Contemporary and Country (C&C) present contemporary and applied art by artists and makers based in the east of England in pop-up exhibitions celebrating our rural surroundings.
C&C work with artists and makers inspired by their environment and/or use sustainable natural materials in their production process. Many live and work in rural areas, the villages and small towns of East Anglia. They bring about a closer understanding of the countryside and reveal how their surroundings influence their creative thinking.
Country matters
The contemporary artists and makers who C&C display, show us how rural communities have become places where creative practitioners can make their work in relative peace and isolation. Many of the issues that concern them, like the effects of climate change and the strengths and pitfalls of the rural economy are not restricted to the East Anglian region and are shared by artists and makers working in geographically isolated communities located in other regions of the UK. C&C's exhibitions are configured around thematic ideas that provide a forum for some of these issues that share this broad appeal. The variety of the exhibitions attract different audiences from within these communities as well as visitors from other areas of the country, so they do pull in an informed audience that is national in scope. They draw attention to the creative people C&C work with, brokering sales and facilitating greater understanding of their work and production process.
What makes the east of England a good location for creative activity?
During the last two decades artists and makers have exited the cramped conditions of cities like London, discovering creative hot spots in settings much more condusive to creative production. The east of England is one of several regional locations where this process has continued unabated as London has become a hostage to its boyant economy and unrestrained development. East Anglian creatives have access to generous workshop and studio space and better working conditions with fewer distractions. The creative community have tended to be centred on areas where there is the possibility of running a studio, gallery or a shop that complements or supports their artistic activity. These are often self-organised, and don't receive regular grant funding, and have to operate on a volunteer basis, so their programs can be intermittent, they tend to be spaces.
While fragmented by distance, the east of England does have a few public sector galleries. Some, like Firstsite and the Minories in Colchester, Groundworks in King's Lynn, and The Sainsbury Centre in Norwich, do occasionally display work by local artists. These organisations enjoy a national profile within their chosen specialties, and take in touring shows. But these facilities are few and far between, and there are even fewer adequate commercial galleries in the region that promote artists and makers from the region. Which is why C&C have added to the mix, with a much more inclusive approach to exhibition making, working across disciplines in different locations across the region. Projects are tailored to the way artists and craftspeople actually work today, providing a curated context to show their work.
Find us at C&C Pop-Ups
C&C's exhibitions have popped up at Stapleford Granary, Cambridge, The Crypt Gallery, Norwich, The Fermoy Gallery and Shakespeare Barn at The Guildhall, King's Lynn, Houghton Hall Stables, in West Norfolk, at BallroomArts, Aldeburgh, on the Suffolk coast, The Granary (Jarrolds), Norwich, and at Creake Abbey near Burnham Market on the North Norfolk coast. For each of these installations the work was chosen to suit the circumstances of the built environment being used, whether that was a purpose built art gallery, the top floor loft-space in a department store, or an ancient chalk barn.
The exhibitions at the Stables Houghton Hall took place between 2017 and 2023. These were large group shows featuring between 30 to 45 artists and makers with an East Anglian connection that were predicated upon a common theme. These big group shows were configured to support solo exhibitions by acclaimed artists: Richard Long, Henry Moore, Damien Hirst Anish Kapoor, Tony Cragg, Ernst Gamperl, John Virtue, and Sean Scully.
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MEDIA COVERAGE
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Art & Culture in Norwich and Norfolk
Our 2024 Season is Launched 8 March 2024As the 2024 season of arts events opens we are thrilled to be featured in the latest edition of Art in Norwich and Norfolk produced by the remarkable Marion Caitlin. -
Rosie Phillips - ArtRabbit
Portrait paintings and drawings following her residency at Norwich School, 10 January to 15 February,2024 10 February 2024Following her residency at Norwich School, Cathedral Close, Norwich, Contemporary and Country have curated 'Close' an exhibition of recent paintings at The Crypt Gallery. SEE ARTICLE -
Country Life - Heads & Tails makes it as an Unmissable Event
Unmissable Events 11 October 2023We are grateful to the editorial team at Country Life for giving us a mention in the 'Unmissable Events' section on p47 of this week's edition. -
Arty Facts in North Norfolk
Animal Magic 20 September 2023 -
Going Out - with a fair few animals included
7 September 2023Big thank you to the Places and Faces team for including mention in 'Going Out' column. Our new exhibition 'Heads & Tails: Picturing People and Other Animals' is open in... -
Heads & Tails - ArtRabbit
6 September 2023Norfolk Spotlight: Heads & Tails. Picturing People and Other Animals We are grateful to Vivi and her team at ArtRabbit for this feature on our new exhibition in the heart... -
ArtsEast: Heads and Tails at The Guildhall, King's Lynn
5 September 2023A huge thank you to Sarah Veness and her tteam aat ArtsEast for running an article about our current show 'Heads & Tails: picturing people and Other Animals' currently openn... -
Lynn News: Heads and Tails opens in King's Lynn
5 September 2023Thanks to jeremy Ransome of Lynn News for running an article about teh opening of our new exhibition 'Heads & Tails'. See link below to view online https://www.lynnnews.co.uk/whats-on/heads-and-tails-exhibition-9329014/ -
KL Magazine: C&C's East to East
An Eclectic Exhibiton of Local Talent 15 July, 2023Our exhibition "East to East" is open every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday until October 1. We recently had an article published in KL Magazine which had a focus on on those artists and makers based in the Fenlands of East Anglia. -
Sean Scully and East to East at Houghton Hall
27 March 2023We are thankful to Dominic Castle and his team at Norfolk Magazine for covering the build up to the opening of Sean Scully - smaller than the sky and our... -
An Arty Weekend in North Norfolk
23 March 2023We were delighted to get a mention in the Guardian on 23 March for 'EAST TO EAST' This year promises to be a wonderful opportunity to see lots of art... -
Arty Facts - North Norfolk Living
1 March 2023Big Thankyou to Amanda and her team at one of our favourite publications for giving our forthcoming exhibition 'East to East' in the stables at Houghton Hall, North Norfolk. Take... -
Compendia - A new guide to Norwich and Norfolk
4 November 2022A local guide to the best independent places to eat, drink, play, shop, party, sleep and heal in Norwich and Norfolk. Including us on page 366-367 There is a high... -
About Suffolk - River's Edge opens 7 June
10 April 2022We re delighted to be featured in Issue 1 of the newly published About Suffolk published by About Media.See p32 and p51 -
Escape into Art
1 June 2020Thanks to Dominic Castle, Editor of Norfolk magazine. It's June edition, just published, features Contemporary and Country on pp52 and 53 - take a look when you get your copy... -
Eastern Promise: contemporary art in Norfolk
31 May 2019Thanks to the Guardian Travel section for coverage of Festival 2019 – our latest pop-up in the Stables at Houghton Hall. We were contacted by journalist Kate Simon who wanted...
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