Learn & Create .
Creativity Opens Doors
Creative experiences can introduce build confidence and help people discover skills they may not know they have. The Centre for Contemporary Art aims to create opportunities for people to engage with culture, explore creative practice and connect with artists and ideas. Building on Aesthetica's experience across art, film and the creative industries, the Centre's wider goal is to support learning, participation and development. Its approach will connect audiences with contemporary artistic practice and the possibilities of creative work, whilst exploring how learning can take place through exhibitions, experimentation and exchange. Whether someone is discovering contemporary art for the first time, exploring a new interest or developing an established practice, the Centre aims to offer a journey of discovery.
Young People: Your Future Starts Here
The Centre for Contemporary Art is a place for young people to encounter contemporary and immersive media arts, discover new ways of thinking and engage with creativity. By connecting culture with experimentation and discovery, the Centre hopes to help young people explore their interests and recognise the different paths that creative practice can open up. Through its wider connection with Aesthetica's work across contemporary culture, the Centre will explore ways to bring young audiences into contact with ideas and practices from different disciplines. Specific programmes and opportunities for young people will be announced as they are developed.
Artists and Creative Practitioners
Experimentation, exchange and access to new audiences. This is how creative practice develops. Alongside exhibitions and public-facing activities, the Centre for Contemporary Art will also make space for learning and making. The plan is for 15–20 artists to be able to take out a Studio Membership, giving them a place to work and connect with a wider community of practitioners. Building on Aesthetica's long-standing commitment to discovering and championing creative voices, the Centre will explore how artists can benefit from a permanent space for practice alongside a gallery programme with national and international ambitions. As the project develops, further information will be shared about opportunities for artists, including any confirmed calls for work, exhibition opportunities, professional development activities or collaborations.
Opportunities Matter .
Learning Through Culture
The Centre for Contemporary Art will be a setting in which learning can happen through encountering art, exploring ideas and engaging with creative people. Its developing vision includes opportunities for audiences to discover new practices, ask questions and take part in cultural experiences. The Centre will draw on Aesthetica's experience across contemporary art, film and the creative industries as it considers how learning and participation can form part of its wider work. The ambition is to create opportunities for creative discovery that connect people with contemporary culture, new perspectives and artistic practices from different backgrounds and disciplines. All learning programmes, educational partnerships, workshops and participation opportunities remain subject to development and confirmation.
Schools, Colleges and Universities
Immersive media art can open up new ways to explore ideas, technology and creative expression. The Centre for Contemporary Art will connect cultural experiences with learning and education. Potential areas of engagement include working with educators, schools, colleges and universities to explore contemporary art, digital creativity and the wider creative industries. The ambition is to help learners encounter new perspectives, engage with creative practice and understand the different ways that art and technology can collide. Specific educational programmes and partnerships will be confirmed as plans develop.
Learning and Cultivating Talent
Creative experiences can introduce new perspectives, build confidence and open doors to future opportunities. The Centre for Contemporary Art aims to support emerging artists, young people, students and creative practitioners through opportunities to engage with contemporary culture and connect with the wider sector. Building on Aesthetica's experience of championing talent, the Centre will explore ways to support learning, experimentation and professional development. Its ambition is to help people discover what creativity can make possible, whether they are encountering contemporary art for the first time or developing an established practice. Specific programmes and initiatives will be announced as they are developed.
Help Us Bring the Centre to Life .
The Centre for Contemporary Art is progressing plans for a £1.9 million investment. We are now seeking the final £250,000 to help bring this ambitious new cultural destination to life. A historic building. Three ambitious galleries. A new home for contemporary art and immersive experiences. Be part of the beginning.
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