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Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

The Old Lock Up Gallery

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The Old Lock Up Gallery

The Old Lock Up Gallery is a Contemporary Art Gallery located at Swifts Hollow, 19 The Hill, Cromford, Derbyshire.

Our hallmark is outstanding quality - we have a diverse programme of exhibitions throughout the year. The Old Lock Up Gallery - Contemporary Art Gallery - Due to open July 2017

28/08/2026

THE SECRET POSTCARD SHOW 2026!

I’ve just refreshed/changed/replaced/topped up - the show!

They are all original pieces of art work in miniature form. All £20. And have been generously created and donated by 260 artists - to create funds to contribute towards paying the galleries bills and keep the space viable.

This is the 10th Secret Postcard Show here at the gallery: it started in 2017.

It’s a ‘secret’ because all of the info about the art and who created it is on the reverse side: and you only get to see the reverse side if/when you purchase it.

It’s a ‘postcard’ show because the art work is small/postcard ish size: these are a tad larger than traditional postcards because: it’s an easier size to work with and a nice size to hang on your wall or prop somewhere.

Show ends 6th Sept: it’s well worth visiting!

22/08/2026

Wow!!

What an amazing start to the postcard show!

Such a busy day. And a GORGEOUS opening night ❤️
Open again tomorrow 10-5pm.

21/08/2026

OPENING TONIGHT: 21st August!
Here in the gallery from 6.30-8.30pm and then Instagram from 8.45pm ish - all postcards available to purchase: at £20 each!

Everyone is welcome to the opening of the show: believe me it’s well worth it: the exhibition is PHENOMENAL!!!!

Thanks to all 260 artists for making this happen!! You are AMAZING ❤️❤️❤️

Show continues until 6th Sept: both online and in the gallery!

There’s approx 300 ish postcards in the gallery right now - just under 1000 were kindly donated! 🙌

20/08/2026

THE SECRET POSTCARD SHOW 2026

Opens this Friday 21st August; 6.30-8.30pm!

Just under 1000 postcards were kindly donated by 260 artists: not only from accross the U.K. but worldwide too. All for sale for £20 each!

Hope you can join me for the opening of the show.

14/08/2026

The Secret Postcard Show 2026 - OPENS Friday 21st August 6.30-8.30pm!

It’s that time of year when I’ll be flinging open the gallery door for the annual fundraiser/secret postcard show: 100’s of miniature art works have been pouring in for the last 4 weeks here at the gallery.

AND

I can confirm: it’s going to be AMAZING!

All welcome to the opening of the show. Postcards are original art works: in miniature all are £20 each.

Show continues until 6th Sept: open Friday - Sunday 10-5pm.

31/07/2026

I’ll let you into a little secret…

I’ve booked a place on this workshop for myself (on 17th & 18th Sept) and also the one that follows it too: Monoprinting with Louise McNiff (19th & 20th). I was looking at booking a long weekend down in Cornwall and doing a workshop there at that very well known place - you know then one 😉
Then I thought: what on earth am I thinking!!! So I’m having a 4 day creative BONANZA!

You can too:

Due to a couple of recent cancellations there are places on this forthcoming Charcoal Printmaking with the Gelli Plate Workshop!

You can simply secure your place with a £50 deposit - link is at the bottom of this post..

On this two-day workshop, you will learn how to transfer and transform charcoal drawings into monoprints using a Gelli plate.

Artist Tansy Lee Moir will share the techniques she has developed from her extensive research into this method of drawing transfer and printmaking with charcoal. Through a mix of demonstrations, examples and

lots of hands-on practise, you will:

👉Learn how to transfer your drawing to the plate, apply your medium and make a successful print.

👉Quickly get started on a series of prints, working from simple photo references or your own choice of subject.

👉Experiment with a range of charcoal mark making techniques and observe how these interact with printmaking process.

👉Create images using tonal blocks, textures, stencils and masks.

👉Develop layered prints combining multiple drawing transfer elements.

👉Troubleshoot printing problems and embrace happy creative accidents.

👉Record and reflect on your printmaking results and your next steps.

Exciting!!! Can’t wait 🤩

https://www.theoldlockupgallery.org/whatson/charcoal-printmaking-with-the-gelli-plate-tansy-lee-moir

30/07/2026

Your last chance…

To catch the show: K**a Muta!
Open Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd Aug…

What a beauty it’s been - I’ve loved it. So has everyone who has visited too..

Such amazing artists and such beautiful work: thank you all!

The gallery will then be closed until 21st Aug: when I’ll be flinging the door open for THE SECRET POSTCARD SHOW 2026.

23/07/2026

Just two weeks left to experience K**a Muta here at The Old Lock Up Gallery..

There is something that screens simply can’t give us.

Photographs flatten texture, mute colour and reduce scale. They can’t capture the subtle glaze on a ceramic surface, the delicate marks of a pencil, the depth of layered paint or the way light changes an artwork as you move around it.

Art asks us to slow down. To stop. To drink it in.

To step closer. To notice. To spend time with something that has made with love, with care, with thought and feeling.

K**a Muta explores those moments that touch our hearts – the quiet experiences of tenderness, connection, awe and humanity that leave us feeling just a little warmer inside.

If you’ve only seen snippets of the exhibition online, you’re only seeing part of the story.

Come and experience the work in person over the final two weeks. Give yourself time to look closely. You may find that one unexpected piece stays with you long after you’ve left.

📍 The Old Lock Up Gallery, Cromford
🗓 Final two weeks

19/07/2026

Excited to share:

Introducing the ‘Summer Lodge’ here at The Old Lock Up Gallery in the Derbyshire Peak District.

After several successful years of running artist residencies alongside the gallery’s exhibition programme, I’m excited to share an important new chapter for The Old Lock Up Gallery.

From Summer 2027, the gallery will adopt a new hybrid way of working.

Each year, during the quieter summer months, the gallery will pause its exhibition programme for approximately 10–11 weeks to host an extended season of artist residencies. It will mean dropping just one of the galleries exhibitions.

Although artist residencies have been part of the galleries annual programme for several years, this marks a significant evolution. By dedicating a longer period to them each summer, I’ll be able to build on something that has become an important and rewarding part of the gallery’s work.

The Old Lock Up Gallery will continue to present its curated exhibitions throughout the rest of the year, while the summer months become a dedicated time for artists to immerse themselves in their creative practice within this beautiful, historic space.

I see this as an exciting evolution for the gallery: continuing to champion artists not only by exhibiting their work, but also by supporting the creative process itself.

I’m looking forward to developing this side of the gallery and welcoming resident artists each summer as this new annual rhythm begins in 2027.

Applications for the 2027 Summer Artist Residency Programme are now open, I’d love to hear from artists who feel this opportunity is right for them.

Thank you to everyone who has supported The Old Lock Up Gallery over the years. I’m excited to see how this next chapter unfolds.

Artists who’ve already applied - I’ll be in touch with you shortly.

Deadline for applications Oct 4th 2026

2027 dates:
28th May - 3rd June
6th June - 12th June
16th June - 22nd June
25th June - 1st July
5th July - 11th July
14th July - 20th July
23rd July - 29th July
1st Aug - 7th Aug
9th Aug - 15th Aug
9th Sept - 15th Sept
18th Sept - 24th Sept

1 wk £530 inc accommodation
2 consecutive wks £980

Apply via website

04/07/2026

Thank you SATURDAY! 💜

What a fantastic first day at Kiln Ceramic Fair.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along today. We welcomed around 600 visitors, and it was wonderful to see so many people supporting independent ceramicists, discovering beautiful handmade work, and enjoying conversations with the potters & ceramicists.

Thank you to all of our exhibitors for creating such an inspiring event with the incredible quality and variety of work. Your passion and talent have made today something really special.

I’d also like to thank everyone who has worked behind the scenes to make the fair happen. Months of planning have led to today, and seeing the halls full of visitors has made it all worthwhile.

If you couldn’t join us today, there’s still time! We’ll be back tomorrow with over 50 talented ceramicists, all under one roof.

📍 Masson Mills, Derbyshire
🕙 Sunday 10am–4.30pm
🎟️ Entry £2

We’d love to welcome you.

Address

The Old Lock Up Gallery, 19 The Hill, Swifts Hollow
Cromford
DE43RF

Opening Hours

Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+447960097605

Website

http://www.theoldlockupgallery.org/

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