Cambridge ArtSpace CIO is a UK registered arts charity with the mission of supporting and promoting contemporary art and artists, regionally and beyond. Our charity number is 1205974.

 

 

We are based at 5-7 Portugal Place: an iconic address in the heart of historic Cambridge. One of the first Bauhaus buildings in Cambridge and the region, and designed especially for the exhibition of contemporary art, the property has a long and rich tradition of pioneering exhibitions and artistic innovation and we are very proud to continue that legacy.

 

Cambridge ArtSpace is committed to advancing the cause of contemporary arts and culture. We offer a programme of exhibitions, events and activities to raise awareness, foster engagement and make the art world more accessible to the general public. Our focus is on enjoyment as much as education: we want our events to spark creativity and introduce our audiences to new interests and ideas, as well as providing intellectual enrichment.

 

Our exhibition and events space supplies a welcoming and inclusive cultural space for members of the local community, from professional creatives and academics, to art enthusiasts, to children and young people. 

 

It concerns us that the contemporary art world is often perceived as intimidating and exclusionary: the relaxed, friendly environment that we have cultivated is a deliberate counterpoint to this, a space to explore freely, to wander and wonder, to discard preconceptions and be entirely present with the art. Cambridge ArtSpace is a space for everyone, including art lovers, the art-curious and those venturing into the contemporary art world for the first time. 

We work closely with a number of local community groups, including Cambridge Open Studios – one of the oldest artist-run open studio initiatives in the UK – and the Bells of St Clement’s Church just opposite. We welcome our neighbours as well as visitors from the region and around the world. Our network within the University of Cambridge enable us to act as a vital intersection between ‘town and gown’ further breaking down barriers and challenging preconceptions in ways that enable mutual respect and understanding across cultures.