Arthur Berry Spotlight: Can you help us find lost Masterpieces?

Happy Birthday to us! As lots of you probably already know by now, 2025 is a massive year for Stoke-on-Trent as we celebrate 100 years since being granted city status. But that’s not all – it’s also the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of our most iconic cultural heroes, the one and only Arthur Berry.

As we continue to mark this incredible double centenary, we're launching an "art call out" and we need your help.

The Search for 'Lost' Berry Masterpieces

As part of the year-long Arthur Berry 100 celebrations, we are on a mission to find many of Berry’s ‘lost’ artworks.

Thanks to the wonderful support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Arthur Berry 100 programme has been busy sharing the artist's legacy through exhibitions, workshops, performances and film screenings throughout the city.
Building upon this wonderful programme, we are creating, in collaboration with the Arthur Berry Trust, a new digital archive so future generations can appreciate his work.

But during the process, we've realised something – there are quite a few significant pieces out there in private ownership that we've lost track of over the years, and that’s where you come in.

What Are We Looking For?

We are asking anyone who owns an Arthur Berry artwork to come forward. We're especially keen to see pieces that were sold or gifted before 2012, with a special focus on anything he created before 1985.

How do we know they're missing?

Well, back in 1984, the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery held a huge exhibition of 113 of his works. Today, we only know where a small number of them are. Clues from an old exhibition booklet and slides found in Berry’s studio suggest that masterpieces like Asbestos Garage, the still life Apples and Mugs, and The Lovers are waiting to be rediscovered. Could one of them be yours?

Here is what our Gallery Director, Amanda, has to say about the project:

“The discovery of any ‘lost’ artworks would be hugely significant. Having grown up alongside Stoke-on-Trent, Berry’s work across painting, poetry, plays and beyond has traced the changing face of the city across a century of its life. His art stands as a vital chronicle of working-class experience, and uncovering further pieces will broaden our insight into his practice and strengthen his legacy.”

I Think I Have a Berry- What Should I Do?

If you have a painting by Arthur Berry, we would be thrilled to hear from you! Here’s what to do:

1. Get in Touch: Contact Amanda to make an appointment.

2. Bring It In: During October and November 2025, you can bring your painting to the gallery.

3. We'll Do the Rest: We will carefully unframe your work, professionally photograph it, and then reframe it for you.

In return for your help, your artwork will be officially recorded in the Arthur Berry catalogue raisonné (the official list of all his known works), and you’ll receive a certificate of authentication.

By taking part, you’ll be helping to preserve a vital piece of Stoke-on-Trent's creative history and ensure Arthurs incredible contribution to our culture is never forgotten.

Contact Us:

Think you can help in our search? Please contact Amanda using the details below:

• Email: shop@barewall.co.uk

• Phone: 07932 717718