Goodwood Art Foundation

The Goodwood Art Foundation is a contemporary art gallery and non-profit institution located on the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England. Established in 2025 by Charles Gordon-Lennox, the 11th Duke of Richmond, the foundation occupies a 70-acre landscape site and aims to present leading international contemporary art across indoor and outdoor settings. It represents a significant new destination for contemporary art in the United Kingdom, combining exhibition programming with environmental design and educational outreach.

The foundation was launched in May 2025 by the Duke of Richmond, building upon the legacy of the Cass Sculpture Foundation, which had occupied the same site from 1992 until its closure in 2020. Wilfred and Jeanette Cass had established the original sculpture foundation in 1992; following Wilfred Cass's death in 2022, the land reverted to the Goodwood Estate. The Duke of Richmond expanded the original approximately 20-acre site to 70 acres, commissioning landscape designer Dan Pearson to create a naturalistic setting with wildflower meadow, cherry grove, and newly planted woodland designed to offer what the foundation describes as 24 seasonal moments throughout the year. The two existing indoor galleries, originally designed by Studio Downie Architects, were restored and upgraded to museum-grade standards, while a new building was constructed to house an onsite café. The curatorial team includes Ann Gallagher, former director of collections in British art at Tate, as international curator, and Sally Bacon as head of the learning programme.

The foundation's stated aim is to show the "best contemporary art in the world, in all media." Its programming combines headline exhibitions by leading contemporary artists with a dispersed collection of works situated throughout the landscape and within the galleries. The curatorial approach emphasises artists whose practice has an affinity with the natural environment or with Goodwood's history, with works sited to be encountered organically during exploration of the grounds. The programme encompasses sculpture, installation, photography, film, earthworks, ceramics, tapestry, and large-scale outdoor installations. Featured artists in the foundation's early programming have included Nancy Holt, Eva Rothschild, Yayoi Kusama, and Lee Ufan. The learning programme targets young people, with particular attention to those excluded from mainstream education, and includes provision of transport for school visits.

The foundation's inaugural exhibition in 2025 was an installation by British sculptor Rachel Whiteread, comprising both sculptural works and a rarely seen collection of her photography. American land artist Nancy Holt was the subject of the first major UK presentation of her work, including early concrete poetry, photography, film, and two landmark installations: Hydra's Head, a series of water-filled pools, and Sun Tunnels-related works. Irish sculptor Eva Rothschild, known for what she terms "magic minimalism," was presented across the Pigott Gallery and the landscape, including two new tapestries woven at West Dean's Tapestry Studio. Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica's Magic Square #3, his first Magic Square to be constructed in Europe, was installed in a woodland glade. Other artists with works displayed at the foundation include Isamu Noguchi, Veronica Ryan, and Rose Wylie. New York artist Amie Siegel's 2022 film installation Bloodlines, tracing the works of George Stubbs, was shown in the Pavilion Gallery.

The foundation is situated on the Goodwood Estate, an 11,000-acre property that has been in the Duke of Richmond's family for 300 years, having been granted by King Charles II to his illegitimate son, the first Duke of Richmond and Lennox. The art foundation site specifically encompasses 70 acres of landscaped grounds featuring wooded glades, ancient woodland, wildflower meadows, cherry grove, and newly planted woodland. Landscape designer Dan Pearson masterminded the planting in tandem with the curatorial programme, creating a subtly shifting environment intended to throw new light on the collection as seasons change. The two indoor galleries were refurbished by their original designers, Studio Downie Architects, and upgraded to museum-grade exhibition spaces. Harper's Bazaar and other sources have noted the integration of art with this naturalistic South Downs landscape.

The Goodwood Art Foundation is located on the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England. It is owned by the Duke of Richmond and operates as a non-profit foundation. The estate welcomes over a million visitors annually across its various attractions, which include the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival. The art foundation's website provides information about current programming, and the institution is registered as Goodwood Art Foundation CIC at Companies House.