Galleries at The Castle
Showcasing established and emerging local artists and crafters
Since opening The Castle to the public in 2007, our art galleries in The Willoughby Gallery and The Blanchminster Room have developed a varied and respected exhibition programme, earning a reputation for quality shows.
The programme is specifically curated to provide a showcase for established and emerging professional local artists and craftspeople extending to those based in the wider West Country. Additionally, we support and showcase the many talents of our local community with schools, specific local interest groups and art and craft organisations, all well represented in our annual programme. We pride ourselves on supporting Cornish and West Country based artists and their artistic development. We aim for exhibitions that you will find inspirational and enjoyable.
See below for details of our current exhibitions…
What's on now...
Our current art exhibitions are spread over two gallery spaces, on the first floor at The Castle Heritage Centre. They usually open on a Saturday with a turnaround of approximately three weeks. Open daily from 10am, they offer a inspirational insight to the creation behind each exquisite piece.
Please note that on the last day of exhibiting, the exhibitions may close early as the artist takes down. To avoid disappointment be sure to visit before the end of the exhibition.
Swanskin Printmakers ⭐ ‘Bloom’⭐
Exhibition Dates: Opens 22 March until last day 10 April 2025
Local artists, Swanskin Printmakers return to The Castle with their exhibition, Bloom. “This is a celebration of Spring when the welcome signs of nature which are a cornucopia of beauty, exemplified in art”.
You can find out more about the group on their dedicated Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/swanskinprintmakers
You can visit our free art gallery at The Castle Heritage Centre from 10am every day.
This exhibition will be in The Willoughby Gallery. Please note that this space is a ‘Dog-Free zone’, with the exception of assisted coated dogs.
Muriel Cole ⭐ ‘The Essence of My Freedom’⭐
Exhibition Dates: Opens 22 March until last day 10 April 2025
Muriel’s work demonstrates the essence of her freedom by being able to work freer and not worrying about constraints or rules, she is her own person.
Having found her joy in her unconstrained art and life she is able to represent this feeling in her use of shapes, lines and colour, and occasional scribbles. Her favourite colours are turquoise, blue and yellow ochre, you can see this love reflected in many of her works on display. She thrives on the playful nature of her work.
You can find out more about the artist on their dedicated website: https://www.murielcoleart.com/
You can visit our free art gallery at The Castle Heritage Centre from 10am every day.
This exhibition will be in The Blanchminster Gallery.
Interested in exhibiting?
We have a couple of rooms that are dedicated spaces for our art exhibitions. Whatever your craft and whether you are an independent artist, crafter or potter, or a collective group, you can apply to exhibit in one (or both) of our exhibition galleries. You can contact us via email at: thecastle@bude-stratton.gov.uk.
Occasionally we have both the Willoughby and Blanchminster Gallery out of action due to a private event. You find out what dates this affects the rooms by visiting our what’s on page.
The Willoughby Gallery
The Willoughby Gallery is the larger of our exhibition rooms. Light, spacious and airy, of generous Victorian proportions, with a period fireplace and overlooking The Castle lawn, The Willoughby Gallery benefits from good natural light, complemented by specific electric lighting. Painted white and fitted with hanging rails throughout, it presents as a fantastic commanding yet elegant space. Patrons of Café Limelight have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the creativity on display and become inspired whilst enjoying their lunch, as The Willoughby Gallery provides further seating for the café and is a dedicated ‘Dog-Free’ zone. This space is more suited to wall based art, as there is very limited space for craft projects.
The Blanchminster Gallery
The Blanchminister Gallery offers a smaller, more intimate space for shows. With two large windows overlooking the driveway and front lawn, painted white and fitted with hanging rails and spot lighting throughout, it is perfect for smaller exhibitions.
It can accommodate wall-based and table based art and crafts. As this space is not used for daily cafe traffic, the exhibition can be browsed independent of cafe visitors. It is directly located opposite the cafe and Willoughby space. This space is part of our dog-friendly rooms for visitors.
Visiting Us?
Our annual Gallery programme is open daily with free entry to the two beautiful rooms, full of exquisite artwork and crafts. There’s always something to admire and even purchase!
Our main art galleries can be found on the first floor of The Castle. In addition to our two galleries, we have a wide selection of crafts and artwork in our Gift Shop, which can be found in Café Limelight on the first floor.
For those people who are unable to negotiate the stairs, you’ll find a fully accessible lift immediately to your left inside the main entrance to The Castle. We also have a permanent paintings gallery with a selection of local historical significant fine artwork displayed on the first-floor landing in the Heritage Centre.
However, as a Heritage Centre, we also use these rooms for events and weddings, which can make these spaces unavailable for the day. Please check out our What’s On page to see if there is anything that may affect your visit so you can plan ahead. Alternatively, you can call us ahead of your visit to confirm any last minute bookings on 01288 357302 or 01288 357300.