Barbara Hepworth appeal reaches its funding target
19 Aug 2025
The Hepworth Wakefield and Art Fund are delighted to announce that their public appeal to raise £3.8m to save Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red for the nation has successfully reached its target.
An outpouring of support and over 2,800 donations from members of the public means this outstanding sculpture by a titan of modern British art can now be acquired as part of the UK’s national collection and go on permanent public display at The Hepworth Wakefield, in Hepworth’s hometown of Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Alongside public donations the success of the appeal has been made possible with several major grants – including £1.89m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, an exceptional grant of £750,000 from Art Fund, and further impactful support from the Deborah Loeb Brice Foundation, The Forster Foundation, The Garcia Family Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Headley Trust, the Hepworth family, The Henry Moore Foundation, The Julia Rausing Trust and many other generous individuals, foundations and trusts.
The success of the appeal will enable The Hepworth Wakefield to tell the full story of Barbara Hepworth’s career and pioneering creativity, enabling communities, schools, students and culture enthusiasts from across the UK and beyond to enjoy the sculpture for generations to come. Once the acquisition is made, the sculpture will go on permanent public display for the first time since its creation. The gallery will celebrate the sculpture’s arrival in Wakefield with a dedicated display telling the story of this remarkable work.
Created under astonishing circumstances during the Second World War, Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red (1943) marks a breakthrough in Hepworth’s career; it is one of only a handful of wooden carvings made by Hepworth during the 1940s, and one of the first major wood carvings she made using strings. In private ownership and rarely seen by the public, the sculpture was deemed a national treasure and too important to leave the UK. It was placed under a temporary export bar by the UK Government to prevent it from being lost overseas and give a UK museum the chance to acquire it for everyone to enjoy.
Thank you.
“Barbara Hepworth often talked about her need to be part of a community and its proactive development. We think she would have been delighted that so many people have come together to enable her work to be part of a public art collection which can be experienced and enjoyed by so many. We are enormously grateful for the generosity people have shown in helping us to bring this extremely rare and important work to Wakefield, the UK’s capital of sculpture.” Olivia Colling, Interim Director & CEO, The Hepworth Wakefield
“Art Fund is proud to have led this urgent campaign with The Hepworth Wakefield, rallying public and philanthropic support to keep the sculpture in the UK in a public museum. It follows a long history of successful Art Fund appeals – from The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I to Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage and Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai – each made possible by the collective belief that art should be for everyone. We’re deeply grateful to the many individuals and funders whose generosity made this possible – including our National Art Pass members, whose support enabled us to commit an exceptional grant of £750,000. Once acquired the sculpture will now take its rightful place on permanent display in Wakefield, Hepworth’s birthplace, where it will inspire visitors for generations to come.” Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund
“We are thrilled to have played a role in this phenomenal campaign by supporting The Hepworth Wakefield’s successful fundraising towards the acquisition of Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red with a grant of £1.89m, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. Given the widespread public support to save this incredible artwork, it is fitting that once acquired the sculpture will take pride of place in the fantastic civic gallery in Barbara Hepworth’s hometown of Wakefield.” Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund
“We are delighted to be part of a group of donors helping to save this remarkable Hepworth sculpture for the nation. Supporting the arts was an important part of Julia Rausing’s giving and this acquisition will ensure Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture can be admired by the public and local communities for many years to come.” Anne Dodwell, Programme Director – Arts and Heritage at The Julia Rausing Trust
“Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red is a testament to the undaunted spirit of a great artist and to her steadfast belief in an anticipated future. The Hepworth Wakefield is the right home for it, and I’m overjoyed that it will now be held in a public collection in the UK for the benefit of all our and our descendants’ futures.” Richard Deacon, Artist and Art Fund trustee
“As the birthplace of Barbara Hepworth, our district already has an amazing heritage of sculpture. So, we’re really pleased that The Hepworth Wakefield has successfully raised the funds to secure this wonderful and important sculpture, which once acquired will go on permanent public display for our residents and visitors to enjoy. And I can’t wait to see if for myself.” Cllr Hannah Appleyard, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport
