Lars Tharp, LSA President

View all news 2019


23 June 2019

Leicester’s Cank Street Gallery, in the very heart of Leicester’s lanes, has been a ‘must’ venue for anyone hoping to buy or simply to browse the artworks of mainly local and nationally recognized artists.  I am sad to report that, in common with so many of our traditional city-centre shops in this part of Leicester, the Cank Street Gallery closed its doors for the last time in early June 2019. 

Under the inspired owner-manager, Dayle Flude, the gallery has been a particular ally and supporter of the Leicester Society of Artists. As well as its own exhibitions of local artists, the gallery has sponsored our annual Student Award, underpinning the LSA’s continuing policy of encouraging young students working or associated with our area, hoping some may to apply for membership.

Dayle Flude with winners of the LSA Student Award 2018

Dayle Flude with the winners of the LSA Student Award 2018 sponsored by the Cank Street Gallery (Left to right: Alice Miller, Lis Naylor, Dayle Flude, Da Hyoung Choi)

While many such societies are failing to achieve intake at the younger end of the scale, the LSA has been succeeding.

The closure of the Cank Street Gallery is a blow for the LSA and for the art-interested citizens of Leicester and our visitors.  Though our excellent website is a good place to browse the exceptional work of the membership, in the end it is actually seeing a work ‘in the round’  -the paint or pencil on the page or canvas, the sweep of a wood, glass, plastic or metal sculpture, or the visual/tactile qualities of a ceramic pot – it is being in the same space as the work which achieves an ‘engagement’ between artist and viewer.

So, as Cank Street Gallery closes we must now seek out another Leicestershire-based gallery or exhibition space with the same friendly ethos and agenda as Dayle’s. 

On behalf of all in the LSA Membership , I say ‘thank you’ to Dayle and all at the Cank Street Gallery for your support: we shall miss you but trust you will revisit your old ‘daubers’ and other friends.

Lars Tharp, President LSA