Leicester · Loughborough · Market Harborough · Rutland
AR
Extend the visit to your homeOriginal paintings, hand painted reproductions and international delivery →
Verified cultural guide · Leicester 2026
Art galleries in Leicester: directory, map and artistic districts
30 galleries, museums, workshops and art centers, including 13 addresses offering works for sale
From the New Walk collections to the artist-led spaces of the Cultural Quarter, from the shopping malls of Market Harborough to excursions to Loughborough and Uppingham: a verified directory to build a day - or a weekend - around art.
A scene shaped by textiles
From civic museum to workshop
Leicester does not have a single "gallery district": its art scene forms a compact network in the city, then continues with a series of coherent excursions into Leicestershire and as far as Rutland.
The hosiery, textile and footwear industry has shaped architecture and the local economy. Several former production locations are now occupied by designers, while the universities of Leicester, De Montfort and Loughborough maintain a constant circulation between research, teaching and exhibition. At the Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, the German Expressionism collection brings unexpected international depth.
The Cultural Quarter concentrates artist-led structures, prints, digital arts and studios. Further afield, Loughborough connects independent creation and campus; Hinckley, Melton and Market Harborough provide access to more intimate galleries; Uppingham brings together several notable commercial brands within walking distance. All addresses have been checked on their official website; check the calendars before departure.
Three benchmarks
Read the directory carefully
The same word "gallery" here covers very different realities. These three keys avoid bad expectations and make visits smoother.
Museum or shopping mall?
A museum maintains a collection and organizes exhibitions; the visit does not involve the sale of works. A shopping mall represents artists, advises collectors and offers pieces for purchase. Yellow badges only indicate the places where this sale was verified.
What does artist-led mean?
An artist-led place is developed by artists or collectives. It favors experimentation, production, residencies and conversation rather than permanent stock. Openings often follow exhibitions: check the calendar, especially outside openings.
Group visits
New Walk, DMU and the Cultural Quarter can be explored on foot over a day. Loughborough and Melton form a second loop; Market Harborough, Hinckley, Staunton Harold and Uppingham instead require a carefully prepared car or transport schedule.
Interactive schematic map
Six sectors to orient yourself
Click on an area to directly filter the directory. The map is not geographical to the nearest meter: it shows the relationships between center, Cultural Quarter, county towns and excursions to Rutland.
A paint chosen for your space
Collect from Leicester or elsewhere
Original paintings and art reproductions
Discover our selected original paintings or entrust us with the hand-painted reproduction of a work you love, with advice before purchase and international delivery.
Verified directory
30 galleries, museums and workshops
Search for a name, combine sector and specialty, or only display places offering works. The counter updates instantly.
1
Center, New Walk & DMU
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery
53 New Walk, Leicester LE1 7EA
The great Civic Museum of Leicester combines natural history and archeology with a leading artistic collection. Its German Expressionism Gallery, rare in the United Kingdom, alone justifies the visit; the fine arts rooms also place British painting in a larger local history.
2
Center, New Walk & DMU
Attenborough Arts Centre
University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 7HA
Attached to the University of Leicester, this center combines contemporary gallery, shows and workshops with a structuring attention paid to accessibility. Its programming brings together recognized artists, participatory practices and creations from backgrounds that are too rarely visible in traditional institutions.
3
Center, New Walk & DMU
Leicester Gallery at De Montfort University
Vijay Patel Building, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester LE2 7PT
Located in the Vijay Patel Building, the DMU gallery connects teaching, research and public exhibition. It is particularly relevant for following contemporary practices linked to design, media and experimental forms developed around the university.
4
Center, New Walk & DMU
Newarke Houses Museum & Gardens
The Newarke, Leicester LE2 7BY
Two historic residences brought together tell the story of Leicester by its people, industries and regiments. The tour includes portraits and decorative objects, while the Garden Galleries host temporary exhibitions; As opening days are limited, prior verification is essential.
5Works for sale
Center, New Walk & DMU
Clarendon Fine Art Leicester
Unit R2 Bath House, Highcross Leicester, Leicester LE1 4SA
This Highcross shopping mall presents an accessible display combining contemporary painting, editions and established signatures. The team supports purchases and can search for a work according to a specific format, universe or budget.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
6
Center, New Walk & DMU
Soft Touch Arts
50 New Walk, Leicester LE1 6TF
Soft Touch Arts uses image, sound and manufacturing as levers of inclusion for young people. Its New Walk spaces host projects, events and public presentations: an address to follow to understand the social dimension of creation in Leicester.
7
Center, New Walk & DMU
Leicester Lo-Fi Photography
Bishop Street Methodist Church, 10A Bishop Street, Leicester LE1 6AF
This collective defends film photography, darkroom printing and learning by doing. Exhibitions, meetings and workshops offer a friendly gateway into a deliberately slow and material image culture.
8
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
Two Queens
2 Queen Street, Leicester LE1 1QW
Two Queens is one of Leicester's artist-led anchor points. Gallery, studios and community organization share the same building, with programming focused on experimentation, new commissions and support for artists at the start or middle of their journey.
9
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
LCB Depot
31 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1RE
A former bus depot turned creative hub, LCB Depot brings together studios, events and exhibition spaces in the heart of the Cultural Quarter. Monthly exhibitions allow you to see design, illustration, photography and collective projects in a lively professional environment.
10Works for sale
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
Leicester Print Workshop
50 St George Street, Leicester LE1 1QG
A reference workshop for prints, LPW brings together presses, training, residencies and exhibitions. We discover engraving and printing as contemporary practices, with editions and works on paper offered during exhibitions and sales events.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
11
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
Phoenix Cinema & Art Center
4 Midland Street, Leicester LE1 1TG
Phoenix goes far beyond cinema: its galleries and digital spaces host installations, interactive art and research on moving images. This is a central step for those who wish to complement painting and objects with the most technological visual forms.
12
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
Makers' Yard
82 -86 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB
In this restored industrial building, individual workshops house creators, designers and artisans. The interest lies in open days and one-off events, which allow manufacturing processes to be observed rather than permanent gallery hanging.
13
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
StudionAme
2 Brougham Street, Leicester LE1 2BA
StudionAme functions as an ecosystem of studios and learning where visual, artisanal and collaborative practices intersect. The visit takes on its full meaning during the exhibitions, workshops and open days announced in its calendar.
14
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
Churchgate Artists Studios
13 -25 Church Gate, Leicester LE1 3AL
This grouping of workshops offers a direct view of the work being done in Leicester. Painting, illustration, textiles and hybrid practices meet there; public access depends mainly on group exhibitions and opening weekends.
15
Cultural Quarter & Waterside
Graffwerk
2 Jarvis Street, Leicester LE3 5BN
Graffwerk is the local driving force behind street art, between wall commissions, mediation, workshops and Bring the Paint festival. Its base on Jarvis Street provides a good starting point for reading the walls of Leicester as a gallery diffused on an urban scale.
16Works for sale
Loughborough & campus
Modern Painters, New Decorators
Aumberry Gap, Loughborough LE11 1DP
This artist-led organization combines gallery, projects, workshops and boutique in the center of Loughborough. Its attentive programming of new productions makes it one of the best independent counterpoints to the city's university institutions.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
17Works for sale
Loughborough & campus
Sock Gallery
Loughborough Town Hall, Market Place, Loughborough LE11 3EB
In the Town Hall foyer, Sock Gallery has a series of accessible exhibitions by regional artists and groups. The calls to exhibit include the sale of works, making it an interesting local stop to buy without going through a large shopping mall.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
18
Loughborough & campus
Martin Hall Exhibition Space
Martin Hall, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU
LU Arts programs this Martin Hall space for exhibitions from research, student creation and guest collaborations. You should check the opening dates, but the stage usefully sheds light on the campus' role in the county's art scene.
19Works for sale
Melton & Northeast County
Dotty Gallery
12 Main Street, Twyford, Leicestershire LE14 2HU
In the village of Twyford, Dotty Gallery selects handmade works and objects by British artists. The intimate scale encourages the discovery of paintings, ceramics and designer pieces in a context very different from urban galleries.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
20Works for sale
Melton & Northeast County
fourwalls creative framing and gallery
7 Burton Street, Melton Mowbray LE13 1AE
fourwalls combines bespoke framing and artist presentation in the center of Melton Mowbray. The gallery is particularly suitable for visitors who want to see works ready to hang and get concrete advice on their presentation.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
21
Melton & Northeast County
Melton Carnegie Museum
Thorpe End, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 1RB
The Melton Museum places art in the rural and sporting culture of the district. His collections linked to the painter John Ferneley offer a rare angle on equestrian painting, hunting and the social landscape of the 19th century.
22
Hinckley & Market Harborough
Atkins Gallery
Atkins Building, Lower Bond Street, Hinckley LE10 1QU
The former Atkins hosiery factory now hosts a public gallery amid creative and heritage activities. Exhibitions change regularly and give concrete visibility to artists, groups and cultural projects in south-west Leicestershire.
23Works for sale
Hinckley & Market Harborough
Ten2 Gallery
102 Castle Street, Hinckley LE10 1DD
Ten2 combines gallery, café, supervision, equipment and courses in an address active for several decades. Its displays, often nourished by the practice of workshops, create a direct bridge between learning to paint and acquiring works.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
24Works for sale
Hinckley & Market Harborough
Wingates Gallery
44A St Mary's Road, Market Harborough LE16 7DU
Wingates is one of the most established shopping malls in the industry, with several hundred original works permanently visible. The hanging covers landscapes, abstraction, figuration and contemporary signatures, with support adapted to collectors and first purchases.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
25Works for sale
Hinckley & Market Harborough
Left to Draw Studios
Union Wharf, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7UW
On the canal, Left to Draw brings together studio, gallery, creative café and boutique. The works of resident artists are offered for purchase, which makes the visit particularly lively: you can easily go from a painting seen on the wall to practice during a workshop.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
26
Hinckley & Market Harborough
Harborough Museum
The Symington Building, Adam and Eve Street, Market Harborough LE16 7LT
Harborough Museum is best known for Hallaton's treasure, but its tour provides valuable context for the visual cultures of the south county. Temporary exhibitions and local objects usefully complete a day focused on neighboring shopping malls.
27Works for sale
Staunton Harold & Rutland
Ferrers Gallery
Ferrers Center for Arts and Crafts, Staunton Harold, Ashby-de-la-Zouch LE65 1RU
Within the Ferrers Centre, this gallery brings together the work of over a hundred British artists and makers. Painting, prints, glass and ceramics are part of a pleasant heritage excursion around the Staunton Harold estate.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
28Works for sale
Staunton Harold & Rutland
Goldmark Gallery
14 Orange Street, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9SQ
Goldmark is a destination in its own right: vast reserves, documented exhibitions, editions and thousands of works covering modern and contemporary art. The quality of its catalogs and films extends the visit, while the team advises on-site and remote purchases.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
29Works for sale
Staunton Harold & Rutland
Peter Barker Fine Art
2A Hope's Yard, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9QQ
Founded by the painter Peter Barker, this gallery defends a demanding figurative tradition: landscapes, wildlife, rural scenes and still lifes. The selection of British originals makes it a complementary stop in Goldmark, a few minutes' walk away.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
30Works for sale
Staunton Harold & Rutland
The Rutland Gallery
27 High Street East, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9PY
The Rutland Gallery presents a careful selection of contemporary British painting and sculpture in a townhouse. The domestic scale helps imagine the works at home, and the concentration of galleries in Uppingham allows for useful comparisons during the same walk.
This address actually offers works for purchase. To compare before choosing, also discover our selection of original paintings with personalized advice.
Three ready-made routes
Compose the day without zigzagging
The times below remain flexible. Check opening days, book tours by appointment and leave room for temporary exhibitions.
A day in the heart of the city
New Walk & Cultural Quarter
- Leicester Museum & Art Gallery at opening
- Attenborough Arts Centre
- Leicester Gallery at DMU
- LCB Depot and Leicester Print Workshop
- Two Queens or Phoenix at the end of the day
A day in the north of the county
Loughborough & Melton
- Modern Painters, New Decorators
- Sock Gallery
- Martin Hall if an exhibition is open
- Melton Carnegie Museum
- Dotty Gallery or fourwalls
One day collect
Harborough, Staunton Harold or Uppingham
- Wingates Gallery in Market Harborough
- Left to Draw Studios on the canal
- Ferrers Gallery in Staunton Harold
- Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham
- Peter Barker and The Rutland Gallery on foot
Institutional sources
To go further
The selection crosses the official sites of the places with cultural institutions, universities and local networks. These pages are useful for program changes and calls for artists.
- Visit Leicester - galleries and cultural tourism
- Leicester Museums & Galleries - public collections and schedules
- Leicester Art Map - local art network
- From Montfort University - Leicester Gallery and collections
- LU Arts - Loughborough University programming
- Leicester Cultural Quarter - places, events and creation
Frequently asked questions
Prepare your visit
Some practical answers for choosing the right steps and avoiding closed doors.
What is Leicester's main arts district?
The Cultural Quarter, around Rutland Street, Queen Street and St George Street, brings together the highest density of artist-led, studio, print and digital arts spaces. New Walk remains essential for major museums and art centers.
Which galleries sell works?
Thirteen locations in the directory carry the yellow "Works for Sale" badge. They range from Clarendon and Wingates to Uppingham galleries, print shops, county gallery boutiques and artist-led spaces with a shop.
Are museums free?
Several major institutions in Leicester offer free general entry, but some temporary exhibitions or activities require a fee. Always check the official website for today's rates.
Can you visit everything without a car?
Central Leicester and Loughborough are accessible by train and are well explored on foot. Melton, Hinckley and Market Harborough remain possible by public transport; Staunton Harold and a full loop to Uppingham require more preparation.
Why check same day schedules?
Artist-led spaces, studios and university galleries often open depending on the exhibition. Newarke Houses also has limited opening days. Quick control of the official calendar avoids a closed door.
How to buy an original painting after the trip?
You can contact the galleries bearing the yellow badge directly or consult our collection of original paintings for sale. We offer pre-purchase advice and organize international delivery.
0 comments