Chester Visual Arts (CVA) is a registered charity established to bring visual arts in all its forms to the people of Chester and the surrounding region.

The result of 6 years of planning, CVA now works alongside Cheshire West and Chester Council to support the region’s larger heritage and visual arts strategy.

CVA is governed by a Board of Trustees, comprising established business and arts professionals from the region. Through strategic partnerships CVA has presented four well-received international exhibitions in just 18 months.

Its current partners include Grosvenor Estate, Chester Cathedral, Marketing Cheshire Cultural Destinations, The University of Chester, and the V&A Museum, London.

CVA aims to make its work a permanent part of Chester and to enhance the city and the region as a better place to live, work and visit.

To achieve this, we have established a regular programme of quality events and exhibitions which will lead to Chester becoming recognised nationally and internationally for the visual arts.

CVA’s ultimate aim is to secure a permanent home within the city, as a creative visual arts centre and public art gallery of international standing. 

Chester has a proven appetite for culture, as well as an established population of practising artists of national and international standing. However, there is a clear gap in high-quality visual arts provision in the region. Chester Visual Arts is beginning to fill this gap. Building on our early successes, CVA has made swift gains in developing a local visual arts audience, and it is developing a vibrant visual arts culture for the region.

In 2019, CVA launched its learning programme, placing long-term emphasis on providing stimulating cultural and educational experiences for the wider public and young people. This includes accessible workshops, talks, school visits and tours, as well as digital activities.