ONE of York's most respected art institutions is to leave the city.

Impressions Gallery has announced it is to up sticks and move at the end of October - after 33 years of exhibitions in the Minster city.

The organisation today said it wanted to move to larger premises so it could resolve its "long-standing problem of limited physical access".

It said the Grade II listed nature of its current home at Castlegate meant it had been impossible to resolve those issues.

The Board of Trustees revealed it had looked at moving to other York buildings, but had decided instead to "actively pursue moving to another location in Yorkshire which can better serve the gallery's ambitions".

Chairman Darryn Hedges said: "For Impressions, this move is the next step in support of our artistic ambition to be the UK's leading contemporary photographic gallery."

The gallery said it could not yet reveal the location of its new centre, as negotiations were still under way. But it did confirm that the York gallery would close its doors to the public on Saturday, October 29.

It expected an announcement to be made on its new home in early autumn and said it would be business as usual in York.

The move has the support of Arts Council England, which is Impressions' main source of cash. The council's executive director, Andy Carver, said: "Impressions is an important part of the landscape for photography and media arts, nationally as well as regionally.

"The Arts Council fully supports Impressions' proposal to relocate within Yorkshire. We are optimistic that the move will provide exciting opportunities for improved exhibition and education facilities, along with a more secure future for the organisation."

Anne McNeill, Impressions director, said: "We have played an active role in the cultural life of York since 1972, helping to shape it into a dynamic, modern and cosmopolitan city.

"We are very sad to be leaving the people of York, but hope they and all our visitors will continue to support the gallery through this very exciting phase in our development."

Best in photography since 1972

Impressions Gallery opened in 1972 as one of the first specialist contemporary photography galleries in Europe - first being housed in a modern room above a shop.

It has moved twice more during its 33-year history, ending its association with the city in a Grade II listed building in Castlegate.

It established itself as a leading international exhibition space for photography and art and has presented 373 exhibitions, showing the work of 607 artists. These included highly influential photographers, including a retrospective of the work of world-famous society portraitist Cecil Beaton.

The gallery has gained a reputation of exhibiting young people and emerging artists, allowing them a "first rung up the ladder".

In the last five years, the gallery and its partners have made possible 30 major new artworks. The gallery attracted about 50,000 people a year.

Updated: 08:44 Monday, August 22, 2005