Stanley Picker Gallery at Kingston University is one of the leading university galleries and commissioning venues in the UK, working with artists, designers, students, academics and members of the local community to encourage creativity, learning, research and innovation.
Established in 1997 with the ongoing support of the Stanley Picker Trust, the Gallery forms part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio and is a principal cultural interface between Kingston University and its civic communities in South-West London and beyond.
From its island location on the Hogsmill River, our venue is a creative hub, a production site and a presentation space that functions as an “expanded studio” dedicated to commissioning and curating contemporary art and design practice, generating a dynamic programme of exhibitions, events and participation activities staged onsite, offsite and online.
Appointed each year through public open call, our Stanley Picker Fellowships in Design and Fine Art support a diversity of contemporary practitioners to research, create and premiere ambitious new work, by providing generous grants, free studio space, professional expertise and valuable access to the world-class workshop facilities at Kingston School of Art. The call for applications opens annually in May.
Our Participation Programme involves us working collaboratively with schools, colleges, community groups and local residents of all ages, to deliver a range of creative activities and shared learning and professional development opportunities for students, that engage everyone in the life of the Gallery, our partner venue Dorich House Museum and the wider University.
Read our Stanley Picker Gallery & Dorich House Museum Annual Report 2023-24 with details of recent strategic developments, programme success, staff and student professional development, and our national, international and local civic engagement activities.
Follow us on Instagram @stanleypicker and sign up to our mailing list at the bottom of the page for the latest updates on the programme, and to receive invitations and newsletter on our activities and how to get involved.
Announcements
August 2024: Our Commitment Against Racism, Hatred & Violence As public cultural venues and members of our diverse community, Stanley Picker Gallery and Dorich House Museum stand with Kingston University in strongly denouncing rioting and senseless violence, as seen recently in parts of the UK. Racism, Islamophobia, hatred and aggression have absolutely no place in our society, and we are committed to building an inclusive and supportive environment with a culture of acceptance without exception.
7 March 2022: Stanley Picker Gallery and our partner venue Dorich House Museum are shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent events over the past weeks. We share the concerns raised by Arts Council England and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) about the risks faced by cultural professionals as well as the threats to cultural heritage because of this conflict and we send our support to all creative practitioners and cultural organisations and institutions affected.
5 June 2020: Stanley Picker Gallery and our partner venue Dorich House Museum recognise we must do more as cultural organisations to be actively anti-racist. We commit to taking immediate steps to implement a clear plan of action to address systemic racism at every level of our organisations, whilst actively seeking and welcoming critical engagement from diverse perspectives in this process.