A nationwide touring initiative by the National Gallery is transforming everyday public spaces into open-air galleries for residents across the UK
Masterpieces from the National Gallery are being displayed in the London suburb of Croydon as part of a travelling project designed to bring art closer to local communities.
High-quality reproductions of works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, JMW Turner and Vincent van Gogh are on show in prominent town centre locations, including Croydon Minster and Queen’s Gardens.
The Croydon displays form part of Art on Your Doorstep, a three-year initiative that aims to share paintings from the national collection with audiences beyond the gallery’s London base in Trafalgar Square. The programme runs until 5 July, and also features a series of free exhibitions in Coulsdon, New Addington, Purley, Thornton Heath and Upper Norwood.
Works from the National Gallery are going on tour as part of Art on Your Doorstep, an initiative to share paintings beyond a gallery space
Further stops are planned for 2026, including Torquay, Derry, Birstall, near Bradford, and the Isle of Wight, extending the reach of the scheme across the UK.
In Essex, the Creative Mile Brentford Art Trail will collaborate with residents to identify unexpected settings for the artworks, from high streets and community venues to public parks. Locals will help decide which pieces are shown, embedding the project within each area it visits.
Hannah Widgington, exhibitions manager at the National Gallery, said: “The trail will offer a rare chance to encounter these works beyond the familiar gallery walls and weave them into everyday life. Local residents will help select the artworks featured on the trail and will contribute their own creative responses.”
Images: The National Gallery
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