Norwich’s art scene is flourishing, so let’s have a look at some of the cheapest experiences available! 

Museum/Gallery Exhibitions 

· Sainsbury’s Centre – Can the Seas Survive Us? – Exhibition series on Climate Change and Ocean life – 15th March-26th October 2025 – Free entry for students. 

MY REVIEW: Thought-provoking, educational and diverse in terms of exploration of different artistic mediums and social discourses surrounding the subject of the sea and ecology/society. It’s definitely worth the visit, with it being a free, accessible, largish-sized exhibition, that manages the balance of being creative in display and selection of art, while being informative but not too overwhelming. 

· Norwich Castle and Art Gallery – One Self: The Creative Life of Colin Self –Exhibition showcasing works from internationally renowned Pop Artist Colin Self – 29th March to 21st September 2025 – Free Entry for UEA students. Keep a look out for the reopening of the entirety of the castle, with the Royal Palace project finishing sometime this Summer! 

My Review: Colin Self is certainly an astonishing artist the curatorial team did a great job at dissecting his artistic journey. I came into the exhibition expecting to just see pop art but there was instead a showcase of artworks, that show the extent of Self’s ability to adapt to various mediums and subjects. There were mixed media works, sketches, photography, prints, sculptures and paintings linked to a range of ideas concerning pop art subculture, political nuclear threat and natural landscapes. You get introduced to Self through a lens of his unique aesthetic exploration. The exhibition itself is medium sized and free to enter, so you should definitely pop in to have a look! 

· Undercroft Gallery – Norwich 20 Group, an annual exhibition of artwork by N20G members – 9 to 25 May 2025; Mind Aid Festival – July/August 2025. Free Entry. 

· Anteros Arts Foundation – LGBT+ Exhibition – a solo lgbt+ artist led exhibition celebrating pride month – 21st to 31st July – Free Entry. 

· Norwich University of Arts, GradFest 2025 – UnderGrad Showcase – 14 to 20 June, June (TBC) Film Screening, Postgrad Showcase – 6 to 10th Sept. A display of the recent graduates art, ranging from sculptural, paintings, film, graphic art to architectural work. Free Entry. 

Fairs and Markets 

· The NightFair – A Gothic and alt themed art, décor and fashion fair – 24/5th May and August 2/3rd – Free Entry – Carrow House, King Street. 

· Summer Artisan Arts and Crafts Exhibition – A fair and exhibition of the finest Norfolk-based artists, artisans and crafters – 5th to 20th July – Free Entry – The Forum. 

· QueerFest Pride Month Market – a queer artist and artisan supporting market – 14th June – Free Entry – The Forum. 

Festivals 

· Norfolk and Norwich Arts Festival – A city wide month of performances, literature and visual arts events exploring the theme of ‘Magic and Mystery’ – 9th to 25th May – Varying Ticket Prices. Sign up to their Young NNF (for ages 18-25) program for free, for discounted tickets at £10. 

Bad News: Despite it being the 30th Anniversary of the ‘Open Studios’ project, allowing the public to visit artists’ studios from across Norfolk, it has been cancelled due to lack of applications. 

· Norwich Pride – A city wide celebration of LGBTQA+ – featuring a Pride Art Exhibition based on the theme ‘Prescence’ in The Assembly House and Makers Market in the Chantry Car Park – 22nd to 26th July – Free Entry. 

Why not try something new? 

Commercial Galleries can be intimidating places, what with the whitewashed walls and sales clerk staring at you from the corner! But have no fear – they don’t usually walk up to you with a sales pitch, unless you show a sign of interest to them. So, if they’re not reserved for a private viewing, you can pop in and have a look at some of the finest contemporary art! 

Norwich holds a number of commercial galleries: 

· Moosey, Soho Fine Art Norwich, East Gallery, Undercroft Gallery, 

Castle Fine Art, Norwich Art Shop, The Giggly Goat and Mandell’s Gallery. 

How to save even more while going on days out: 

As students, we’ve all felt the need to constrain to a tighter budget, especially on top of recent rising costs of living and transport prices souring. So how can we enjoy life and art while still being broke? 

Remember to fully utilise being a student to your advantage – i.e. purchase concession tickets, buying the National Student Art Pass and using it to visit Galleries, Museums and Heritage Sites for discounted or free prices 

Pre-pack lunch and drinks – instead of paying extra at a café nearby the arts venue, why not have a mini picnic in the nearest park? Or buy a good old cheap Tesco meal deal? 

Now that it’s getting warmer – instead of paying the bus fare, if you’re able to, have a walk into town! Saves at least half the cost of transport, and the exercise can boost your wellbeing. Or if you’re going as a group of 4+, take a taxi – it can turn out to be cheaper than going by bus. 

Photo Credit: Oliwia Wcislo