Birmingham Independent Galleries. Shop small – support BIG
What are Birmingham Independent Galleries (BIG)?
BIG are a list of local independent galleries based in Birmingham, UK. Each gallery has a passion for supporting local artists, is locally owned and is not part of a chain.
Why should I support independent galleries, as opposed to national chains?
When you buy an artwork from a local gallery, you are directly giving money back into the local creative community. By buying art from local artists, you are allowing more creative people to continue to create and sell art as a means of income. This helps build and support a more creative cultural city. By building a more creative city, we maintain more of our best creative people, allowing Birmingham to become a more creative tourist destination for future generations. By keeping money local, you are investing not only in the city’s culture, but in its finances.
As customers support galleries and artists financially, it gives creative people reassurance that they too can find a career in the arts. This results in more creative thinking, increased artistic output, cultural tourism, and more customers will flock to the city.
Sadly, far fewer local galleries survive in Birmingham than in other comparable cities. Our aim is to educate and bring new value to the city.
What are the values and criteria to be a BIG gallery?
To be a member of Birmingham Independent Galleries, local galleries must adhere to the following rules and values
- They must be based in Birmingham (obviously)
- A minimum 50% of their artists must be local to the West Midlands
- Their owners must live locally to Birmingham
- They must not be part of a larger chain
- They must have a personal relationship with their artists
- They must be first-and-foremost an art gallery, and not sell art as a side business
We have some really exciting plans and collectives goals to help local customers understand art and start investing in Birmingham artists, including joint events and a reward scheme. Watch this space!