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.
The next events in the calendar are the Annual Fry Picture Sale on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November, from 12 noon till 4 pm on both days, and the first in our Winter Lecture series, Ian Wolter The Making of Safe Haven – the Harwich Kindertransport Memorial on Friday 7th November at 7:30 pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Saffron Walden. More details under ‘News’ on this website.
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.
The Fry receives no regular funding. Should you wish to contribute to our running costs, please use the button below.
Become a member
If you would like to become a Fry Gallery Member you can now do so online. Please choose an option below.
Visit the Collection
Browse the Fry Gallery collection online here.
News and Events
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Work of the month
Work of the Week 17: Sun Maze by Michael Ayrton
bronze, 1970 Sun Maze (1970) is a late double-sided bronze by Michael Ayrton. The myth of Daedalus, Icarus and the labyrinth at Knossos is familiarly told by Ovid in his narrative poem of 8AD and became an obsession of the artist over many years. On one side, Icarus,...
Work of the Week 16: Great Bardfield by John Aldridge
John Aldridge’s lithograph ‘Great Bardfield’ was part of a series of prints published to celebrate the Festival of Britain…
Work of the Week 15: Pigeon and Clocktower by Edward Bawden
Wallpaper sheet Edward Bawden (1903 – 1989) and John Aldridge (1905 – 1983) collaborated in designing wallpapers in the 1920s. The artists printed them from lino blocks in a small studio at Bawden’s home, but soon the work was entrusted to John Perry & Co (later...
Exhibitions
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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
