History of the Institute

The Henry Moore Foundation registered as a company/charity.

The Henry Moore Foundation began operations.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park founded under directorship of Peter Murray.

The Henry Moore Foundation announced plans for the establishment of the Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture in Leeds City Art Gallery.

Henry Moore laid foundation stone in Leeds.

The Henry Moore Foundation Trustees signed an agreement with Leeds City Council which led to the creation of the Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture within Leeds City Art Gallery, its aim being to further the study and appreciation of fine arts, primarily sculpture.

The first Head of the Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture was also Principal Keeper of Leeds City Art Gallery, Terry Friedman .

The Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture fostered the development of the study of sculpture by developing a library, archive, sculpture acquisitions and exhibitions with funding provided by The Henry Moore Foundation.

The Moore Sculpture Gallery within Leeds City Art Gallery was opened by the Queen on 26 November.

In February, The Henry Moore Foundation established the Henry Moore Sculpture Trust, housed in a small room within the basement of Leeds City Art Gallery, to be the ‘public face’ of the Foundation.

Robert Hopper was appointed Director of this new Henry Moore Foundation affiliate.

Alan Bowness appointed Director of The Henry Moore Foundation.

The Henry Moore Studio in Dean Clough inaugurated, opened 24 October by Prince of Wales. This was the principal arena for the work of the Henry Moore Sculpture Trust with contemporary artists. The first exhibition was Richard Long, High Tide to High Tide.

MA in Sculpture Studies set up at Leeds University under the directorship of Benedict Read, funding provided by The Henry Moore Foundation.

The Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture – then four staff: Head, Librarian, Research Assistant and Administrative Assistant – moved into the Henry Moore Institute, a conversion by Jeremy Dixon/Edward Jones of three former Victorian wool  merchants’ houses on a site next to Leeds City Art Gallery, connected to the Art Gallery by a bridge link.

The Henry Moore Institute opened on 22 April by Lord Goodman, Chair of The Henry Moore Foundation Trustees.

Exhibitions programmed to announce arrival of the Sculpture Trust:

–  Romanesque: Stone Sculpture from Medieval England at the Henry Moore Institute
–  Ulrich Rückriem at Kirkstall Abbey
–  Lawrence Weiner at the Henry Moore Studio, Dean Clough, Halifax

Penelope Curtis succeeded Terry Friedman as Head of the Henry Moore Institute at the end of 1993.

Initiation of the Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture Research Programme, with the introduction of Wednesday evening talks, study shows and an essay series.

Tim Llewellyn appointed Director of The Henry Moore Foundation.

Research Programme had expanded to include annual fellowships, symposia, international conferences and a monthly newsletter.

First Archivist appointed.

First issue of The Henry Moore Foundation Review printed (Autumn 1995).

Remodelling of parts of the Institute by Dixon Jones, including provision of additional shelf space for books, improved facilities for housing and studying archives, slides and videos, better circulation in the library and more convenient offices.

The Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture was absorbed more fully into the structure of the Institute in effectively taking on its exhibitions role.

The Henry Moore Foundation and the Henry Moore Sculpture Trust amalgamated under the Foundation’s name, the current trustees of both combining as a single board. The Henry Moore Sculpture Trust thus disappeared, but the programme expanded under Robert Hopper as Head of Henry Moore Foundation External Programmes, based at the Institute.

The Henry Moore Centre for the Study of Sculpture’s activities were renamed Henry Moore Institute Programmes. Head of Programmes, Penelope Curtis, was made Curator of the Institute, and transferred from Leeds City Council to The Henry Moore Foundation employ, but continued to have responsibility for the Leeds Sculpture Collection.

Leeds City Council took over employment of the Archivist and Sculpture Technician.

The Research Assistant (now Assistant Curator) and Administrative Assistant continued within the City’s employ to work for the good of the City’s sculpture collections from the premises of the Institute, with monies provided by the Foundation.

The Henry Moore Institute team expanded to include a second Research Coordinator and a Slide Librarian.

Robert Hopper died at the end of 1999.

Henry Moore Foundation Contemporary Projects set up, headed by David Thorp.

Henry Moore Foundation Contemporary Projects finishes activities.

Tim Llewellyn retired as Director of The Henry Moore Foundation in May, with Richard Calvocoressi taking over the position in June.

Penelope Curtis left the Henry Moore Institute in February to become Director of Tate Britain.

Lisa Le Feuvre appointed as the new Head of Sculpture Studies in May.

Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle formed, linking the Henry Moore Institute with Leeds Art Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the Hepworth, Wakefield.

Godfrey Worsdale appointed as Director of The Henry Moore Foundation in July, taking over from Richard Calvocoressi.

Lisa Le Feuvre leaves to become the Executive Director of the Holt-Smithson Foundation.

Laurence Sillars joins the organisation from BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in October, becoming the new Head of the Henry Moore Institute.

Along with Leeds Art Gallery, The Hepworth Wakefield and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Henry Moore Institute is a host venue for Yorkshire Sculpture International, a festival of sculpture, taking place across Leeds and Wakefield for 100 days over the summer.