The Art of the Newlyn School Touring Exhibition
Paintings from the Bowerman Collection touring to:
7 October 2026 – 9 January 2027: Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Penzance
30 January – 9 May 2027: Nottingham Castle Museum
22 May - 12 September 2027: Munnings Museum, Dedham
25 September 2027 - 8 January 2028: Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead
January - May 2028: Worcester Art Gallery & Museum
May - September 2028: Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle
The Bowerman Collection
Founded in 1984 by retired farmer David Bowerman CBE (1936-2020), the Bowerman Charitable Trust in West Sussex has become an acclaimed centre for fine art and music.
Over recent years, through judicious acquisition and disposal, the charity has built its collections for the public benefit. It now holds a nationally important group of Newlyn School paintings, which has become a vital resource for Museums and Galleries throughout the country, who regularly borrow artworks for their exhibitions.
Now, for the first time, a whole exhibition solely comprising paintings from this collection is being made available for tour to selected venues. The exhibition offers the chance for the public to enjoy 40 masterpieces by leading British artists, including ‘father’ and ‘queen’ of the Newlyn School, Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes; pioneering watercolourist Walter Langley, and perhaps Britain’s best-loved C20th woman artist, Dame Laura Knight.
The exhibition is sponsored by Jenna Burlingham Gallery
Curated and organised by Alison Bevan
Performing the official opening of 'Another Cornwall /
Gens de Cornouailles', Musee Departmental Breton, 2011
Curation, exhibition organisation and writing
As an art historian, curating and writing are my first love, and I've notched up 35+ years of exhibition organisation and curation, from my early career at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea (1989-1999) to my more recent experience of putting historic art in a contemporary context at the RWA.
My work has included working with independent curators, ranging from film-maker Peter Greenaway to early career artists, and I have extensive experience of borrowing from national and regional collections, including initiating international touring exhibitions.
14 years as Director of Penlee House has led to a particular specialism in the Newlyn School, but my passion is for any exhibition that engages, has relevance and brings joy to the broadest possible audience.
Alison Bevan consultancy services
Curation, fundraising and leadership expertise, with particular emphasis on wellbeing and embedded community engagement
Fundraising and capital project support
My most recent full-time role as CEO of the RWA, an independent charity that has never received more than 2% of its funding from the public purse, has given me extensive experience of fundraising from a wide variety of sources for both revenue and capital spend, including a £5M NLHF-supported capital project in 2021-2.
My track-record includes successful grant applications ranging from 4 figures to >£1M; sponsorship; crowdfunding, and philanthropy/major gifts.
Whether you need help identifying, scoping and outlining the strategic steps needed to deliver transformational change; simply want help with writing applications to public funders or Trusts and Foundations, or require some imaginative flair to help shape your fundraising activities, please get in touch.
Leading a Hard Hat tour of the RWA's transformational
Light & Inspiration capital project, 2021
In conversation with Sir Nicholas Serota at the opening of
Albert Irvin and American Abstract Expressionism, RWA, 2019
Leadership support and mentoring
With over 25 years of experience leading and managing public art galleries, both within local authorities and self-supporting independent charities, I am happy to use and share my experience of delivering organisational culture-change; income generation, and wellbeing improvements.
My achievements include moving the RWA (Royal West of England Academy) in Bristol from an organisation on the brink of collapse to one described by the city's elected Mayor, Marvin Rees, as "one of Bristol's most culturally significant institutions", and being awarded a British Empire Medal in 2012 for “transforming Penlee House from an unknown venue into a popular and highly regarded community asset” – Rt Hon Maria Miller MP, then Secretary of State, Culture, Media and Sport.