Welcome to the Virtual Arts Centre
The Virtual Arts Centre aims to bring Cheltenham’s thriving community of artists, musicians, makers and creators together with unexpected and exciting venues across the town, reclaiming Cheltenham for the arts, the artists and the audiences. Shop windows, empty units, abandoned buildings, forgotten rooms out the back, pavements, pubs, parks and the World Wide Web; nowhere is off limits and everyone is invited.
Come and join us on our mission to make the arts into a daily encounter..
The Family - by Tom Goddard
New! Online exhibitions from our collections now available to view on Flickr
Cheltenham History series
Cheltenham History 1 - From Village to Spa 1750 - 1788
Cheltenham History 2 - Decades of Progress 1788 - 1820
Cheltenham History 3 - The Building Booms 1820 - 1840
Cheltenham History 4 - The Victorian Town 1840 - 1900
Cheltenham History 5 - The 20th Century Town
Virtual trails of collections in the galleries
Highlights from the Arts and Crafts Collection
Contemporary Objects Trail
Starter for Ten
Online versions of recent exhibitions
Shot near Bhuj - Watercolours of Indian Birds
Gifted - Art from the Contemporary Art Society
Dino Dayz at the Brewery
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Check out the photo gallery of our hugely popular Dinosaur Dayz at the Brewery, held to celebrate the BBC Walking with Dinosaurs exhibition. 100's of children got stuck into making dino eggs and a giant scrap sculpture, excavating bones, learning about fossils and generally having a Jurassic time!
Music Development Networker
Since May 2009 Cheltenham, along with the other Gloucestershire districts, has had its own Music Development Networker in the shape of Andrew Lansley. Based in offices at the Frog and Fiddle on the Lower Higher Street, Andrew is bringing together Cheltenham's great many music makers, movers and shakers, promoters, labels and venues, into a cohesive music scene working together for mutual benefit. Follow his progress on his highly entertaining blog or look out for a free copy of Afterdark Music magazine at many local outlets and venues.
Cheltenham Buskers' Network
The DIRECT way to source busking slots and performance opportunities from Cheltenham Borough Council.
This new facebook group has been set up in partnership with other music loving organisations in Cheltenham, aiming to improve and increase the opportunities to bands and artists who want to busk around our lovely town on both public and commercial premises.
Join the group and let us help - we can manage slots, offer advice, and provide performance opportunities for some of the town's larger events.
Library gigs
Many library services across the country see the value of contemporary music as a way of promoting creativity and literacy in young people and many contemporary musicians are gifted lyricists, their music exposing young people to the energy of pop music combined with the power of the written word. To this end and in partnership with the VAC and KMF music, Cheltenham’s own town library has begun to swap silence for special live music performances by some of the most interesting and up and coming acts in Britain today.
Librarian Anne Riley said: “We are really excited to be supporting these innovative events. Libraries have a long tradition of supporting all aspects of music culture and we hope this will be the first of many more live music performances”.
Stefan Edwards of KMF said; “We want Cheltenham to have a thriving live music scene so that everyone in the town can enjoy great acts on their doorstep.”
For information about future Library gigs, contact Clara Hambling
flickr
Interpreted photostreams are being uploaded onto flickr, the photo sharing website to enable you to experience some of the collections from anywhere in the world and at any time. They are grouped into themed "Virtual tours" like Contemporary Objects, Starter for 10 or Advent and more tours are being added all the time, including exhibition tasters. Join in the conversation by creating your own flickr account or simply enjoy looking at the collections from the comfort of your own home.
Zeitgeist
In 2007 we celebrated our 100th birthday and while continuing to steward an award-winning collection of objects and art spanning many years, we also seek to celebrate the living memories of our more recent past to create a vivid picture of our town.
The film below gives a flavour of the Zeitgeist collection which is available to view on our Youtube page. These are the collected musings of Cheltenham people in their own words, a snapshot of Cheltenham life as recorded in 2007.
Art at the Brewery
From 2006 until it was commercially let in April 2010, 25 art installations took place in Unit 13 at the Brewery, St Margarets Road, Cheltenham, showcasing the work of various local artists.
Paintings, light sculptures, illustrated poetry, photography, projections and three dimentional work all filled the empty space with life. In addition, the upstairs of the unit has been used by local artists a
s a large scale project space.
The project aimed to bring art into the very heart of Cheltenham, challenging passers by to pause for thought about the creative use of unused commercial space.
“We’re delighted to support the Virtual Arts Centre and they are very welcome to this space until we can confirm that the unit is let. It’s a great location at the heart of everything going on at The Brewery so we’re sure it will do a great job in raising awareness of their work.”
Scott Lahive, Centre Manager 2006, The Brewery