The Orleans House Gallery has reported a 41% rise in visitor numbers to the contemporary art and wedding venue, which is set in beautiful gardens overlooking the Thames.

A report from Richmond Arts Service said the building, which is famed for its lavish Baroque Octagon Room, attracted 40.332 visitors in 2022-23, while income grew by around 14% to more than £186,000.

Fabulous Octagon Room has proved hugely popular as a wedding venue. Pix (Credit https://www.orleanshousegallery.org/)

The Gallery is managed by Richmond Arts Service which is part of Richmond Borough Council. It offers a year-round programme of exhibitions, live events and educational experiences, as well as a shop and the Stables Café.

There is also a wild wood to explore, which has been heavily utilised for events appealing to families and children.

The Gallery marked its 50th anniversary by launching a new collections development plan and celebrating the contribution of generations of volunteers in a summer party hosted by the Mayor.

The Arts Service curated nine exhibitions and delivered scores of events with a focus on attracting family audiences and young people. As a result, it is now recognised as one of London's key contemporary art galleries.

Artists, such as Phoebe Boswell, embrace the surrounding woodland. Pix (Credit https://www.orleanshousegallery.org/)

Highlights included Mirror Shape Play, which centred on the theme of play and imagination, while there was new work from arts collective Unit Lab proving to be popular with families, under 5s and adults. This is part of a strand of work that uses the Gallery and its woodland as a space to engage people in play and imagining other ways of being.

Lines of Dissent was an exhibition created by artist and poet Dzifa Benson, which explored the historic collection exposing untold stories and voices. The exhibition helped launch the gallery's new collecting policy which aims to diversify the artists we collect.

An Emerging Artists programme saw applications from over 100 artists to show in the Stables Gallery, resulting in four distinctive shows. The Winter Season also included Hymn to the Big Wheel by artist Liz Weston, a Christmas Shopping Weekend, and a series of light installations in the woodland by Bryony Benge-Abbott.

Involving children in art and play has been central to the gallery's success. Pix (Credit https://www.orleanshousegallery.org/)

SuperMaketForest a gallery commissioned exhibition by Andrew Merritt from art collective Something & Son, explored food and sustainability in a playful way. The project engaged a wide range of local businesses, young people, community partners, land management agencies, scientists and learning organisations in thinking about how we might rethink food production and distribution.

An Arts Service report said rising costs presents challenges. It said: "While the impact of the pandemic is receding, new pressures are emerging with high inflation stretching our budgets"

Nevertheless, it said: "Our commitment to offering a range of high-quality arts programming free at the point of delivery or at an affordable price continues to be a priority as is paying artists fairly for their work."

Artist Madi Boyd will be displaying works during a two-week residency under the title 'The Complexity of Touch'. Pix (Credit https://www.orleanshousegallery.org/)

The Gallery is becoming increasingly popular as a wedding venue with the Trustees saying: "The mid-week weddings offer at the Gallery has been particularly successful, with over 100 weddings.

"This trend is continuing. We won the Hitched UK wedding award for best Middlesex venue for the second year in a row.

"The installation of the stretch tent in summer 22 enabled us to offer evening events limited in agreement with residents to 12 each year, this enabled increase income from lettings."

Looking ahead, they added: "We have been granted a renewed licence to conduct ceremonies in more spaces across the site, including outdoors."

Find out more here - https://www.orleanshousegallery.org/