COS25: The 14th running of the hugely popular visual arts trail

COS25 is the 14th time the artists from Cheltenham Open Studios have opened their doors to the public in this celebration of the visual art being made in the area. Now a biennial event, it has become an important part of the cultural landscape for artists and art lovers alike. The first event, in 2001, saw just 46 artists take part; in 2023, the last time the event was staged, over 10,000 people visited the studios, workrooms and exhibition spaces of over 200 artists working in Cheltenham and its surrounds. This year’s event runs from 7 to 15 June, and looks to be even richer and more diverse than ever.

Organised by artist-run association, Cheltenham Open Studios, this year’s art trail links together a 78 different exhibition venues, where you can meet the artists, view their work, learn about their practice and even have a go yourself.

Gardens Gallery, venue 1 on the trail – with its central location, in Montpellier Gardens is home to our taster show this year that will give people a flavour of the range of work on show this year, and help sign post you to the other venues. It’s also a great place to pick up your free guidebook too.

University graduates, PGCE students and course leaders in art and design are showing work, and the Quad Gallery opens its doors to COS member artists at Francis Close Hall. We welcome the return of The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum to COS as they provide the opportunity for participants in the innovative artists in residence programme to exhibit their work.

The COS website has been developed and our interactive map of venues is still a major focus. Hopefully you will find these improvements and an updated QR code, all useful.

Focused on the centre of Cheltenham the art trail radiates out to the outskirts too. Visit the COS website to see our current directory of artists, where the guidebook will be ready to download. www.cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk

ENDS

Artist and COS Patron, PJ Crook MBE, writes:

“There has been much talked about 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. We have made marks in the sand or on the walls of caves in Lasceaux etc. for thousands of years 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.

So here’s your chance to get up close and personal with the actual artists by visiting and engaging in conversation with them in the spaces where that magic and mysterious creative process happens. And if you fall in love with a piece they might even allow you to buy it to take home and inspire you!“

Cheltenham Open Studios is a not-for-profit association run by artists. Like other Open Studios organisations around the country, it is evolving out of an art festival event into a thriving and supportive community of artists. With well over 200 members, it aims to network artists together to promote the visual arts in Cheltenham and its surrounds, engaging people with the original art made here. COS25 art trail is part of the key events put on by the association, now a biennial event, it has become an important part of the cultural landscape for artists and art lovers alike.

Niki Whitfield
Creative Director
T: 07821 098171
E: niki@cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk

Meet the artists, view their work, learn about their practice.

COS25, 7 - 15 June

To join in, visit:
cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk