Taking art lovers on a guided journey across Gloucestershire's Regency town, the Cheltenham Open Studios Art Trail is a unique exhibition showing from Saturday 7 to Sunday 15 June 2025.
Now in its 14th year, each biennial event sees tens of thousands of spectators visit the exhibition spaces — with this year's event expected to be even richer and more diverse than ever.
78 venues across Cheltenham are exhibiting work from more than 200 visual artists, including shared spaces, workshops and studios, offering the chance for attendees to speak to the creators and get a real insight into their practices — and even have a go themselves!
The trail begins at The Gardens Gallery in Montpellier Gardens, where visitors can pick up a free guidebook and check out the taster exhibition, with opportunities to purchase a 5 x 5 inch piece of original art for £10 to kick off the experience and support the not-for-profit, artist-run association.
Take an exclusive peek at the artists of the future, with work from art and design university students in their degree show on display at the The University of Gloucestershire's Park campus, and graduates and course leaders on display at the Quad Gallery and Chapel at Francis Close Hall; while the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum once again offers the opportunity for participants to view the work of the artists in their innovative residence programme.
On the societal impact of art and culture in 2025, artist and Cheltenham Open Studios patron, PJ Crook MBE, said: 'There has been much talk around the development of AI and the fear it may gain the capacity to work against humanity. It has also been claimed that it is where the future of art might lie. But surely these insentient machines can only analyse and regurgitate what we put into them.
'They can never compare with the self expression of the human soul. And when I see the multitude of ways in which the two hundred or so artists who make up Cheltenham Open Studios bring forth the fruits of their labour for this exuberant, enticing, exciting celebration of painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and illustration, I am reassured that human creativity will always flourish.'
For more information and to download a guidebook, visit cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk.
