Cartwright Hall is Bradford’s civic art gallery and the jewel in the district’s museum crown.

The museum offers an exciting programme of contemporary exhibitions, with four permanent galleries displaying works from Bradford Council-owned art collections.

The collections consist mainly of 19th and 20th century British art, with strong collections of international contemporary prints and contemporary South Asian art and crafts.

In 2008, Cartwright Hall reopened its upper galleries with Connect, a new permanent exhibition funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which makes connections between works of art from different cultures and times.

The Learning Team runs a programme of workshops and events for schools, groups and individuals. Many of Cartwright Hall’s facilities are available for hire and the Gallery is also licensed for civil marriages.

Cartwright Hall is set in the magnificent, Green Flag-awarded grounds of Lister Park, with a boating lake, adventure playground and Mughal Gardens.

Among Cartwright Hall’s collections are prints from more than a century of art history including work by Francisco de Goya, William Blake and Walter Sickert, alongside modern masters including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Richard Hamilton.

There are also four major series of prints produced by David Hockney – Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm, The Blue Guitar, A Rake’s Progress and Illustrations of the Poetry of C P Cavafy. This project was funded by Renaissance Yorkshire.

A series of free tours has been organised by the Friends of Bradford Art Galleries and Museums over the summer to find out more about Bradford’s very own treasure house of artworks from around the world.

The magnificent Hall opened in 1904 and has many features of architectural note. These include four large stone carvings situated above the porte cochere (carriage entrance) and a stunning black-and-white marble-tiled Sculpture Court.

There will be tours on Sunday, August 25, and Sunday, September 22, between 2.15pm and 3pm. Entry is free but it is necessary to make a reservation on (01274) 431212 or cartwright.hall@bradford.

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This summer, elemental and meditative sculptures by Jake Harvey have been brought to Lister Park and Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.

Equilibrium of Opposites brings together a series of abstract forms that have been carved out of granite, basalt, marble and limestone. The pieces have a sense of stillness that creates different qualities of light.

The exhibition of the renowned sculptor’s work will be shown in the Bradford Council-run gallery and park until Sunday, September 8.

Jake Harvey, who was born in 1948, studied sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art and is currently the institution’s Emeritus Professor of Sculpture.

He has accepted commissions for The Hugh MacDiarmid Memorial Sculpture (1985) and the Newcraighall Mining Sculpture (1987). He has also had his work featured on an album by the Celtic rock group Runrig.

WHAT'S ON THIS SUMMER

Responses to Art Until Sunday, August 4. This exhibition is a selected retrospective of works that have been created as a result of the Responses to Art sessions.

Equilibrium of Opposites – Jake Harvey Until Sunday, September 8. Jake Harvey carves elemental and meditative sculpture by cutting, forming and honing his stone through measurement and calculation guided by impulse and the senses.

Golden Threads Accessorised Until Friday, September 13. A celebratory exhibition of the ‘best bits’ of Golden Threads from 2012.

Art in the Park Until Tuesday, October 1. Stroll around Lister Park to view Bradford Museums’ own public artwork by internationally-acclaimed artists.

Young Open 2013 Until Sunday, November 3. The Bradford Young Open exhibition presents the opportunity for artists up to the age of 16. Open for submissions.

Bradford Open 2013 Saturday, September 28, to Sunday January 19, 2014. The Bradford Open is an unrivalled showcase for the district’s artistic talent. Entry form available.

Being There – June Russell Tuesday, August 6, to Sunday, February 9, 2014. June’s work is based on observation and drawing, and is always about places, real, imagined or a mixture of the two.

  • Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Lister Park, Bradford, BD9 4NS, telephone: (01274) 431212. E-mail: cartwright.hall@bradford.gov.uk. Website: bradford museums.org. Opening times: Tuesday to Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am-4pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday and Mondays except Bank Holidays. Admission free. On occasion there may be limited access to galleries during civil marriage ceremonies or other booked events. Contact Reception for information in advance of your visit. How to find it: Cartwright Hall Art Gallery is in the middle of Lister Park, one and a half miles from the city centre on the A650 Manningham Lane. There is limited parking in Lister Park, accessible from North Park Road (off Oak Lane). Lister Park is served by many city centre bus services including 23, 25, 26, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 622, 647, 662, w5. Cartwright Hall is about ten minutes’ uphill walk from Frizinghall railway station. Access and facilities: Disabled parking and wheelchair access to rear of the building. Ring bell and an attendant will assist. Access to all departments is by a lift. Accessible toilet. Baby-changing unit. For further Cartwright Hall disabled access information, visit DisabledGo. The Friends: Why not join the Friends of Bradford Art Galleries and Museums? Members are invited to all previews and there is a varied programme of social events. For details contact fobagam@gmail.com.