Art at Kingly Court and Art at Carnaby

In 2004, the NCA joined forces with Arts & Business, the Foyle Foundation and Shaftesbury plc, to exhibit the work of young visual artists at one of the UK's leading retail locations. The aim of the project was to raise the profile of work by young artists and attract young shoppers who might not usually be exposed to the visual arts.

Artists were given the exhibition space free of charge for up to three weeks, and no commission was charged on artwork sold. They were also provided with a small bursary for expenses, exposure on the Art at Kingly Court website and advice on exhibiting, PR, marketing and transporting artwork. The exhibitions were held over a twelve-month period at Kingly Court, a three-storey courtyard conversion off Carnaby Street, occupied by fashion retailers, bars, cafes and night-clubs. Kingly Court is known for its flagship and one-off shops selling unusual brands and work by young designers.

Victoria Todd, Director of the NCA said, "The NCA is about highlighting the importance of all the arts to contemporary society. Art at Kingly Court will bring high quality visual art by emerging young artists to a young audience in a context that is more familiar and less inhibiting than many arts galleries. We hope that shoppers encountering Art at Kingly Court will recognise the influence and importance of the arts on their daily lives."

Following the success of Art at Kingly Court a second, six-month, programme of exhibitions was devised, supported by Creative London. This was held across the West End, in Carnaby and Seven Dials and closed in March 2006.

For more information about Art at Carnaby and Art at Kingly Court click on the links to the website and the Art at Carnaby Programme.

Click here for an overview of the partnership between the NCA and this project's main sponsor, Shaftesbury PLC.

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