Secret Postcard Show 2025

OPENING NIGHT 22nd August 6.30-8.30pm - all welcome!

EXHIBITING ARTISTS - Announced once the show has opened!

Exhibition ends 7th Sept 5pm - gallery open Friday - Sunday 10-5pm.

Since the opening of the gallery in 2017 The Old Lock Up Gallery has hosted it’s fun & highly successful Secret Postcard Show. The exhibition is in it’s 9th year and we are currently receiving artists submissions for the show: deadline is 15th August. I’m currently astounded by the quality - it’s promising to be the most AMAZING show so far - THE most amazing year ever!

All profits made from the sale of the postcards go directly towards the galleries running costs: namely the rental cost of the building. This year we’re also covering the costs of an artists residency here at the gallery in January 2026. And I’ve promised that if sales hit the 400 mark - the gallery will move to funding 2 artists residencies in 2027.

Postcards are sold at £20 each. I’m not sure that you can step into another art space surrounded by 100’s of high quality art and purchase a piece for just £20.

During the show postcards will be available to purchase via Instagram! And you can follow us by clicking on the icon at the foot of this webpage.

Why is it a secret postcard show? Simply because all of the info about the miniature piece of art work is on the reverse side - and you can’t be privy to the information until you purchase it.. the idea is that you’re buying the art work because you love it: regardless of the status of the artist or whether it might be collectable.

The exhibition works on so many levels and provides an opportunity for all involved.

• Artists to show their work in a contemporary art gallery, and to know that they are supporting the future of the gallery. It also enables the artist to make a connection with us, several artists who have previously participated in the postcard show have gone on to exhibit at the gallery.

• Art Lovers - a show where the work is affordable and accessible to all - regardless of who the piece of work was created by, one year a young boy had saved his pocket money to purchase a piece of work - much to the bemusement of his parents. A future art lover? Who knows?

• Supporting an artist on a low income to have a week long artist residency here at the gallery in 2025.

• The Old Lock Up Gallery - the support that we receive from the artists and postcard buyers, during the show, enables us to continue to develop the gallery - we’re not entirely a conventional gallery (we are not highly commercial) and this fundraiser enables us to continue on the path that we have chosen. We are a small independent contemporary art gallery in a rural setting, developing a successful art gallery, single handedly takes time.