gallery is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and we are delighted to have as guest curator of the exhibition in the main gallery Ella Ravilious, granddaughter of Eric Ravilious and Tirzah...
Volunteer
We could not open the gallery without the commitment and enthusiasm of our dedicated band of volunteer helpers. We pride ourselves on running a gallery to the highest professional standards while remaining a small and friendly group of people, united by our love of the artworks in our collection.
Current Opportunities
Where there are specific opportunities, we will advertise them here. For general enquiries about volunteering with us, contact info@fryartgallery.org.
Visiting us
Opening Times
The Gallery will open in 2026 from Sunday 5th April to Sunday 25th October.
Admission is free. Step-free access is available.
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 2pm – 5pm |
| Wednesday | 2pm – 5pm |
| Thursday | 2pm – 5pm |
| Friday | 2pm – 5pm |
| Saturday | 11am – 5pm |
| Sunday and bank holidays | 2pm – 5pm |
Contact us
We would be delighted to hear from you and you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The links are in the footer below.
Location
