Bearspace

Bearspace occupies 152 Deptford High Street, a space founder Julia Alvarez moved into after starting the gallery in 2005 in a former pub next door. The programme has built a reputation for backing artists early in their careers, with a core roster that includes Dominic Bradnum, Lucy Baker, Chris Hawtin, Jane Ward, Suzanne Moxhay and Dionne Cole alongside guest painters; current shows pair Phil Ashcroft's Moonbeams with Vic Wright's Shaped Surface. Alvarez was also behind the South London Art Map, a self-guided trail that started with eight venues and has since grown to more than a hundred, later inspiring a sister map covering Margate, Folkestone, Hastings and Brighton. Entry to the gallery is free, and shows change every few weeks.