Below is a list of the best or most interesting galleries in Brighton*. It is mainly the little ones that put on exhibitions rather than the chains that sell trendy art to rich people.
Brighton Museum and Art Gallery. Every town has a big council-run gallery and museum. This is just a bit more Brighton than others. It is a lovely old building in the same complex as the Dome and the Corn Exchange.
Fabrica. Situated in an old church in the middle of town, Fabrica is a large space that can hold quite large exhibitions and installations.
Phoenix Gallery. Situated by the bottom of the level, the Phoenix Gallery owns its 70s glass front vibe. It is a combination of gallery space, artists’ studios and workshops where they run classes. Has a cafe on the end.
O N C A Gallery. To quote their website “O N C A is a Brighton-based arts charity that bridges social and environmental justice issues with creativity”.
Metropolis Contemporary Art Gallery. According to their website, they are “a Community Interest Company set to promote emerging underrepresented artists and to fight social, gender and racial inequalities in the art world.”. They have exhibitions and art-related film screenings. You can even pop in for a coffee.
Of the galleries mainly selling art, the following are the most interesting
Enter Gallery on Bond Street has been around for years under a number of different names. For years it was Art Republic but that seems to have gone online now. What it left behind was a shop that was very similar to what was there before. I guess you could say it specialized in contemporary urban art. Artists featured everyone from Damien Hirst and Banksy to Brighton’s own Boogaloo Stu. It is all very bright and in your face.
Prescription Art tries to bring some culture to London Road. Featuring a roster of big-name artists (a lot of whom were big in the early 00s) this is another place for bright colourful street-inspired pieces.
Hidden Gallery is hidden down Kensington Gardens. Its exclusiveness is a couple of notches above the other galleries as it sells work by Dali, Riley, Emin and all the big hitters of 20th-century art. It feels expensive just looking through the window.
*Please note that this list is a work in progress. I never really realized just how many galleries there were in Brighton.
Picture: Enter Gallery