Miners Gala art work could be yours for £2,000-4,000 at auction
A rare chance to buy a piece of pit history - and help to keep the Durham Miners Gala going - is up for grabs at auction.
Artwork called We Are Still Here! will be sold by Newcastle auctioneers Anderson & Garland on Wednesday, September 24.
Supporting the future of the Miners Gala
The piece is an original oil on plywood by Bob and Roberta Smith. It was created for the 2025 Durham Miners’ Gala and was offered for auction on behalf of The Friends of the Gala.
Experts put the auction estimate at £2,000 to £4,000, and they say the work ‘supports the long-term future of this historic event’.
Harry Pickup, auctioneer at Anderson and Garland, said: “We are thrilled to offer Bob and Roberta Smith’s original work for the Durham Miners’ Gala. Every pound raised will help keep the banners flying and the spirit of the Gala alive for years to come.”
Resilience and solidarity
Patrick Brill, known professionally as Bob and Roberta Smith, is a leading British artist. Renowned for his iconic slogan-based artwork, his best-known pieces include Make Art Not War (1997), now held in the Tate collection.
The We Are Still Here! artwork celebrates the resilience and solidarity of the Durham Coalfield communities keeping traditions alive.
Another highlight of the sale is the consignment of three important paintings by Sheila Fell, one of Britain’s most distinctive post war landscape artists.
Fresh to the market from a private collection, the works are offered with estimates of £10,000 to £15,000 for two smaller canvases (Farmland near Aspatria and Allonby) and £20,000 to £30,000 for a larger work titled Haycart towards Evening.
Viewing will be available on Friday, September 19, and Monday, September 22, both from 10am to 3pm at Anderson House, Newcastle.
For more details visit www.andersonandgarland.com