What's on? ... newexhibitions.com
London is a large and confusing city. After living in the capital for nearly four years, I sometimes feel almost as lost and overwhelmed as the day I arrived. I'll admit this is mostly my own flaky fault, but I think that anyone trying to locate cultural events in London might need the help of a good guide. And searching for art is no exception.
The New York art scene is particularly easy to navigate because Chelsea has become essentially the city's art ghetto, and Berlin's Brunnenstrasse is a haven for art hotspots, but despite the cluster of excellent emerging spaces on Vyner Street,London's galleries are scattered around and squirreled away. Knowing what's on and what's worth the effort can be daunting. But thankfully, newexhibitions.com is like the A-Z roadmap equivalent for art in London ... and beyond.
Founded by Kay Roberts, an MA graduate from the Royal College of Art, the New Exhibitions website provides a wealth of gallery information that also extends to Scotland, Ireland and Wales. It provides a clear list of almost every significant gallery show around the country each month, one month in advance. The "events listing" has art-related talks, performances and links to major museums and fairs. Each week, Roberts also offers a concise account of nearly every opening in the UK.
The site's design is basic and clear, but its real benefit is the richness of its links. Every gallery's email contact and website link is displayed along with the gallery's street address, nearest tube stops, and the artist, exhibition title and dates of its shows.
As a critic, I am on mailing lists for upcoming exhibitions but all the pretty press materials usually arrive at my door only days before an exhibition opens - with far too much wasted paper in the process. I can't live without newexhibitions.com to sort through what's on and what's coming up. Too few galleries keep their websites up to date, so it's vital to have an organised list which is super-simple to navigate, unlike the metropolis it pulls together. It gets my vote - does it get yours?
