REPORT 



OF THE 



CORPORATION ART GALLERY COMMITTEE 



For the Year ending September 2gtk, 1886. 



*T^HE Art Gallery Committee, in presenting their Annual Report, are glad 

 to be able to state that the public appreciation of the Gallery shows no 

 diminution. The rooms have been open during the past year 283 days. On 

 the 235 days on which visitors were admitted by payment 16906 entered, 

 while 1 21 20 passed the turnstiles on the 48 free days, making the total 

 number of visitors 28326. The weekly free day has been imposed on the 

 Committee by the authorities at South Kensington, who make it a condition 

 wherever they grant loans of art objects, that on at least one day in the week 

 they shall be open to all without fee. This regulation, in the opinion of the 

 Committee a very wise one, and the large extent to which the inhabitants 

 avail themselves of it, seem to point out clearly the way in which this and 

 kindred institutions may become most popular and most useful, and your 

 Committee would be very glad if financial considerations permitted the exten- 

 sion of the privilege of free admission. 



The Committee regret very much that they have to come to the Council 

 for a somewhat larger sum this year, but the reasons are not far to seek. 

 Extensive repairs to the roof have had to be undertaken, and various new 

 fittings have been supplied, which have increased the Fittings and Repairs 

 Account some ^50 ; the defalcations of the late Curator were about ^35, 

 and the revenue, owing partly to the introduction of the weekly free day, and 

 partly to the decrease in the picture sales, which is undoubtedly owing to the 

 depression in trade, shows a diminution of £26. The Committee believe 

 that the year just commenced will show some important reductions in expen- 

 diture, and they think that with careful management and better times, that 

 next year's balance sheet will show considerable improvement. They cannot 

 hold out any hope of the Art Gallery becoming self supporting, but they think 

 that the comparatively small sums which may from time to time be required 



