Ikon exhibits, initiates and supports new and innovative contemporary art from Britain and abroad. Conceived by a group of artists in the 1960s as an accessible place for exchange of visual ideas, Ikon’s first venue was an octagonal glass-walled kiosk in Birmingham’s Bullring precinct. After several moves around the city centre, in 1998 the gallery settled in a converted Victorian schoolhouse in the city’s Brindleyplace district, restored by Levitt Bernstein Associates. Ikon now provides a unique space for contemporary art of international significance, playing a key role in the cultural life of Birmingham and the West Midlands. A second venue, Ikon Eastside, opened in 2005 in Birmingham’s Digbeth district.

Gallery: Ikon initiates its own programme consisting of around fourteen temporary exhibitions per year, plus performances and events across two buildings. These focus on surveys of established artists or early outings for emerging artists, with all exhibitions tending to feature new work, often commissioned by Ikon. The ‘non-art’ spaces of the building are often utilised, particularly with video and performance works. A recent development in Ikon’s gallery programme is the presentation of work by historical figures amongst a broader exhibition programme of work by international contemporary/living artists; in this way Ikon conveys how understandings of art history and contemporary practice inform each other. Many of the gallery exhibitions are collaborations with other organisations, often with international galleries and museums.

Off-site: Ikon’s off-site programme is a major feature of activity, offering artists alternatives to the conventional ‘white cube’ space whilst providing ample opportunities for audience development. These projects vary widely in terms of scale, media and duration, tending to manifest themselves around the city of Birmingham and further afield, even internationally.

Ikon Eastside, Ikon’s exhibition space in Birmingham’s Digbeth region (an inner-city manufacturing district now earmarked for regeneration), allows for large scale sculptural and film/video installations that cannot be accommodated in our Brindleyplace premises.

Ikon presents approximately 14+ exhibitions each year.

Most outstanding projects in recent years:

Utagawa Hiroshige, Carmen Herrera, Matias Faldbakken, On Kawara, Steven Shearer, Damian Ortega, Martin Boyce, Ryan Gander, Giuseppe Penone.

Gallery Interpretation: Resource Room displays–text, audio, image and film–and interpretive material (Gallery Guides, Children’s Guides etc) are available to all gallery and website visitors. The learning team also offer talks and tours to both formal and informal education settings.

Ikon’s Public and Learning team aims to develop dynamic relationships with a wide range of audiences, enabling visitors to engage with, discuss and reflect on exhibited work. Ikon’s learning programme often involves working with artists who are exhibiting or making other projects with the galley. The Learning programme is wide and varied, encompassing talks, tours, off-site projects, workshops, seminars and symposia.

Targeted Programmes: Throughout the year Ikon offers dedicated opportunities for schools, further/higher education and groups with specific needs to access the gallery and its exhibitions. For family audiences, the popular programmes of Parents and Toddlers, Family Saturdays and holiday workshops provide children and adults with opportunities to engage in creative activities that explore the exhibitions. Further opportunities for teens and adults also punctuate the programme, including public activities led by IYP, IkonÕs resident youth group.

Special Projects: These focus on engaging community groups, with activities taking place in the gallery and off-site. Collaborative relationships are constantly being developed with organisations throughout Birmingham, especially in the Ladywood and Erdington districts.

Ikon publishes exhibition catalogues and artists books to accompany its exhibitions.

Ikon’s gallery space totals 440 sq metres.