Cheltenham Art

Directions to Cheltenham Spa

The Cheltenham Open Air Art Exhibition is held annually in Imperial Gardens.  The Gardens are located in central Cheltenham just off the promenade.  The Exhibition takes place over a four week period between the middle of June and the middle of July. 

Cheltenham is a spa town located in the county of Gloucestershire, in the English South Midlands.  It is well known for its architecture, and for its shopping facilities, offering some quite exclusive designer names along 'The Promenade'.  This remarkable sculpture, 'Minotaur and Hare' is also a permanent feature along The Promenade, and is located in front of Cavendish House.  It was created by Sophie Ryder in 1995, and was acquired by public subscription in 1998.  It is a controversial piece, as you will see when you take a closer look!

The following map shows a portion of Gloucestershire, featuring the cathedral city of Gloucester, and some of the towns and villages neighbouring Cheltenham:

Cheltenham is readily accessible from the M5 motorway via the A40, alongside which can be seen the remarkable new GCHQ building known locally as 'The Doughnut'.  GCHQ is one of the town's largest employers.

Carrying along the A40 takes you to the Lansdown Road which heads into the Montpellier area of Cheltenham, known for its wonderful Georgian architecture. From there you follow Montpellier Walk down to The Promenade, where you will find Imperial Gardens to your right.  See the link to the town map below for further details.

("Conversation" by Sophie Ryder)

Cheltenham is also accessed by train from Birmingham, Bristol, Cirencester, Cardiff, Swindon and nearby Gloucester.