The galleries at East Quay are run by Contains Art CIO, a charity which is founded on the belief that who you are, where you live and what you have, should not constrain access to creativity and culture.

The purpose of our exhibitions is to raise ideas, open minds, invite discussion and encourage a social, economic, and environmental conversation through art. To bring joy, beauty, wonder, and fun into people’s lives. East Quay is a place of imagination where reality can be suspended and visits rewarded through meaningful interaction and ambitious artforms. Three guiding themes underpin our exhibition programming at East Quay. These themes raise questions of interest and engagement that we believe are both locally and universally relevant.

The purpose of our exhibitions is to raise ideas, open minds, invite discussion and encourage a social, economic, and environmental conversation through art. To bring joy, beauty, wonder, and fun into people’s lives. Three guiding themes underpin our exhibition programming at East Quay. These themes raise questions of interest and engagement that we believe are both locally and universally relevant.

Peripherality

- How do we define or determine peripherality? What does it mean to exist at the edge, or in liminal spaces?
- Are artists natural edge-walkers - pushing boundaries, challenging ideas, inviting imagination? How do we cultivate and support more of this
- What does it mean to operate on the outskirts of the mainstream? Socially, economically, artistically?
- Does peripherality bring freedom as much as challenge?
- How do peripheral regions shape our sense of identity and belonging?

Transition & Alternative Futures

- What does or could the future look like?
- Can we imagine a system beyond capitalism?
- How can art envision and communicate potential alternative futures?
- How can art help us through transition, in its many forms?
- How can cultural diversity be respected and supported through transition?
- How do we build relationships of kinship with communities and the more-than-human?

Joy & Wonder

- How can art capture and convey moments of wonder and joy in everyday life?
- Do we need joy for liberation? What is radical joy?
- How can we create spaces for people to experience a sense of wonder and joy, especially in challenging times?
- What role can joy, wonder, positivity and hope play in humanity’s capacity to imagine and work towards a better future?
- What is the relationship between joy, wonder, and creativity, and how do these fuel the expansion of ideas and dreams?

Header image: Installation shot, The See Wall, Bedwyr Williams, 2022. Credit: Glyn Jarrett

To find out more about Contains Art CIO click here to visit their pages.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍