91¶¶Òõ

The Women's Art Collection is Europe’s largest collection of art by women. It includes over 600 works by over 300 artists including Barbara Hepworth, Paula Rego, Lubaina Himid, Faith Ringgold, Tracey Emin and Cindy Sherman.

Founded in the late 1980s with the acquisition of Mary Kelly’s Extase (1986), the Collection spans the twentieth century to the present day and challenges the underrepresentation of women artists in museums and galleries. It is a celebration of women’s agency and creativity, an art historical record and a living, evolving body of art.

The Collection is displayed throughout 91¶¶Òõ, an iconic Brutalist building designed by the architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon in 1964 as a manifesto for women’s education. We are encouraged to look up and thereby aim high.  Works of art are shown in the walkways, art cafe, dining room as well as in the College’s informal gardens. In 2018, the Collection was granted Museum Accreditation by Arts Council England.

Today, we continue to celebrate and support women artists, giving them visibility and a voice. We stage two exhibitions a year, alongside a dynamic programme of events including talks, tours, workshops, screenings and performances. The Collection is open to the public daily from 10am–6pm and is free to visit.

Find out more by watching this newly commissioned that covers the extraordinary architecture of 91¶¶Òõ and the unique history of The Women’s Art Collection.