Sculpture at Goodwood

A gallery of contemporary sculpture set in the Sussex landscape

Sculpture at Goodwood, also known as the Cass Sculpture Foundation (now operating as the Cass Foundation), is an outdoor gallery set within a woodland clearing on the Goodwood estate. The gallery displays large-scale contemporary sculptures in a natural setting that allows visitors to encounter the work in the open air, surrounded by trees, paths and the sounds of the Sussex countryside.

The foundation was established by Wilfred and Jeannette Cass in 1994, with the aim of commissioning and exhibiting monumental sculpture that might not otherwise find a public audience. The woodland site at Goodwood, approximately twenty-six acres in extent, provided the perfect setting: large enough to accommodate works of significant scale, beautiful enough to enhance the experience of viewing them, and close enough to London and the south coast to attract a substantial audience.

The collection changes regularly as new works are commissioned and existing pieces are sold. This rolling programme means that repeat visits reveal new works and new perspectives, and the gallery has a dynamism that permanent sculpture parks sometimes lack. The works on display at any given time range from figurative to abstract, from steel and bronze to stone and wood, and the quality of the artists represented is consistently high. Tony Cragg, Antony Gormley, Eduardo Paolozzi, Lynn Chadwick and many other significant sculptors have had work displayed at Goodwood.

The setting is integral to the experience. The sculptures are placed along winding paths through the woodland, and visitors encounter them as they walk, sometimes suddenly and sometimes gradually as a large work reveals itself through the trees. The interplay between the man-made forms of the sculpture and the natural forms of the trees, the light and the terrain creates a viewing experience that is qualitatively different from seeing the same works in a gallery or museum. Scale, in particular, is experienced differently outdoors: a three-metre steel sculpture that might dominate a gallery room becomes part of a larger landscape when placed among mature beech trees.

The foundation has an educational programme that includes talks, workshops and events for schools and community groups. The accessibility of the outdoor setting makes it a welcoming environment for people who might not normally visit an art gallery, and the combination of walking and viewing appeals to those who want their cultural experiences to include fresh air and exercise.

Visiting Sculpture at Goodwood is straightforward. The gallery is open during daylight hours for much of the year, and admission is charged. The paths are generally accessible, though the woodland terrain means that some routes are unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Dogs are welcome on leads. A small visitor centre provides information, refreshments and a selection of publications about the artists and works on display.

For visitors to the Goodwood estate, Sculpture at Goodwood provides a cultural complement to the sporting activities that dominate the calendar. The quiet contemplation of contemporary art in a natural setting is a different experience from the noise and excitement of the motor circuit or the racecourse, and the combination of the two within a single estate is one of the things that makes Goodwood distinctive.