The 20 Best Contemporary Art Galleries in London (2023)
London has an excellent range of contemporary and visual art galleries, from the internationally renowned Tate Modern to the numerous smaller ones in areas such as Bermondsey, Deptford and Vauxhall. Many of these galleries have free entry and make great destinations to spend a few hours.
These galleries play an important and active role in the communities they are located and provide opportunities for innovative and emerging artists.
Below I have listed 20 of the best contemporary and visual art galleries in London, to help you plan your next visit.
Table of Contents
East London
Chisenhale Gallery in Bethnal Green
Pure Evil Gallery in Shoreditch
Whitechapel Gallery in Whitechapel
South East London
Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art in New Cross
South London
Beaconsfield Gallery in Lambeth
Danielle Arnaud Gallery in Lambeth
Newport Street Gallery in Lambeth
The South London Gallery in Peckham
North London
Camden Art Centre in Hampstead
Zabludowicz Collection in Camden
The Showroom Near Edgeware Road
Central London
Chisenhale Gallery in Bethnal Green
Chisenhale Gallery explores innovative forums for art. This gallery is located in a former veneer factory and brewery warehouse, which has proved to be a flexible space to display experimental art forms.
Address: Chisenhale, 64 Chisenhale Road, Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, London, E3 5QZ
Autograph in Shoreditch
Autograph is a purpose-built international visual arts centre, designed by Sir David Adjaye, and located in Shoreditch. As a gallery, it seeks to explore diversity, identity, human rights and social justice. Admission is free. It is open from 11am to 6pm on Wednesday and Friday, 11am to 9pm on Thursdays and 12pm to 6pm on Saturdays.
Address: Autograph, Rivington Place, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3BA
Pure Evil Gallery in Shoreditch
Pure Evil Gallery is a showcase of the urban artists’ work and other street art in Shoreditch, East London. It is split across two spaces on Leonard Street and displays an eclectic mix of art as well as hosting creative workshops and live music sessions. Admission is free. It is open Monday to Saturday, between 10am and 6pm and 11am and 6pm on Sunday.
For other examples of Pure Evils’ work, please see my blog post about Bury St. Edmunds and Southwold.
Address: 108 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 4XS
Whitechapel Gallery in Whitechapel
The Whitechapel Gallery is a free contemporary art gallery in East London that has a variety of displays, regular exhibitions, screenings, and talks, and acts as a local community cultural hub that seeks to make art inclusive for all in society, whilst also playing an important internal role on the international stage. This gallery, over the years, has showcased works from Picasso to Jackson Pollack to Frida Kahlo.
Whitechapel Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday between 11am and 6pm, with late night opening on Thursdays until 9pm.
Address: Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX
Bearspace in Deptford
Bearspace is a smaller art space that encourages emerging artists to push the boundaries of contemporary art. The gallery is currently open by appointment only.
Address: Bearspace, 152 Deptford High Street, London, SE8 3PQ
Castor in Deptford
Castor is a small contemporary art gallery in the heart of Deptford. It is open Thursday to Saturday between 12pm and 6pm.
Address: Castor, Units 1 - 2 Enclave, Opposite Arch #8, 50 Resolution Way, Deptford, London, SE8 4AL.
Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art in New Cross
Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art is located in a Victorian bath house at the heart of Goldsmiths, University of London in New Cross. The gallery builds on the university’s reputation for artist practice and development. Admission is free. The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, between 12 and 6pm.
Address: Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art, St James's, New Cross, London SE14 6AD
Beaconsfield Gallery in Lambeth
Beaconsfield Gallery is a space for contemporary art, based in the former Lambeth Ragged School. Beaconsfield provides a programme of exhibitions, talks and interdisciplinary events. This gallery is made up of a large Upper gallery, a Lower gallery with public facilities, including a vegetarian café, the Ragged Canteen, and the Arch gallery, an adjacent project space. Admission is free and the gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, between 11am and 5pm.
Address: Beaconsfield Gallery Vauxhall, 22 Newport Street, London, SE11 6AY
Danielle Arnaud Gallery in Lambeth
Danielle Arnaud Gallery was established in 1995. It encourages artists to develop their practice without constraints. The gallery is open Thursday to Saturday, between 2pm and 6pm.
Address: Danielle Arnaud Contemporary Art, 123 Kennington Road, Lambeth, London SE11 6SF
Gasworks in Lambeth
Gasworks is a visual art organisation, gallery space and studios in Vauxhall, South London. Gasworks welcomes London-based and international artists. Admission is free. It is open Wednesday to Sunday between 12pm and 6pm.
Address: Gasworks, 155 Vauxhall Street, Vauxhall, Lambeth, London, SE11 5RH
Newport Street Gallery in Lambeth
Newport Street Gallery is located in Vauxhall, and presents exhibitions of the work from Damien Hirst’s art collection. The gallery was designed by architects ‘Caruso St John’, and includes six exhibition spaces. Admission is free. It is open Wednesday to Sunday, between 10am and 5pm.
Address: Newport Street Gallery, Newport Street, Vauxhall, Lambeth, London, SE11 6AJ
The South London Gallery in Peckham
The South London Gallery was established in 1891 to bring art to the people of south London. The space has been expanded since then and is now located in three locations: the original site at 65 Peckham Road; the Fire Station; and Art Block, a space for local children and families on Sceaux Gardens Estate. Admission is free. The gallery is open on Tuesday, Thursdays to Sunday between 11am and 6pm and Wednesdays between 11am and 9pm.
Address: South London Gallery, 65–67 Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UH and The Fire Station Galleries, 82 Peckham Road, London, SE15 5LQ
Tate Modern on South Bank
The Tate Modern is one of the world’s most iconic art galleries - it exhibits a wide range of international collections of modern and contemporary art. The gallery, which opened in 2000, utilises the vast space of the former Bankside Power Station. The building was originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, whilst its conversion to the Tate Modern, and a later extension were designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Admission is free, but there is a charge for some exhibitions. It is open Monday to Sunday between 10am and 6pm.
Address: Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG
White Cube in Bermondsey
CC Image courtesy of Rosa Menkman, Flickr
White Cube has a regular contemporary programme that extends across its gallery spaces in Bermondsey and St. James. The gallery has exhibited the work of many of the world’s most acclaimed contemporary artists. For opening hours, please visit their website here.
Address: White Cube Bermondsey, 144 – 152 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3TQ and White Cube Mason's Yard, 25 – 26 Mason's Yard, London, SW1Y 6BU
Camden Art Centre in Hampstead
Camden Art Centre was originally built as a public library, but this historic space is now used to display contemporary art. Admission is free. It is open Tuesday to Sunday between 10.00am and 6.00pm.
Address: Camden Arts Centre, Arkwright Road, Hampstead, London, NW3 6DG
Zabludowicz Collection in Camden
Zabludowicz Collection, is a private art collection with a focus on the new work by contemporary artists at the earliest stages of their development. Admission is Free. It is open Thursday to Sunday between 12pm and 6pm.
Address: Zabludowicz Collection, 176 Prince of Wales Road, Chalk Farm, Camden, London, NW5 3PT
The Showroom Near Edgeware Road
The Showroom is a contemporary art space focused on collaborative approaches to cultural production, with strong relationships with the local area. Admission is free. It is open Wednesday to Saturday, between 12pm and 5pm.
Address: The Showroom, 63 Penfold Street, London, Lisson Grove, NW8 8PQ
Iniva in Pimlico
Iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) is a contemporary visual arts organisation dedicated to programmes that reflect on the social and political impact of globalisation. Iniva’s archive can be viewed in the Stuart Hall Library, which is open every Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 5pm.
Address: Stuart Hall Library, 16 John Islip Street, Pimlico, London, SW1P 4JU
Saatchi Gallery in Belgravia
CC Image courtesy of Ania Menreke, Flickr
Saatchi Gallery presents contemporary art exhibitions showcasing the work of emerging artists. The Gallery has acquired a reputation for introducing artists who would later gain worldwide recognition. Ticket prices vary and it is best to book in advance via their website. Saatchi Gallery is open Monday to Sunday, between 10am and 6pm.
Address: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, Belgravia, London, SW3 4RY
Simon Lee Gallery in Mayfair
Simon Lee Gallery is an international art gallery located in Mayfair. This gallery represents artists whose practices explore a wide range of media, from sculpture and painting to video and photography. This gallery is open Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 6pm and on Saturday between 10am and 6pm.
Address: Simon Lee Gallery, 12 Berkeley St, London W1J 8DT
I hope you have found my list of contemporary and visual art galleries in London useful. If you have visited any of these contemporary and visual art galleries, I would love to hear your thoughts or if you feel one of your favourites is missing from the list, please email me and let me know at [email protected].
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