THEFEDERATIONOFBRITISHARTISTS
IMPACTREPORT2024
Asat7thofMay2025
ChairofTrusteesoftheFBA
JaneEllison Trustees
AlastairAdamsPPRP
MaxAngusSWLA
ProfessorDanaArnold
JonCoppin
MickDaviesPPRBA
EelaDevani
DavidGlazebrook
RobinHazlewoodRI
MartinHowarthHH
RosieMartyr(Co-OptedTrustee)
LuisMorrisROI
RichardReesPPS
CarolynSimpsonRBARSMA
TobyWardNEAC
MonicaWon
CEOoftheFBAatMallGalleries
ClareO’Brien
In2024,we’veseenawelcomeriseinoursupportforandcelebration oflivingartists,throughournot-for-profitprogrammeofexhibitions, events,prizes,andawards—withaparticularfocusonfigurativeart. Morepeoplethaneverareengagingwithourexhibitions,bothinthe galleriesandviaourrelaunchedonlineplatform, www.mallgalleries.org.uk,updatedinearly2024.
Wearealsoproudtocontributetothecreativeeconomyby providingopportunities,training,andsupportfortheculturalleaders oftomorrow.
Wehopeyouenjoyreadingour2024ImpactReport,andthatitoffers adeeperunderstandingofthemissionandworkoftheFederationof BritishArtistsatMallGalleries.
-ClareO’Brien,CEO
OURMISSION
Toempowerartiststhroughanot-for-profit programmeofexhibitionsandevents,prizesand awards,withafocusonfigurativeart
ABOUTUS
Leaderincontemporaryfigurativeart,ledbyartists,forall
MallGalleriesisthehomeofthe FederationofBritishArtists(FBA),a visualartscharityfoundedin1961.
TheFederationisacollectiveofnine leadingartsocieties,eightofwhich stageannualopenexhibitionsatMall Galleries.TheninthistheHesketh HubbardArtSociety,London'slargest lifedrawinggroup.
Eachofthesocietieshasaunique characterorspecialismwithinthe fieldofcontemporaryfigurativeart: RoyalSocietyofBritishArtists
RoyalInstituteofPaintersinWaterColours
RoyalInstituteofOilPainters
NewEnglishArtClub
RoyalSocietyofPortraitPainters
PastelSociety
HeskethHubbardArtSociety
RoyalSocietyofMarineArtists
SocietyofWildlifeArtists
TheFederationofBritishArtistsis governedbyaBoardofTrustees, madeupofartistsfromthesocieties andupto6independenttrustees.In 2024therewereover500member artistswithintheFederation.
TheFBAisfundamentallydifferent fromcommercialartgalleriesand thosesupportedbythegovernment, asthecharityisentirelyself-funded andcommitsanysurplusto furtheringitscharitablemission.
TheFBAopenexhibitionsallowfor lesserknown,buttalentedartistsof anybackground,toexhibitwork alongsidemoreestablishedartists. Annuallytheirexhibitionsempower artiststhroughsales,plusprizesand awardstorewardandencourage talent. Theartsocietyexhibitionsformthe coreofthegallery’swider programme.
FBAEXHIBITIONS WHODOWESERVE
TheworkoftheFBAatMallGalleries benefitsadiverserangeofaudiences; fromourglobalreachonline,our networkofover1,500Friends,to thousandsofartistsandvisitors.
WealsoworktosupporttheCreative Economythroughhelpingartiststo buildsustainablecareers,and fosteringdiversityandinclusivityinan artisticcommunity.
“IlovealltheexhibitionsIhavebeento.Thegalleries haveaverywarmandfriendlyatmosphereandthe workisalwayshighquality.Iamakeenamateur artistandlearnsomuchfromvisiting. ” -Avisitor’sresponsefromourstakeholdersurvey2024
MemberArtists
SubmittngArtists
Friends Patrons
2024HIGHLIGHTS
TheElectionofNewMembers
intotheFBA
Eachyear,newartistsareelectedas memberstothesocietieswithinthe FBA.2024sawtheelectionoffortynew members,thefulllistofelectedartists canbeviewedhere.
NewTrusteesAppointed
In2024,fourIndependentTrustees wereappointedbytheBoardofthe FederationofBritishArtists.We welcomeProfessorDanaArnold,Jon Coppin&MonicaWonandco-opted independenttrusteeRosieMartyr.
ArtforAll
FundraisingAuction
MallGalleriespresentedanonline fundraisingauctionduringFriezeWeek 2024,featuringover200original artworksbymembersandexhibitors fromtheartsocietieswithintheFBA. 1,301bidswereplacedand£28,769was raisedwithallproceedssupportingour mission. Wewouldliketothanktheparticipating artistsandthesocietiesofthe FederationofBritishArtistsfortheir invaluablesupport.
EXHIBITION PROGRAMME
EXHIBITIONS
TheFederationofBritishArtistsatMall Galleriesisaglobalplatformfor supportingandpromotinglivingartists.In 2024,wehosted8annualexhibitionsfrom thesocietiesoftheFederationofBritish Artists.
In2024,3,164worksbymembersand selectedartistswereexhibited,and1,309 artistswereshown.
Aheadofeachexhibitionweheldanopen call,providinginternational,established andemergingartiststheopportunityto submittheirwork.In2024,11,739artists submittedtoour8opencalls. In2024wegeneratedover£600,000 throughsalesofartworkacrossthe8 SocietyShows.
Manysocietiesareworkingtowardsan equalbalancebetweenmembersand selectedartists,oftenachievinga50/50 balance.
“Weareproudtosaythatarecord
numberofselectedartists areexhibitingwithusthisyear, manyofthemforthefirsttime.” -AdebanjiAladePROI,2024
OurannualSocietyexhibitionsattracted over46,000visitorsin2024.
DISTRIBUTIONOFARTISTSGLOBALLY EXHIBITINGARTISTSINFBAEXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS
In2024wehosted16exhibitionsalongside ourregularSocietyshows.
Ineachoftheseexhibitionsweensurea highstandardoffigurativeartacrossthe year-roundprogramme.Theexhibitions supportEmergingandEstablishedartists throughprogrammesofmentoring&talks, alongsideopencalls.
Theexhibitionsalsofostercross-sector engagementthroughsponsorships, eveningeventhireandalldayhire. Theexhibitionsworktoexpandour audiencereach;andattracted23,729 visitorstothegalleryin2024.
Theexternalexhibitionsattractnewand nicheaudiences,encouragingnetworking opportunitiesandraisingthegallery’s profilewithinthecreativesector. Throughthisprogrammeofexhibitionswe diversifyandsupportartistic representation;throughshowssuchas UALOriginsCreatives,OliverEnwonwuand WomeninArtFair.
Theexhibitionsgenerateincometo reinvestintotheFBAandthecharity’s initiatives.
""Everyone at Mall Galleries, from technicians, to managers, to the visitor experience team, are dedicated and positive people to work with, providing excellent communication and support throughout."
- UAL Origins Creatives
"Thank you for the terrific support offered us, including hanging, promotion and much more. It's always a pleasure to work with Mall Galleries."
- David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
PRIZES&AWARDS
In2024over£100,000worthofprizes&awardswereawardedtoexhibitingartists,both membersandselected.
Withover100prizesawardedin2024,we’vespokenwithsomeoftheawardwinning artiststolearnabouttheimpacttheawardhashadatanindividuallevel,aswellaswhat ithasmeantfortheirprofessionalcareerdevelopment.
TESTIMONIALS
“Winningtheawardhasimpactedmeandmypractice enormously. Like many artists, I am filled with self-doubt, and to have my work validated by art critics and the public is a huge boost to my confidence.
Creativity and ideas are fragile things that can easily be quashed, butreceivinganawardgivesusconfidenceto spendvaluabletimenourishingourideasandcuriosity. Any praise and recognition has a powerful positive impact, but an award at a national exhibition takes it to another level.”
-Rebecca de Mendonca | Awarded The Yoshimoto Prize by the Pastel Society 2024
“Iamabsolutelydelightedtohearthenews!To exhibitalonewasexcitingenoughbuttowin somethinghasmeabsolutelyoverthemoon!” -LaurenProsser|WinnerMallGalleries/FBAAward
“Iamsuperficially,momentarilyrather overwhelmed.I’vealwaysseenitasasortof ‘goldstandardofexcellenceinportraiture’.I thinkfortheBritishtraditionTheOndaatje PrizehasbeentheonethatI’vereallydearly wanted.IfeelsomesortofcompletionwhichI nevereverthoughtIwould.”
-AndrewJamesRPNEAC|AwardedThe OndaatjePrizeforPortraiture
“[ThePrivateView]wasincredible.Itwas exhilaratingtobeinthecompanyofso manygreatsinthewatercolourworld,and especiallylovelythatJonSnowwasthere. Itwassuchanhonourtoreceivethe SchminckeprizeformyPigmentBank, especiallyasafirsttimeexhibitor.
Thisisthepinnacleofmycreativecareer. Myhopeisthatmypiecewillinspireothers totakeuppaintmaking,enjoyusing naturalsourcestomaketheirowninks andpaintsasIhave.”
-CarolHarvey|AwardedTheSchmincke Prize
“WinningTheWilliamLockPortrait Prize,likeanyawardgiventoan artist,isaboosttoone’sconfidence andareassurancethattheworkhas powertotouchpeople,be meaningful,and,inthiscase,has beenrecognisedtohaveatimeless quality.Importantly,italsoprovides thefinancialsecuritytocontinue workingonthethemesandprojects thatoneiscompelledtopursue.”
-MarkShields|AwardedTheWilliam LockPortraitPrizebytheRoyal SocietyofPortraitPainters2024
OURAUDIENCE
Over60,000
GalleryVisitors
In2024weattractedover60,000visitorstothegalleries,in additionto1,032,264onlinevisits.Wealsoextendedour openinghoursintotheeveningtoencourageabroader demographicofvisitors,particularlyenablingtheworking populationtovisitoutsideofregularworkinghours.
Inadditionweranafullprogrammeofeventsthroughout theyeartoencourageartisticengagementinmanyformsto suittheinterestsofourbroadaudience;frompanel discussionsduringtheRoyalSocietyofPortraitPainters exhibition,toapopupstudioduringthePastelSociety exhibition.In2024weheldover100FBAevents,plus11 eventsduringtheadditionalexhibitions,and4artist-led workshopsforFriendsofMallGalleries. Over1M OnlineVisits
ARTISTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Alongsideourexhibitions,prizesandawardswealsoofferartistsanumberofprofessional developmentopportunitiesincludingbursaries,scholarshipsandresidencies.
Theopportunitiesincludeyear-longmembershipbursariesfromtheHeskethHubbard ArtSociety,theCrinanResidency,andtheNEACArtistScholarships.
SincereceivingthebursaryandattendingFriday’slifedrawingsessions,myartistic practicehasdevelopedimmensely.Eveninjustthefirstfewweeks,Inoticedahuge differenceinmyspeedofcapturingformandlearntagreatdealfromthefellow artistsandlongstandingmembers.Everyoneisverywelcomingandexcitedtoget drawing,thetwohoursflybyeachweek!Iamincrediblygratefultohavehadaccessto suchadiverserangeofmodelsandposes,thishasbroughtmyfigurativedrawingtoa wholenewlevelaheadofmyupcomingMaster’sdegreeatRoyalCollegeofArt.
-AmeliaCross|RecipientoftheHeskethHubbardBursary2024
“Ihadawonderfultime!It'sabeautifulpart oftheUK(andtheworld)andvery inspirationalforanyartistIimagine,but especiallythosewhosepractice incorporateselementsoflandscape,nature, fishing/boatsorancienthistory.Stayingin thehotelwhichisfullofartwork(mostly seascapes)andspeakingtoFrancesand Rossalsoheightenedthewanttodrawand paint.Bothwereverywelcomingand hospitable,aswerethehotelstaff. It'sagreatopportunityforrecent graduates,andalsotosharepractice betweenaremoteregionandLondon.There werealotofspaceswithinthehoteltowork andastudiospacewasalsoprovided.Ialso reallyenjoyedusingtheMichaelHarding watercolourset.” -LucySpringall|Selectedforthe2024Crinan Residency
“Asaself-taught,working-classartist, breakingintotheartworldhasbeena significantchallenge.Thus,the opportunitiesprovidedbyMallGalleries havebeentransformative,offeringmea platformtosharemyworkwithwider audiencesandgainmeaningful recognition.
WinningawardslikeTheHermione HammondDrawingAwardandtheNEAC ArtistScholarshiphasbeenpivotal, enablingmetotransitionintoworkingfrom adedicatedstudiospace.These milestoneshavenotonlybolsteredmy confidencebutalsoexpandedmy professionalnetworkandhaveopened doorstofurtheropportunitiesthatcontinue toshapemycareer.Myexperienceswith theMallGallerieshavetrulybeen instrumentalinkickstartingmyart career.”
-RizzaZahid|NEACScholar
ART CONSULTANCY
ArtConsultancy
Asacharitydedicatedtosupporting emergingartists,westrategicallycurate portfoliosofimpactfulartworksforprivate collectionsandcommercialclients,whilst atthesametimeprovidingopportunities forartistsintheearlystagesoftheir careers.In2024weplaced35worksfor12 youngartists.
CommissionService
Thecommissionswingofourconsultancy departmenthassecured20Portrait commissions,and11FineArt commissionsin2024.
SUSTAINABILITY
AtMallGalleries,wearecommittedto reducingourenvironmentalimpactand fosteringsustainablepractices.Aspartof thiscommitment,wehavejoined WestminsterCityCouncil'sSustainable CityCharter,aligningourselveswith borough-widegoalstocreateagreener, moresustainablecity.
Oneofthekeychallengeswefaceisthe environmentalimpactofpackagingused inarttransportation.Toaddressthis,we areactivelyworkingtoeducateboth couriersandartistsonthebenefitsof reusingpackagingmaterialsand highlightingthemoresustainableoptions whicharenowavailable.Thisisacrucial steptowardreducingwasteandpromoting long-termchangewithinourcommunity.
