Cambridge ArtSpace CIO operates for the benefit of the general public and we are dedicated to supporting and promoting contemporary art and artists, championing diverse forms of creativity, and making the art world more accessible for everyone. We believe in art and culture driven by inclusivity, tolerance and freedom of expression and opportunity.

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Our mission is in part a response to the dominance of London within the UK art scene: we recognise that opportunities beyond the capital, particularly for contemporary artists from minority backgrounds, remain remarkably scarce. Our ongoing collaborative work with Cambridge Open Studios, one of the oldest artist-run open studio initiatives in the UK, with over five hundred members active across Cambridgeshire, is just one of the ways we aim to cultivate local talent and amplify underrepresented voices within the broader cultural conversation.

 

We aim to foster an inclusive space for lively, respectful discussion and debate, in which ‘town and gown’ receive equal representation. We want to empower local audiences, enabling everyone to participate in, and benefit from, Cambridge’s exceptional intellectual environment, free from any hint of cultural elitism. In the words of William Morris, our mission is ‘[a]rt made by the people for the people, as a joy to the maker and the user’.

 

We believe that art is for everyone; that great art is for everyone; and that the joy of art is for everyone. Via a dedicated programme of exhibitions, events and activities, we deliver the best of contemporary arts and culture to our local community, engaging with big issues and big ideas far beyond the walls of the gallery. We act locally, but we think globally.

 

Our artistic and cultural community is highly multi-cultural and multi-generational, spanning a wide range of interests, backgrounds and areas of expertise. By bringing all these different perspectives together, facilitating an equitable dialogue, we aim to enhance mutual understanding, appreciation, and respect, and encourage collaboration. 

 

Our focus is highly interdisciplinary: we want to provide a space for experimentation, innovation and the free exchange of ideas. We value all forms and all media – from the traditional to the avant-garde, to any combination of the two! – and are especially interested in developing multi-arts projects. However people find their way to our space, they are always welcome when they arrive.