Arcade

This Is Arcade (stylised Arcade) is a London-based arts organisation and experimental gallery platform founded in 2007 by Christian Mooney. From its beginnings as a grassroots exhibition space, Arcade has developed a dynamic programme that spans curated exhibitions, performances, live events, talks, publications, and community initiatives; all exploring the evolving possibilities and impacts of contemporary art.

Arcade is driven by a mission to support artistic practices that take creative risks in form, subject and social engagement. In 2021, the organisation took a strategic step by transitioning from a conventional gallery into a Community Interest Company (CIC), aligned with questions at the heart of its practice: How can we support vital experimental work? And how can art meaningfully contribute to society through inclusive, democratic engagement? To meet these aims, Arcade is refining a hybrid model that blends gallery and event space with a kitchen;  placing food, care, conviviality and shared experience at the centre of cultural life. 

Located on the edge of Southwark and Lewisham in southeast London, the space hosts exhibitions, community-led projects, site-responsive programmes and partnerships with cultural organisations, charities and grassroots collaborators. Across its public offerings, Arcade foregrounds process alongside product, community alongside commerce, and connection over spectacle — understanding culture fundamentally as a space of human interaction. 

Our visual identity is shaped around the comma (breath mark), a motif symbolising pause, reflection and shared engagement; inviting audiences to rethink what art is for, what it can change, and how it can help foster care and collective belonging.