Gracefield Collection
The Galleries building was bought in 1951 and a committee of local people were responsible for raising the money needed to buy the building and do the alterations that changed the former house, 'Gracefield' into an Art Gallery.
The first exhibition staged was in conjuncture with the Festival of Britain celebrations marking an important development of cultural interest in the area.
The gallery became the home for a collection of paintings owned by the Dumfriesshire Educational Trust and over the years, many new pictures have been bought, gifted or loaned to the Collection.
In 1975 the Gallery became the responsibility of the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council, and was managed by the Regional Education Department and the Gracefield Arts Centre Board of Management. They instigated a complete refurbishment programme providing a high standard of exhibition space and security as befits such a collection of paintings. By 1995 the management had moved once more, with the event of the Unitary Authority Dumfries and Galloway Council and Gracefield is now operated by the department for Education and Community Services. In recent years funds from the Council have enabled further renovation of the Gallery and promoted an active programme of outreach exhibitions to complement the core Gracefield exhibition programme as well as continued conservation and research work.
