Artizan Gallery

General information

I have lived in Torbay since 1997 and have always had a love for art in all of its forms and if I wanted an ‘art fix’ I would generally head for St Ives, a place synonymous with art. I was sure that here in the Bay we probably had a similar abundance of creative talent but where was it, how to find it? What was it that places like St Ives had that we were lacking? What is stopping Torbay being for Devon what St Ives is for Cornwall?

I attended an ‘Open Space’ event in 2012 to try and get answers to some of these questions – ‘What is Torbay’s Cultural Future?’ Out of that event was borne Torbay Action for Art and from that has come this personal adventure that is Artizan Gallery.

I have taken my inspiration from places like Birdwood House in Totnes and TAAG in Teignmouth. My aim is to offer affordable space to artists either running solo exhibitions or working in collaboration with other artists. Exhibitions can run for up to 4 weeks, giving time for repeat visits but also creating a changing space so people always want to come back for more and to see what’s new.

The gallery will be fully stewarded giving artists the freedom to come and go as they please. In addition to the gallery there will be a small cafe and some workshop space that can be rented by the hour, for the morning, afternoon or evening. I hope that Artizan will become part of the jig-saw that puts Torbay on the art map for Devon and the South West so please get in touch if you too would like to be involved.