Often described as the jewel in the crown of Bradford’s art venues, Cartwright Hall pulls in more than 85,000 visitors every year.

Over the past 24 months, the Grade II-listed building in Lister Park has undergone a major revamp followed by vital repairs. The latter necessitated a temporary, yet lengthy, closure of the attraction, but it is now open again to welcome people to its many attractions.

Staff are hoping for a “noticeable” increase in visitor numbers in 2011 with a lively programme of contemporary exhibitions and events.

“We are really pleased with the results, and the way in which the work was carried out,” says Maggie Pedley, Bradford Council’s manager of museums and galleries. “It is reassuring to know that the recent round of work has secured the building for longer into the future.

“We are doing a lot of work this year to increase our audiences and our collections.” Also on the cards for the future is the opening of a cafe in the building, which has not had such a facility since 2004. “Nowadays, most museums and galleries have one – it is an important part of an attraction,” says Maggie.

A ceiling collapse in 2009 forced the hall to shut its doors for specialist repairs to the Victorian plasterwork.

The flagship attraction closed in August 2009 and reopened in June last year. Closing for that length of time came as a blow, but was necessary.

“Plaster was crumbling in the basement and was in need of attention,” says Molly Kenyon, chairman of the Friends of Bradford Art Galleries and Museums. “We needed to make safe plaster that was more than a century old.”

The specialist work, carried out in the basement and on the ground floor, generated a great deal of dust, so it was necessary to make the art collection safe. This was achieved by use of a special plastic canopy across the balcony, protecting the upper level.

“We are extremely happy with the work, and I would like to pay tribute to the staff who have worked throughout this challenging time,” says Molly. “Some had to be relocated and those remaining had to take everything out of the stores and secure it elsewhere. It was a colossal undertaking.”

Adds Maggie: “It has been difficult managing such significant repairs. The staff have worked very hard. Since we reopened in June, the audiences are back and we are looking forward to a busy year.”

In 2009, Cartwright Hall celebrated a £2 million revamp of its galleries, heralding its new look by putting on displays of work by such iconic artists as David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol and L S Lowry.

The Heritage Lottery gave half the money for the project, called Connect, and the other £1 million was made up of contributions from organisations including Bradford Council, Arts Council England and the Friends of Bradford Art Galleries and Museums.

Present attractions include Anish Kapoor’s Turning The World Inside Out, exhibited in the sculpture court.

This dramatic piece of art – part of the gallery’s permanent collection – is due to go on loan from February 20, for a year-long tour, but can be seen until then.

The popular Bradford Open exhibition, takes place from March 12 to June 5, a showcase of the district’s artistic talent.

Maggie adds: “The next big event here is a David Hockney painting, Bigger Trees Near Warter, which is going on display as part of a project supported by the Tate, which is loaning works from its collection to significant museums.”

The painting, which measures 40ft by 15ft, is made up of 50 smaller canvasses of a landscape near the East Yorkshire village of Warter. “It will be spectacular,” says Maggie, “It will be great to have it here.”

Adrian Manning, trustee and link volunteer with the Friends of Bradford Art Galleries and Museums, says: “We are very pleased with the work that has been carried out. It is aesthetically pleasing.”

Despite concerns over the current economic climate, he is optimistic about the future of the gallery, which is “as much about the commitment and enthusiasm of staff as the collections.”