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Art Galleries

Hattie Lloyd 12/08/23


The ICA

How do you define art?

The ICA’s answer is… don’t bother.

Neither a museum nor an art gallery, The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is quite difficult to define (which is – oooooooh – what defines it). A venue where society, politics and creativity collide, it’s a mildly off-centre choice when trying to decide how to get your culture fix.

The ICA

Positioned on The Mall – Buckingham Palace’s humble driveway – The ICA has views of some of London’s most iconic places: Big Ben, The London Eye, St. James’s Park and The Mall (obviously) can all be seen from the Regency era building.

The ICA’s been a hub of contemporary art since 1968. Complete with gallery spaces, a studio, a theatre and two cinema screens, there’s a variety of stuff on offer that’s split into four categories: films, talks and learning, live, and exhibitions. The work crosses a variety of media including immersive art installations, performance art, multimedia exhibitions, films, gigs and fashion shows – it reeeeally is the kind of place that switches it up.

You’ve got until 23rd December to catch Gray Wielebinski: The Red Sun is High, the Blue Low, which embraces the new apocalyptic precariousness we all live in with absurdist games and abstract installations.

ICA bar

If you get a bit tired / bored / weirded-out / seasick / over excited / sad (all are possible here), The ICA also boasts a bar, open nightly until 10pm and full of drinks and snacks you’re allowed to take round the galleries with you.

Go hungry for culture…

leave full of pie.

 

NOTE: The ICA galleries are open Tuesday-Thurs 4-9pm and Fri-Sat 12-9pm, with the cinemas & bar open until 10pm). It’s free to visit the exhibitions on Tuesdays – you can find out more, and book tickets, HERE.

Institute of Contemporary Arts | The Mall, St. James’s, SW1Y 5AH


Big art fan? See what’s on at these other London art galleries


The ICA


The Mall, St James, SW1Y 5AH
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020 7930 3647



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