The Bigger Picture
Cromer’s unique project displaying great works of art around town.
National treasures, local impact
Masterpieces by the sea
The Cromer Bigger Picture project is an outdoor art exhibition that brings masterpieces from major national and regional galleries onto the streets of Cromer, making high-quality art accessible to everyone in the community.
The initiative works in collaborations with institutions such as the National Gallery in London, the Courtauld, the Towner, and the Tate. For 2025, the project partners with the National Galleries of Scotland, displaying life-size reproductions of iconic works, including pieces like The Monarch of the Glen, around Cromer’s town centre and seafront.
By situating artworks in public spaces, on walls, streets, and near landmarks, Cromer Artspace transforms the town into an open-air gallery. This format encourages residents and visitors alike to encounter art in unexpected settings, blending cultural heritage with everyday life.
Walk around town to see the art
Our Digital Guide
Bloomberg Connects
Past Bigger Pictures
The National Galleries of Scotland 2025
For 2025 Cromer Artspace worked with the National Galleries of Scotland, to bring an exciting exhibition to the streets of Cromer. “The real success of delivering exhibitions to the streets of Cromer is bringing quality art to a rural community with difficult links to where national art is found. People love that the art is liberated from galleries for them to see, brightening the streets”
Find out about the art at ngs.cromer-artspace.uk
Heritage Space 2024
From Fishermen and Kings to bathing belles and postcards, Cromer Artspace and Cromer Museum brought an exhibition to the streets of Cromer in 2024. Building on the success of the collaboration with the National Gallery, Cromer Artspace have obtain funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to work with 6 Cromer based community groups.
12 interpretation boards were around the streets of Cromer, each featuring images from the museum’s collection of over 13,000 historic photographs, postcards and watercolours.
The exhibition recognised the strong interest the community has with historic photographic collections. The community groups involved represented a diverse range of people from Cromer to help curate this exhibition: Queer Norfolk(LGBTQ+), About with Friends (Disability), Friends of Cromer Museum (older people), Cromer Young Interpreters (Youth), Cromer Junior School (Children) and Merchants’ Place.
National Gallery, London 2023
In 2023 Cromer Artspace collaborated with the National Gallery london to bring 24 amazing reproductions to Cromer.
From Caravaggio to Zurbarán, Monet to Manet and van Gogh to van Huysum, this exciting exhibition in collaboration with the National Gallery brought life-sized reproductions to the streets of Cromer, providing visitors with a multiplicity of photo opportunities other than the iconic pier.
And the reason for masterpieces from Caravaggio to Constable vying for position on the streets of Cromer? While the National Gallery welcomes vast numbers, most people don’t have the opportunity to visit the gallery in London, and many are unaware that they display some of the most famous paintings in the world. This exhibition took the images to the people, extending the reach of one of the most prestigious galleries in the world to the streets of Cromer.
Feedback from the first Bigger Picture inspired the exhibition
“…you don’t always get time to go to a gallery – especially living in Cromer – so it’s great to have such realistic reproductions brought to us…”
“…loved the contrast between the euphoria generated by Banksy coming to Cromer and the gentle realisation that Cromer was stuffed with some real great artwork…”
“…the thing about paintings stuck to the outside of buildings in ordinary streets is that they’re so much more inspiring than when you encounter them in a stuffy old gallery…”
“…I’ll meet you by the pregnant green lady…”
“…I love running into Rembrandt when nipping out for a coffee…”
Find out about the art at picturearound .cromer-artspace.uk
