In 2023, when a long term tenant vacated the ground floor retail space of our Victorian property on Exeter’s well-known Gandy Street, another opportunity for Number Nine to showcase local artists presented.
On 1st April, Gandy St Gallery opened its doors : a pop up contemporary fine art gallery showing work from five hand-chosen Exeter-based artists, on the ground floor of 16 Gandy Street.
The purpose of the Gallery was two-fold; to give the artists an opportunity to show and deal directly with the public, and as a litmus test for the appetite of Exeter residents and tourists for fine art.
The Gallery closed in early July. In conclusion, there is a vibrant urge to view high quality art in the city – less of an appetite for purchasing. There were great conversations about the work on show and about the city’s cultural scene. The visibility of ‘real’ art, and the accessibility of the working artists was appreciated and valued. While the viability of a commercial gallery is tenuous, the presence of art and artists in the city center is crucial to any city, and lacking in Exeter.
On that basis, Number Nine decided to offer the two upper stories of 16 Gandy St to Richard Rochester for use as studios and potential new exhibition space. While spacious, the floors have very much a garret-vibe and will evolve as part-studio, part-meeting space and, eventually, part-gallery for the public to view and buy direct from the artist. The Gandy St Collective will still be showing and involved in this developing project…
Follow @GandyStGallery as the story unfolds
Contact: welcome@numbernineexe.com
Contact the GSG Collective individually via Instagram here:
@richard_william_rochester
@naomih.art
@michaeljoyartist
@sarahtaylorartist
@godfrey5665