NT Art Month Q&A: Open Eye Gallery
Across June, Edinburgh’s New Town will be resplendent with the sight of art lovers popping in and out of galleries across that area. We help smooth things along by producing a series of Q&As with the participating venues. First up, it’s Open Eye Gallery

Tell us why NT Art Month is a good thing? NTAM celebrates Edinburgh’s vibrant New Town art hub, highlighting the significance of our collective galleries in the Edinburgh art scene. It is wonderful to see so many galleries unite and celebrate the many diverse artists they represent.

Can you sum up the ethos of your gallery? The gallery prides itself on the strength of its curation and quality of work exhibited. Since opening in 1982, we aim to show the best of Scottish Contemporary Art in a friendly and approachable setting, encouraging and supporting emerging talent alongside established and internationally acclaimed artists and legacies.
Is there a piece (or two) in your gallery which particularly reflects this ethos? Not a particular piece but our annual On A Small Scale online exhibition celebrates the scope of contemporary art in Scotland, placing the most established names in Scottish art alongside artists at the beginning of their careers. For more than 20 years, this exhibition has become a much-loved highlight in the Edinburgh art calendar, offering an opportunity to purchase small, affordable pieces of art by a diverse range of artists.
Name another gallery in NT Art Month that you especially admire? The Fine Art Society. Established nearly 250 years ago, they continue to handle many of the most influential artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, with whom they have historic links, which is unlike any other gallery in the New Town or Edinburgh.
What do you think makes the art scene in the New Town special? Since the Enlightenment, the capital has produced a wealth of home-grown talent and attracted international creatives, becoming a magnet for bright thinkers and contemporary artists, reflected in the diversity of Edinburgh’s exciting art scene.
The New Town, particularly the area around Dundas Street, has been the heart of private galleries in the city for many years.
Open Eye Gallery, Abercromby Place, Edinburgh; NT Art Month runs from Friday 7–Sunday 30 June.