The Trust and its supporters
The Sidney Cooper Arts Trust was formed in November 2025 (Charity Commission Number xxxxxx).
A new Arts Trust
for Canterbury
Welcome to the Sidney Cooper Arts Trust, established in 2025 to celebrate the work of and life of Canterbury-born artist Thomas Sidney Cooper, who rose from poverty to become one of the foremost landscape artists of the Victorian period and a committed philanthropist in the city of his birth.
In 1868, Cooper founded the Sidney Cooper School of Art in the city centre to help young artists have the start in life that he did not, which he gifted to the city in 1882 and which continued as an art school on that site for over 100 years.
The Trust’s plans include funding arts projects that help young aspiring artists and supporting community arts programmes. A central ambition of the Trust is the regeneration of the historic Sidney Cooper School of Art building, currently closed, into a community arts centre.
A NEW Arts Centre for Canterbury
What could a new arts centre look like? And what could it offer?
Our new book, talks, plaques and archives
Find out about some of the other activities of the Sidney Cooper Arts Trust.
About Sidney Cooper, the artist
From poverty to being a famous landscape painter who gave back to Canterbury.
History of the building and art school
One of the first public art schools in the country, given to the city in 1882.
We’d like to hear from you
Contact us here for more information on the Sidney Cooper Arts Trust or to give us your views on the new art centre.
