Ikon Gallery

Ikon Gallery is a free contemporary art gallery in Brindleyplace, housed in a former neo-Gothic school on Oozells Square. Its changing exhibitions bring together work by artists from Birmingham and around the world, using media such as painting, sculpture, photography, film and sound. Two floors of galleries and a tower space give each show room to take a different shape. The building itself is part of the visit, with its preserved historic exterior, bright exhibition rooms and distinctive staircase. Check the current programme before you go to see whether the exhibitions suit your interests.

A gallery inside a former school

Ikon Gallery occupies the former Oozells Street Board School in Brindleyplace. The neo-Gothic building dates to 1877 and was designed by John Henry Chamberlain. Its historic exterior remains alongside the gallery’s light, white-walled exhibition spaces, creating a clear contrast between the old structure and the contemporary work inside.

The gallery moved to this permanent home in 1997. Its early years were spent at different locations around Birmingham, after beginning as a small stall in the Bullring. The project was founded in the 1960s by art collector Angus Skene and artists connected with Birmingham School of Art.

How the exhibitions change

Ikon presents temporary exhibitions by artists from Birmingham and elsewhere. Work can span painting, sculpture, photography, film, sound, mixed media and installation. The programme changes regularly, and the gallery reconfigures its rooms for each new exhibition, so a return visit may have a different layout and focus.

The main exhibition spaces cover two floors, with an attic room and a tower space also used for shows. Past exhibitions have included work ranging from ceramics and metalwork to film and optical installations. The specific works on display depend on the current programme; check Ikon’s website before travelling if you have a particular interest.