Oxmarket Galleries

The Centre of Arts is located in the old church of St. Andrew-in-Oxmarket which dates back to the thirteenth century. Having been damaged by a bomb in 1943, the church was never again used for services and when it became redundant in the mid 1950s, it was deconsecrated and became derelict.
Chichester Centre of Arts Limited was founded in 1971 and work began on restoring the building. This included the installation of contemporary yet classical new windows, designed and engraved by Majella Taylor. The north window depicts the patron saint of music and on the south side the window shows a figure reading a book — a memorial to William Collins the poet who was buried here. The Centre opened in 1976 and restoration work continued with the rebuilding of the Vestry as a workshop/storeroom.
In 1989 a modern extension on the site of the derelict graveyard to the north of the church was opened by H.R.H. The Princess Alexandra.

Oxmarket’s activities


The Centre’s core activity provides six exhibition spaces and with the main emphasis on the visual arts, creates varied opportunities for the local and regional community to participate in and enjoy arts-related events.

The Centre has a policy of accessibility and inclusivity and in hosting some 150 shows and exhibits during the year welcomes many artists who hire the spaces to present their own work. Exhibitions range from painting and sculpture to pottery, jewellery, photography and decorative and applied arts.

The galleries offer free entry and are visited during the year by some 30,000 people to view exhibitions presented by professional artists, leisure painters and art clubs. The Oxmarket also promotes its own events aimed at involving the community in a wide range of activities. The Stride OpenArt competition and exhibition is organised each year, as are annual competitive photographic and sculpture exhibitions. Other events such as ‘Art in Action’ gives the public the chance to see artists at work whilst ‘Fourteen Artists’ presents group opportunities to exhibit in a large gallery.



The Centre invites exhibitions by national organisations such as The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, The Pastel Society and ‘The Wapping Group’. Many local art groups hold annual shows in the galleries which are increasingly in demand. In addition the Centre is used for ‘Music on Sundays’, jazz sessions, lectures, talks and workshops. In all the Centre is a busy and vibrant reflection of the creative life in Sussex and Hampshire.