Unlocking Collections
7 March – 4 July 2026
This exhibition will bring together a selection of works on paper that have been digitised and made available online during the Gallery’s temporary closure, as part of the Arts Council England supported Unlocking Collections project.
The display will feature a range of media, with paper as the main support, including watercolour, drawing, prints and photography. Due to their light-sensitive nature, many of these works cannot be frequently displayed, and some have not been exhibited for many years.
Preparatory sketches will also be shown alongside final paintings, including several drawings and plans for In the Park (St James’s) by Malcolm Drummond, offering a fascinating insight into an artist’s creative process.
Malcolm Drummond, In the Park (St James’) 1911, oil on canvas © Southampton City Art Gallery
Unlocking Collections is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
