Primary, an artist-led contemporary visual arts organization and charity in Nottingham, has opened a new exhibition at its Seely Road location in the Lenton and Radford community. Housed in a repurposed school building, Primary hosts over fifty artists and features a community garden, bakery, coffee shop, bookseller, and art studios. The exhibition showcases work from emergent talent, particularly from the global ethnic majority and underrepresented groups, continuing Primary's mission to create art that connects local and global communities.
This exhibition matters because it directly addresses the needs of a community where 51% of children live in poverty, as reported by the Department for Work and Pensions in March 2024. By offering free, accessible, and practical community spaces alongside artistically ambitious programming, Primary breaks down barriers between contemporary art and the public. Founding artist Michael Forbes emphasizes the organization's cycle of theory, practice, and reflection to build genuine collaborative relationships between artists, audiences, and the wider community, making art a tool for meaningful societal change.