Since the company began we have been providing art to a wide variety of companies and public bodies. Our experience is second to none as is shown by our CLIENT LIST.
We are Britain’s most established business art consultancy. We began to provide art to businesses in 1978 as part of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
For the full story we need to go back a bit further. During the 1960’s John Hutchings joined the Curwen Press as a Financial Advisor, and later he became the Chairman. At that time the Curwen Press included the Curwen Gallery and Print Studio.
In the early 80’s the Curwen Press was being taken over by a larger company and foreseeing the closure of the Gallery and Print Studio, John and Jill Hutchings purchased both companies.
In 1978 Stephen Reiss, also of Curwen, together with John made a proposal to Sir Hugh Casson, then President of The Royal Academy, to form a new company that would concentrate on providing art for business. The company was formed on a 50/50 basis by the RA and Curwen, and was to be housed in the Upstairs Gallery at the RA (now renovated as the Sackler Galleries). It was in fact the first business of its kind in London.
During 1987, as the Sackler Galleries were being built in the RA, Business Art Galleries became an independent company and relocated to 34 Windmill Street, establishing The New Academy Gallery as it’s permanent home. This move brought BAG into the same street as the Curwen Gallery (based at No.4), aiding the working relationship between the companies.
At the beginning of 2005 the Curwen Gallery and The New Academy Gallery were all brought under one roof at No.34. It was at this time that we commissioned the unicorn symbol by Brendan Hansbro, a design inspired by an original Curwen unicorn woodcut by Eric Gill. The two unicorns symbolise the coming together of the two companies.
