Yes! Art is a one-day, artist-led, not-for-profit marketplace produced by Artillery CIC, shaped by over 22 years of experience delivering artist labs, residencies, open houses and studios, and the E17 Art Trail. It brings together bold and diverse fine artists from across East London in a lively setting where artists and audiences can connect directly.
 

The first edition launched in 2024 as part of the William Morris Gallery Open Lates with 18 artists, and in 2025 it expanded to over 60 artists and independent creative businesses at Big Penny Social. We are now developing Yes! Art as a recurring East London fair, growing it collaboratively with our wider creative network.

The project emerged from a simple but urgent need: to create more opportunities for artists and audiences to meet in person. At a time when much of our engagement with art has shifted online, we believe that seeing work up close and speaking directly with artists creates a deeper and more lasting connection. These encounters also create a valuable reciprocity, where audience responses and conversations become an important part of how artists reflect on, shape and develop new work over time. 

Through more than two decades of producing artist development programmes, open studios and public events, we have consistently seen how much audiences value the opportunity to learn about creative processes, hear the stories behind the work and connect personally with artists. These exchanges often become the foundation for ongoing support, future opportunities and art sales.

In recent years, the creative sector has faced significant challenges, from Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic to the ongoing cost of living crisis. Many artists continue to struggle with visibility, income stability and access to audiences. Through our Creative Business Builder Programme, we worked closely with artists to better understand these pressures, and it became increasingly clear how important it is to create welcoming, accessible spaces where artists can share work, build relationships and connect directly with buyers and audiences.

Yes! Art was developed in response to this. It offers an open and accessible environment where artists can present their work, engage with audiences and retain full income from their sales. By removing commission, we aim to support more sustainable creative practice while encouraging a more personal and transparent experience of discovering and collecting art.

Our aim is to strengthen the local creative ecology in East London by supporting independent artists and making high-quality contemporary art more accessible to wider audiences. We are excited to continue developing Yes! Art and to grow it with the artists, partners and communities who shape it.

If you would like to be part of this, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Laura Kerry
Co-Director, Artillery Arts CIC