Gammel Strand

Gammel Strand is a locally rooted, internationally oriented art centre in the heart of Copenhagen, housed since 1952 in one of the city's most beautiful historic buildings.

Its history dates back to 1825, when a group of citizens including the painter and professor C.W. Eckersberg, inspired by German models, founded Kunstforeningen (The Art Association). Its aim was to spread knowledge of art and bridge the gap between the elitist Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the wider public. In 2004 the institution added GL STRAND to its name, and in 2024 Kunstforeningen GL STRAND became Gammel Strand, introducing a new exhibition profile and several new collaborations.

Today its programme presents art that takes a critical and nuanced approach to the present, addressing the big questions of our time, from the intimately personal to global dilemmas. Alongside its exhibitions, Gammel Strand is a platform for talks, debates and activities that bring people, art and culture together, fostering new communities.