Five Valleys Gallery is expanding at the Five Valleys Shopping Centre in Stroud after representing more than 60 artists during its first six months.
The artist-run cooperative is adding a second unit within the Home of Vintage area of the shopping centre. The extra space is intended to accommodate more artists and allow the gallery to show a wider range of work.
The expansion follows what the gallery described as an encouraging response from artists and the local community. It gives the project more room to develop while retaining its focus on making professionally presented contemporary art accessible to artists and visitors.
Gallery brings together artists from the Five Valleys and beyond
Five Valleys Gallery opened in February 2026. Its original purpose was to provide artists with a professional space to display their work while keeping costs as low as possible.
The cooperative represents artists from Stroud and the wider Five Valleys, as well as artists from further afield. The work on display spans several forms, including painting, drawing, prints, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, collage, textiles and cards.
Artists share responsibility for running the gallery through its cooperative structure. They also contribute to a lively, changing exhibition, meaning the space can develop as participating artists and their work change.
“When we started Five Valleys Gallery, the aim was to create a professional space where artists could come together, support one another and reach a wider audience. The cooperative model was about making that opportunity as accessible as possible.”
Chris James, the gallery’s founder, said the cooperative model was designed to give artists a practical way to support one another and reach a broader audience.
Second unit to create room for more artists
Tania Fullerton, the gallery’s head of marketing and PR, said the project was responding to the artistic talent in Stroud and the Five Valleys by creating a place where more artists could be seen.
“There is an enormous amount of artistic talent in Stroud and the Five Valleys, and we wanted to create a space where more of those artists could be seen. The response from artists and the public has been incredibly encouraging.”
She said the gallery’s growth had been significant because more than 60 artists were involved after only six months, with the second unit now allowing the cooperative to extend its offer.
“To have more than 60 artists involved after only six months, and now to be expanding into a second unit, feels like a real milestone. For us, success is about supporting artists and creating a gallery that people enjoy visiting.”
The expansion is the latest stage in the gallery’s effort to make contemporary art more visible and accessible within the shopping centre. Artists interested in joining the cooperative are invited to submit applications.
