Market Road Gallery

Market Road Gallery is a live pilot as part of a wider series of research actions led from CSM, to see how (a) more people can have voice through creative practice in urban/street contexts, and (b) through saying what they like to see more of as well as what they like to see less of.

The Market Road Gallery prototypes a new way for dynamic (responsive) spaces that encourage un-commissioned artworks to be produced and displayed in ways that increase their connection with local communities. The vision is to find a way for graffiti and street artists to successfully operate without legal problems.

The launch in June 2017 at the Attic Storage & Better Leisure kick-started this approach as the UK’s first public open-air gallery scheme. It brought together residents local to York Way in King’s Cross, street artists and diverse creative practitioners who had never had the chance to legally make and place work in official public settings. The 65 metre bookable Market Road Gallery wall presented 8 new paintable spaces.

The event brought these surfaces to life and invited people who attended the launch to:
- view the first exhibited works being completed by experienced street artists such as Boxhead (Spain) and Caio Beltrao (Brazil)
- have a go at painting or making their own marks on the wall
- book one of the 8 spots to display new artwork at the gallery
- give feedback on work, help curate the space and manage how long new works should stay, or when a spot should be made available for new artworks.

• http://www.marketroadgallery.org