Everyone is an artist

Drum circle in church hall, photographed from above.
Blue to Green Drum Circle, Lamar Francois 2022

Since 1977, we’ve been breaking down barriers to reconnect people with art, culture and creativity. We stand up for people who are underrepresented in the arts. We see talent where it has been overlooked and undervalued. Anywhere can be your studio, your gallery, your stage. At City Arts, we believe you are an artist. 

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Drum circle in church hall, photographed from above.
Blue to Green Drum Circle, Lamar Francois 2022

Featured

A vibrant street parade featuring performers in elaborate costumes inspired by traditional Chinese designs. The participants wear red, black, and gold outfits adorned with intricate patterns and large feathered structures in shades of blue, yellow, and red. Some hold decorative shields and wave brightly colored fabric.

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Our Associates

Find out about the artists and groups that we host in our building, and how to get involved with their activities.

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Cover of City Arts' Annual Report for 2023/24. The design features a pink background with a central photo of a young child holding a handmade puppet. The child is wearing a blue turban and a matching jacket, smiling as they show their colorful craft made with leaves and string. The City Arts logo appears at the top, and the text reads 'Annual Report 2023/24' in white at the bottom.

Publication

Read our 2023/24 Annual Report

Find out all about City Arts’ work by reading our Annual Report for 2023/24. Our work ranges from inspiring young minds at our Hoopla! festivals to platforming disabled artists. The…

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What's on

Exhibition

‘The Air We Breathe’ & ‘The Weather Station’

Dates of event: Until 5 Jun 2025 Mon - Thu, Daily Opening Time: 10:00am - Daily Closing Time: 5:00pm

Venue Address: The Window Gallery, City Arts, 11-13 Hockley, Nottingham, NG1 1FH

Two exhibits using art to explore environmental data about Nottingham. The Air We Breathe is an artistic investigation into Nottingham’s air quality data. The University of Nottingham’s City as Lab,…

Find out more: about '‘The Air We Breathe’ & ‘The Weather Station’'

Workshop

Exploring the Queer Psychogeography of Nottingham

Date of event: 6 May 2025 Event start time: 6:00pm - Event end time: 8:00pm

Venue Address: City Arts, 11-13 Hockley, Nottingham, NG1 1FH

Join writer Ben Macpherson for a workshop exploring the queer ‘psychogeography’ of Nottingham. Psychogeography is the study of how places affect people’s emotions and behaviours. We will look at places…

Book Now: 'Exploring the Queer Psychogeography of Nottingham' View event: 'Exploring the Queer Psychogeography of Nottingham'
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Projects

Get Creative participant, artist and volunteer

Find out more: Get Creative

Project dates: Since November 2011

Audience watches performer with stag puppet. Text reads 'Hoopla - a mini festival of ages 0-4'.

Find out more: Hoopla!

Project dates: Since July 2022

Young Producers - a group for 18-30 year olds

Find out more: Young Producers

Project dates: Since October 2014

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Our Impact

A woman wearing glasses manipulates a puppet with a round head, green eyes, and a white shirt with black pants. Another person assists from behind, partially visible. The puppet's arms are raised, and the scene is set indoors against a plain, light-colored wall.
Meander Theatre perform at City Arts, Joe Pick 2024

Case Study

Coming to City Arts has made me feel confident… I would like there to be more sessions.

Read Meander Theatre Company's story

Key Stats April 2023 - March 2024

48k People enjoyed our outdoor performances

915 Young children and their grown-ups at Hoopla!

43 Freelance artists employed

See all stats & data

Listen

Latest

Case Study

“The consultancy and advice were invaluable. If I was working on my own, I wouldn’t have had access to that kind of advice.”

Nikki Charlesworth is a Nottingham based Theatre Designer, Puppet Designer and Animator. She studied at Nottingham Trent University. She works at the forefront of disability-led theatre making, contributing to new,…

Read more: '“The consultancy and advice were invaluable. If I was working on my own, I wouldn’t have had access to that kind of advice.”'
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