Art: useful websites

This page lists useful, free resources for art. See databases for history of art or fine art for lists of key online sources purchased by the University to help you find information in these subjects.

Key sites

  • Art History Resources on the web
    A chronological and comprehensive list of sites.

  • Artlex
    ArtLex is an art dictionary on the web, with definitions for more than 3,600 terms used in discussing art / visual culture, along with thousands of supporting images, pronunciation notes, great quotations and cross-references.

  • BUBL subject tree for arts
    BUBL provides a limited number of carefully selected resources covering all academic subject areas. Please note: Updates to BUBL ceased in April 2011. Links on the site will no longer be checked.

  • Intute : Visual arts
    Websites are chosen by subject specialists. It forms part of the online subject resource called Intute which covers resources from the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. Please note: Updates to Intute ceased in July 2011. Links on the site will no longer be checked.

  • Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951

    This is the first comprehensive study of sculptors, related businesses and trades investigated in the context of creative collaborations, art infrastructures, professional networks and cultural geographies. The database includes information on c.3,500 sculptors, c.10,000 related businesses, c.15,000 objects, c.1,300 exhibitions, c.700 other events, c.125 art societies, c.125 art schools and c.16,500 locations.

Guides and tutorials

  • Internet for Art and Design
    One of a series of tutorials written for the Intute Virtual Training Suite. This tutorial aims to improve Internet information skills, knowledge of key Internet sites, Internet search skills and critical thinking skills. Although this particular tutorial was written for FE rather than HE there is much that is valuable in it. The links basket option provides a useful listing of sites relevant to art.

  • Evaluating websites: a guide
    Hints on assessing the reliability of information you find on the Internet.

  • The web
    A brief guide to finding information which includes links to the main search engines.

  • Finding information in arts and history
    Open University web course to help you to identify and use information in Arts and History, whether for your work, study or personal purposes

General art-related sites

  • ArtSource
    Although a commercial site, this is compiled by an ex-art librarian and sites listed are carefully selected.

  • Artists' Papers Register
    A searchable location register of the papers/archives of artists designers and craftspeople held in publicly accessible collections in the British Isles.

  • British Library Art Website
    A collection of useful websites for art and architecture chosen by the British Library

Architecture

  • RIBA - Architecture.com
    The RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) site gives access to their catalogue, and to a page of links for architecture. The site mainly focuses on contemporary architecture.

  • The Great Buildings Collection
    Searchable by building, architect or place, this site provides basic details, images and in come cases 3D tours.

Contemporary art

  • Axis
    Axis is a national contemporary visual arts service providing information about artists and makers living/working in Britain to a national and international audience. It is the largest interactive database of contemporary British art on the Internet. It also provides a good set of links to other sites.

  • e-flux Journal
    e-flux is an international network for visual art professionals.

  • New Exhibitions of Contemporary Art
    Comprehensive and up-to date listings of current exhibitions in the UK.

Galleries and museums

Images

  • Visual Arts Data Service (VADS)
    This is one of the five subject centres of the Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS). The image database covers a variety of collections including African and Asian arts; Design and Romanesque sculpture in Britain; and the Imperial War Museum collections.

  • Artcyclopedia
    Searchable by artist, title of work and individual galleries, this site provides links to works of art in various virtual museums round the world, providing images and catalogue information. You can also browse the database for genres, themes etc and there is a page of links.

  • Yale center for British art
    Online catalogue enabling seamless searching across the art collections and related library material. Has publication quality images of art objects in the public domain.

  • Your Paintings
    This website aims to show the entire UK national collection of oil paintings. There will be images of around 200,000 paintings when the project is complete. It is a joint initiative between the BBC, the Public Catalogue Foundation and participating collections and museums across the UK.

  • Web Gallery of Art
    The Web Gallery of Art is a virtual museum and searchable database of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods (1150-1800), currently containing over 11,600 reproductions. Commentaries on pictures, biographies of artists are available.

Organisations & institutions

  • Institute of International Visual Arts (inIVA)
    inIVA aims to promote the work of culturally-diverse artists. This site has a digital archive of images, text, audio and video. It also includes a link to their library catalogue.

  • LUX
    LUX is an arts agency which explores ideas around artists' moving image practice through exhibition, distribution, publishing, education and research. Includes LUX Online, a resource for British based artists' film and video. It contains articles, biographies, film clips and new writings.

  • National Art Library - Victoria and Albert Museum
    Includes a link to their catalogue.

 

Please note: our site descriptions are based on information available on the site described at the time it was evaluated.

Back to Art

Page navigation

See also

 

Search Form