The Covid-19 pandemic hit the art world hard. Galleries, museums and creative spaces across the UK and beyond were forced to close their doors, many never to reopen.
According to reports from the Arts Council England and various industry bodies, an estimated one in five independent galleries in the UK permanently closed between 2020 and 2022. In London alone, dozens of well-established spaces shut their doors for good, unable to sustain the financial pressures of prolonged lockdowns, loss of footfall and the collapse of event-based revenue.
Globally, the picture was similarly bleak. UNESCO reported that over 90% of the world's museums and galleries were forced to close at some point during the pandemic, with many smaller independent spaces — those run by individual artists and collectives — unable to access government support in time to survive.
For Gallery 68, the pandemic was a defining moment. Like so many others, we had to adapt — moving more of our offering online, connecting with customers digitally and finding new ways to share art with those who needed it most. Because art, even in the darkest of times, has the power to lift spirits and bring light into people's lives.
We are proud to still be here, still painting, still creating and still sharing art with the world.
Alli Cullimore
Gallery 68