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Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Following the culmination of a significant Heritage Lottery Funded development project in 2008, the gallery is now a thriving community hub for creativity and education. This transformation has enabled the Gallery to realise the potential of its whole site: bringing decaying buildings into use to provide inspirational new gallery and education spaces and opening up new areas of the gardens.
The Gallery now offers around 18 art exhibitions a year – both historical and contemporary – in three gallery spaces, and a lively programme of events and activities. The project has resulted in a vastly extended audience for the Gallery and its programmes. Over 9,500 people take part in activities each year, many of whom are not traditional museum visitors. The gallery has a reputation for its work engaging vulnerable young people including those not in education, ‘looked after’ children, young parents, people with English as an additional language, disabled young people, and people with mental health issues. Some of your comments: I have been visiting your gallery over many years now and have been most impressed by your activities. Your exhibitions, such as the one on the Bloomsbury Group artists, had deservedly wide popular appeal, while at the same time providing insights and enjoyment for the traditional museum going public. I much admired, also, the educational activities which, I could see, were much enjoyed by the children. The intimate surroundings were clearly less awesome and more welcoming for them than those of the larger museums. And then in the last two or three years, I have, like everyone else, been more than impressed by your building work and the provision of new facilities. You have wrought an amazing transformation of the whole enterprise and I feel strongly that Orleans House Gallery should be the leading contender for the Art Fund Prize. Orleans House Gallery provides a wonderfully stimulating environment for the appreciation and understanding of art in the community. Because of its proximity to parks and playgrounds in a suburban area, it brings art to the community - rather than forcing the community to travel into the centre of town. I think this is particularly valuable on the edge of London, where travelling can be long and tiresome, and where most galleries have to be shared with crowds and tourists. And it helps to reinforce the area's sense of identity. The mixture of exhibitions and workshops is fresh, distinctive, and provides opportunities for all sorts of people. Since I was a boy illicitly playing in the walled woods that concealed
its neglected grandeur, Orleans House has enthralled me. Now excavated
from the rampant vegetation, this elegant villa has become a haven of
cultivation, an unlocked showcase of rich and various exhibitions of
local and national appeal, bathed in light. Once tucked quietly into a
lay-by on the Georgian highway of the Thames, it now hums with the
quiet energy of excellence. The Gallery works diligently to use the network of local arts organisations in its splendid activities. Although many of the exhibitions focus on the work of notable local artists, it truly outstanding and a distinguishing feature is its involvement with young people from around the borough, youngsters who would not normally become involved in artistic endeavours. When you see the children’s painting, drawings or watch them perform you see how they have gained a voice and how the expanded space at Orleans House has allowed this to happen. I first got involved with Orleans House Gallery in 2006 when I worked with artist Othello on a special project ‘Culture 4 Keeps’ which helps children in care to access culture and arts. My photo of Hampton Court gardens was amazing and it now hangs in the office of the chief executive of Richmond Council. I think Orleans House Gallery should win because the people here are very caring and generous and willing to help. The gallery has been there for me when I needed to talk to someone - especially when I was finding school difficult. I raised money for our project ‘Get Set Go’ which we have been working on and I'm here now having a cup of tea with the Head of Arts Rachel Tranter! I’m delighted that Orleans House Gallery has been long-listed for this prestigious award – it’s a fantastic place and the redevelopment project has transformed it, creating a thriving arts and heritage centre. Few people know that the gallery has a remarkable hidden collection and they are working towards the day when their facilities will enable this to be shown. I would urge people to visit and show their support for the gallery – and have a lot of fun, too! The gallery is not only the hub of Richmond's cultural services, it has become an integral and very important educational resource for our borough. Together with outside artists the team have provided projects for many of our school campaigns. A recent example was videos for an anti-bullying campaign. They run our very successful Cultural for Keeps programme for our looked-after children, sessions for young mums, and working with our children with disabilities and learning difficulties to produce animation videos. I have been very surprised and impressed at the imaginative ways they have, in a short time, become the driving force in many of our programmes. This is on top of providing a very successful gallery for all the residents of the area. I am Richmond's Cabinet member for children's services and very grateful for the services they provide for our young people. Orleans gallery is a fascinating and ever-changing, kaleidoscopic public resource, which not only delights local residents but provides an extra attraction for people visiting Marble Hill and lovely Twickenham riverside.
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In an elegant setting by the river Thames, Orleans House Gallery provides a vibrant home for heritage, arts and learning. 
The Gallery buildings include the Octagon Room designed by James Gibb in 1720, the only remnant of Orleans House, an 18th century riverside villa demolished in 1926. The remaining buildings and site were left in trust to the Borough in 1963. The Gallery now holds the Richmond Borough Art Collection which comprises over 2,400 paintings, prints and drawings relating to the Borough as well as the Burton Collection, the personal effects and paintings of the Victorian explorer and writer Sir Richard Burton. Recent additions include light box panoramas by Emily Allchurch and commissioned works by autistic savant Stephen Wiltshire. 
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