Place For Art - Chester

The objective is to identify exhibition, educational, performance and studio space in Chester for visual and performing artists and to publicise exhibitions, performances and related events to relevant businesses and the wider public.

About Place For Art

PACh is a Community Interest Company that negotiates with landlords to secure suitable spaces and maintain a register of artists and art groups with an interest in using those spaces. Landlords are generally expected to agree short term zero rent leases in return for their premises being well looked after and available for re-letting with the minimum of notice.

The wider purpose of the project is to promote the economic well being of Chester by making it a more attractive and interesting place to work in and to visit.

It’s been a long journey, severely hindered by the pandemic, but we remained optimistic and it paid off!

Despite everything, we managed to establish 2 Pop-Up galleries in 2020-2021 in the city centre that brightened the otherwise empty and dull empty shops and brought a lot of joy both the twelve Cheshire-based exhibiting artists as well as the public. The feedback was most encouraging, so when the shops acquired permanent tenants, we never stopped looking for other opportunities.

(4 Bridge street, Chester)

(47 Northgate street, Chester)

33 Northgate Street

Dull and empty shop on 33 Northgate street has become a Pop-Up art shop and studio offering a wide range of original art and handcrafted items. Ceramics, paintings, fine art photography, glass, jewellery and unique gifts can be found here for any budget. Come and meet our fantastic artists!

The magical illustration on the window has been created by a Chester-based yet internationally recognised artists Mark Wigan, whose work you can find at the new Pop-Up Gallery we’ve got on Eastgate street.

I am a Chester based artist and illustrator who exhibits at galleries internationally, I have been a professional visual artist for almost 40 years. The author of five books on the subject of Illustration published by Bloomsbury Publishing. I have led degree programmes in Illustration and Graphic Design at art schools around the UK including Camberwell College of Arts in London and Salford University.

The window painting is a vibrant and uplifting freestyle artwork drawn in my signature style it is inspired by a sense of place here in the heart of the beautiful city of Chester and is the latest in a series of window paintings I have created over the last few years in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vancouver, Seattle, Seoul and London’s Oxford St, for various clients including Dr Martens and Fairwhale.

12 Eastgate Street

A gorgeous property on 12 Eastgate street that would have been yet another printed vinyl front of an unoccupied shop is now a truly beautiful gallery space. Different styles and mediums for any taste and budget! Find 12 more brilliant Cheshire-based artists here!

Susan Meyerhoff-Sharples

The Project

The project is funded through commissions charged to artists for sales or fees from performances and classes. The project managed by Chester Art Centre as the contractor. Donations are welcome as well as mutually beneficial collaborations with local businesses and entrepreneurs. Do not hesitate to get in touch via the form above if you have questions or would like to collaborate!

If you are an artist and are interested in the possibility of taking over yet another empty shop (and the idea is to have many!), send us your info via the form above or via email to placeforartinchester@gmail.com . Your information will then be processed and stored and we will add you to our waiting list. Once another shop becomes available the board of directors will go through the suggested teams of artists and a new gallery will be formed. Everything usually happens very spontaneously, so be prepared to move in quickly if the opportunity becomes available. We also have to move out with a 2 weeks notice if the landlords want us out, so we must be prepared and expect the unexpected.

Also, please keep in mind that you can’t just bring us your work to sell in the existing shops, the artists have to be involved in staffing the PLACES

The ‘rent’ you pay is £20 per week and the commission on sales is 24%.

Contact Form

If you would like to discuss anything with us, please compelte the contact form and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

PRESS:

Art Professional Magazine

Chester Chronicle

Good Times Chester