OVER 10,000 people have visited a Bradford gallery since it opened a permanent exhibition of David Hockney’s work last month.

The David Hockney Gallery opened in Cartwright Hall on July 7, coinciding with the Bradford-born artist’s 80th birthday.

Since then, visitor numbers to the Lister Park gallery have surged. This week the number of people visiting to see the specialist Hockney Gallery reached 10,039 - 2.5 times the normal number Cartwright Hall would experience at this time of year.

The artist, who was born in the city and now lives in Los Angeles, is considered by many to be the best living painter in the world. Although his work has been displayed as part of exhibitions in the city, and a permanent collection of his work is found in Salts Mill at Saltaire, this is the first dedicated gallery to the artist’s work and history to open in Bradford.

It features famous pieces, and some lesser seen works, as well as notebooks and albums looking at his past and even a section highlighting his iconic look.

The opening weekend saw a birthday party in Lister Park by local arts group the Brick Box, featuring actors, giant puppets and musicians, attracting over 3,000 visitors. A video of the event has been created and mailed to Hockney in California.

Jill Iredale, curator of the Hockney Gallery, said: “We had our usual monthly visitor figures in the first three days since July 7.

“The response has been quite overwhelming. Visitors regularly praise the gallery and comment on the fact it is a more intimate look at Hockney and his work and that it is fitting for Bradford. It is great to see so many people in the gallery enjoying it.

“People are also spending more in our shop which means more to help with the upkeep of the gallery.”

The gallery is in the process of trying to set a world record by collecting as many names on an 80th birthday card for the artist. The card was made by Hallmark Cards, and 22,000 signatures are needed to break the world record. There will be a special signing event at Cartwright Hall today from 10am to 4pm, or sign online at goo.gl/HFiD92