Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is the leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture. Welcoming 380,000 visits in 2022, YSP is an independent charitable trust and registered museum situated in the 500-acre, 18th-century Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire. YSP was awarded the Culture Award and Visitor Attraction of the Year at the 2023 Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards.

Founded in 1977 by Sir Peter Murray CBE and since 2022 led by Clare Lilley, YSP is the largest sculpture park of its kind in Europe. It is the only place in Europe to see Barbara Hepworth’s The Family of Man in its entirety, alongside a significant collection of sculpture, including bronzes by Henry Moore, important pieces by Phyllida Barlow, Roger Hiorns, Damien Hirst, Studio Morison, Hemali Bhuta and Ai Weiwei, and site-related works by Katrina Palmer, Andy Goldsworthy, Alfredo Jaar, David Nash, Sean Scully and James Turrell.

YSP mounts a year-round temporary exhibitions programme including some of the world’s leading artists across six indoor galleries and the open air. Recent highlights include exhibitions by Fiona Banner, Anthony Caro, Tony Cragg, Robert Indiana, Amar Kanwar, KAWS, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Annie Morris, Giuseppe Penone, Jaume Plensa, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Sean Scully, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Chiharu Shiota, David Smith, Joana Vasconcelos, and Bill Viola.

Across its 45-year history, YSP has worked with over 1,000 artists from more than 40 countries, on varied projects from short-term residencies to major surveys. YSP supports artists at vital stages in their careers and is rare in having the accommodation, workshops and expertise to enable open-ended and risk-taking practice, giving artists space, time and support to think and to develop new ideas.

Over this time, YSP has sought to ignite, nurture and sustain interest in and debate around contemporary art and sculpture, especially with those for whom art participation is not habitual or familiar. It enables open access to art, situations and ideas, and continues to re-evaluate and expand the approach to considering art’s role and relevance in society. Supporting 40,000 people each year through YSP’s learning programme, this innovative work develops ability, confidence and life aspiration in participants.

YSP’s core work is made possible by investment from Arts Council England, Wakefield Council, the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and Sakurako and William Fisher through the Sakana Foundation. YSP was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2014 and awarded VisitEngland’s gold accolade in 2021-22 for an outstanding visitor attraction.

Did you know that Yorkshire Sculpture Park shares its internationally-sought expertise in a range of specialisms including artwork commissioning for public or private contexts, production and technical. Please contact Associate Director helen.pheby@ysp.org.uk for an informal conversation if of interest.

Our purpose

YSP’s driving purpose for 45 years has been to ignite, nurture and sustain interest in and debate around contemporary art and sculpture, especially with those for whom art participation is not habitual or familiar. It enables open access to art, situations and ideas, and continues to re-evaluate and expand the approach to considering art’s role and relevance in society. Supporting 45,000 people each year through YSP’s learning programme, this innovative work develops ability, confidence and life aspiration in participants.

YSP's core work is made possible by investment from Arts Council England, Wakefield Council, Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and Sakurako and William Fisher through the Sakana Foundation.

Executive Team

Clare Lilley – Director
Kevin Rodd – Deputy Director
Kirsty Fountain – Executive Coordinator
Jules Barnett – Executive Office Assistant

Senior Leadership Team

Mark Chesman – Head of Estates
Joe Penney – Associate Director, Commercial and Operations
Helen Pheby – Associate Director, Programme
Kirsty Young – Head of Marketing and PR
Lucy Sherliker – HR Manager
Patrick Devine – Head of Finance

Trustees

Simon Armitage CBE
Peter Clegg (Chair and member of People and Governance committee)
John Foster (Chair, Finance and General Purposes committee)
Carolyn Lord
Merran McRae (People and Governance committee)
Alan Milburn
Rupert Nabarro
Maria De Peverelli
Saad Qureshi
Sue Stuart Smith (Safeguarding Trustee)
Richard Watts (People and Governance committee)
Magnus von Wistinghausen

Awards

2023 Yorkshire Post Tourism Award, Tourism Attraction of the Year and Culture Award
2023 Visit England Gold Award
2023 Museums and Heritage Awards shortlist, Café or Restaurant of the Year (The Weston)
2022 Museums and Heritage Awards, Shop of the Year (Highly Commended)
2019 RIBA Stirling Prize shortlist (The Weston)
2019 25th Birthday National Lottery Awards, Best Art, Culture and film category finalist
2019 Welcome to Yorkshire, White Rose Awards, Large Attraction of the Year finalist
2019 RIBA National Award (The Weston)
2019 RIBA Yorkshire Award, RIBA Yorkshire Building of the Year, and RIBA Yorkshire Client of the Year (The Weston)
2018 Days Out with the Kids Awards, Best Free Family Day Out and Best Day Out for Under 5s finalist
2018 Fantastic for Families Awards, Best Family Event finalist (Hidden Forest Open Days)
2018 Welcome to Yorkshire, White Rose Awards, Arts & Culture category finalist
2016 Welcome to Yorkshire, White Rose Awards, Large Attraction of the Year
2014 Art Fund Museum of the Year
2014 RIBA National Award and RIBA Yorkshire Award (Seizure Gallery by Adam Khan Architects)
2013 Yorkshire's Most Magnificent Attraction (public vote)
2013 Northern Design Awards Best Independent Retailer (YSP Shop)
2012 Northern Design Awards Best Independent Retailer (YSP Shop)
2012 Critics' Circle Award (Peter Murray CBE)
2011 Ramon Llull Award for Creative Arts (Peter Murray CBE)
2011 Yorkshire's Most Magnificent Attraction (public vote)
2011 Welcome to Yorkshire, White Rose Awards, Business Tourism Award
2010 Yorkshire Business Insider Awards, Unique Venue of the Year and Team of the Year
2008 South Bank Show Awards, Visual Arts Award (Andy Goldsworthy at YSP)
2006 RIBA White Rose Award – Sports and Leisure Category and RIBA National Award (Underground Gallery)
2006 Civic Trust Award (Underground Gallery)
2004 Civic Trust Awards (YSP Centre)
2003 RIBA Award and RIBA White Rose Award for Best Building in Yorkshire (Underground Gallery)
2003 RIBA Awards (YSP Centre)
2003 RIBA Yorkshire White Rose Awards (YSP Centre)