Art Jericho

Art Jericho was a contemporary art gallery located in the Jericho neighborhood of northwest central Oxford, England. Established in 2009, the gallery operated for seven years until its closure in December 2016. Managed by Jenny Blyth Fine Art, it served as a platform for emerging and alternative artists, contributing to Oxford's vibrant cultural district through regular temporary exhibitions and participation in the annual Oxfordshire Artweeks festival. The gallery occupied a Victorian building at 6 King Street, offering an intimate setting for contemporary art in a historic suburb renowned for its bohemian character.

Art Jericho was founded in 2009 by Patricia Baker Cassidy, with an initial focus on photography and printmaking. Jenny Blyth, who had previously worked at the Saatchi Gallery from 1990 to 2002, began curating exhibitions shortly after the gallery's founding, having returned to Oxford in 2003. Blyth took over the lease in 2014 and directed the gallery until its closure. Under her leadership, the gallery hosted nearly 40 exhibitions and formalized partnerships such as with Oxfordshire Artweeks. The gallery closed permanently in December 2016 when the building owner planned major renovations that would have reduced natural light to levels unsuitable for displaying art. Blyth declined an offer for the renovated space and subsequently considered new locations.

Art Jericho specialized in contemporary art by emerging and alternative artists, with a particular emphasis on accessibility and discovery. The gallery's programming included solo and group exhibitions, with shows such as The Magic of the Trees in 2016 featuring local artists Helen Slater and Rose-Marie Caldecott. The scope extended beyond visual art to encompass cultural events, including poetry readings and book launches. The gallery maintained an open submission process through which artists could submit portfolios for review, reflecting its commitment to underrepresented talents and innovative contemporary practice.

As a commercial gallery rather than a collecting institution, Art Jericho did not maintain a permanent collection. Its notable contributions came through temporary exhibitions, including the 2014 photographic work of Kim Shaw, a 2015 exhibition by Amelia Phillips, and 2016 presentations by James Allan. The gallery's group show The Magic of the Trees in 2016 brought together multiple local artists. These rotating exhibitions emphasized contemporary painting, photography, and mixed media, with a focus on regional and emerging practitioners.

The gallery occupied a 19th-century Victorian building at 6 King Street, Oxford OX2 6DF, tucked away off Walton Street in the heart of the Jericho neighborhood. The aging structure provided dedicated exhibition spaces suitable for paintings, photography, and events, though its historic fabric posed potential challenges ivy challenges for accessibility. The building's architectural character contributed to the gallery's intimate atmosphere, but its limitations became decisive in 2016 when planned renovations threatened to reduce natural light levels. The gallery's location in Jericho, a historic suburb developed in the 19th century, placed it approximately 0.5 miles from central Oxford University areas and amid independent cafes, bookstores, and artisanal shops that define the area's bohemian character.

During its operation, Art Jericho was open Wednesday to Sunday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with extended hours for festivals such as Oxfordshire Artweeks. The gallery participated annually in this May festival, which boosted its visibility within Oxford's art scene. Public transport access was available via nearby Walton Street bus stops serving routes including the 3 and 4. The gallery was funded mainly through commissions on artwork sales and income from events, operating independently with a small team under Jenny Blyth's leadership. Since its closure in December 2016, the space has not continued as a gallery, though it contributed significantly to Oxford's contemporary art infrastructure during its seven-year existence.