Modern Art Oxford

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Up to 240

Moderate, Modest, Top End

Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1BP·Website·Call01865 722 733

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Overview
Brochures
Events
Rooms
Location

About Modern Art Oxford

Modern Art Oxford offers a striking contemporary venue in the heart of the city, ideal for everything from corporate events and product launches to birthday parties, dinners and creative workshops. With exclusive hire available for up to 240 guests, this iconic gallery provides a flexible backdrop that can be tailored to suit occasions of all styles and sizes.

The largest space, The Yard, accommodates 240 standing or up to 100 dining. Designed by award-winning architects, it is a distinctive space with clean modern lines and atmospheric lighting. Perfect for large receptions, networking events, brand activations or live entertainment, it also offers scope for bespoke styling to bring your event vision to life.

The Ground Floor Gallery holds 200 standing or 80 dining. Recently renovated, it combines exposed brickwork with modern finishes to create a spacious and contemporary setting. Movable furniture, flexible lighting and built-in audio visual equipment make it well-suited to conferences, private dinners, presentations or drinks receptions.

The cafe space, with a standing capacity of 100 or dining for 70, offers something more intimate. Designed by British artist Emma Hart, it features handcrafted furniture and bold colours that create an uplifting, creative feel. It is an excellent choice for smaller celebrations, talks, tastings or private dining.

Catering is fully flexible. Organisers can use the on-site cafe for fresh seasonal menus or bring in external suppliers, including Modern Art Oxford’s trusted caterers, to provide everything from canapes and buffets to formal sit-down meals. The venue also offers top-of-the-range AV equipment and a dedicated events team to assist with planning.

Versatile, stylish and centrally located, Modern Art Oxford stands out as a unique venue hire option for memorable corporate and social events.

Good to know

Delegates/Guests

Up to 240

Venue Hire Cost

Moderate, Modest, Top End

Event Type

Anniversary party, Birthday party, Conference, Corporate event, Corporate party, Drinks reception, Engagement party, Exhibition, Filming/photography location, Hybrid event, Meeting rooms, Team building

Venue Type

Museum

Venue Style

Corporate, Creative, Fun, Historic, Light and bright, Modern, Quirky and unique

This venue also offers

Christmas Parties

Modern Art Oxford

Wedding Venues

Modern Art Oxford

Modern Art Oxford is featured in

The best venues for team building and corporate away days in Oxfordshire

Modern Art Oxford Brochures

Hires Brochure

Modern Art Oxford Events

£6

Event

Kira Freije: Unspeak the Chorus

23 May 2026 until 16 Aug 2026

Walk amongst Kira Freije’s life-sized figures within an atmospheric and emotionally charged space, where groupings suggest fragments of larger imagined narratives.

Modern Art Oxford Rooms

The Ground Floor Gallery

200

Standing

Banquet

100

Theatre

Newly renovated, our Ground Floor is spacious and contemporary, featuring exposed brick walls and an industrial feel that adds character and warmth. With moveable furniture and a Welcome Desk that transforms into an evening bar, the Ground Floor is the perfect blank canvas for bespoke decorations and a distinctive, personalised space. With access to top-of-the-range audio-visual equipment, flexible lighting arrangements, and a team of experienced staff, we’ve got everything you need for your event to flourish. Price: From £3500 + VAT

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The Café

100

Standing

Banquet

Step inside an artwork at our destination Café, designed by acclaimed British artist Emma Hart. Immerse yourself in vibrant pools of colour, where Hart’s uniquely crafted tables, chairs, and stools glow in a breathtaking palette of ‘Ibiza sunset’ hues – the perfect backdrop to eat, drink, and celebrate. From birthday dinners and corporate meetings to evening workshops and intimate musical events, the Café is a versatile space for gatherings of all kinds. With its own dedicated entrance from Pembroke Street, accessible toilets, and a fully equipped kitchen and bar on the lower ground floor, it’s available as a standalone booking or part of full venue hire. The Café offers a unique and inspiring setting to connect with your creative community. Price: From £1500 + VAT

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The Studio

Meeting

Standing

Theatre

By day, our Studio is a hub of learning. By night, it transforms into a dynamic space ready for your ideas to take shape. Whether it’s a film screening, a workshop, or a creative brainstorming session, it’s designed to inspire and adapt to your needs. Equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, flexible lighting, and a variety of seating options, the Studio offers a polished yet creative setting, ready to bring your vision to life. Looking for a space to celebrate your child’s big day? The Studio is also available for children’s birthday parties, offering a bright, flexible venue perfect for creative activities, games, and making memories. Our team can recommend trusted local entertainers and caterers to help you plan a stress-free celebration. Full day/half day: From £1000 + VAT/ £500 + VAT

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The Yard

240

Banquet

100

Theatre

Created in 2002 by RIBA award-winning architects de Rijke Marsh Morgan, the Yard is a contemporary space that brings a unique atmosphere to every event. Ideal for intimate gigs, screenings, or as a private green room for larger events, the Yard offers an authentic and adaptable backdrop for any occasion. It also has its own direct entrance from St Ebbes Street Price: From £350 + VAT

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Location

Modern Art Oxford , 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1BP

01865 722 733

Website

Testimonials for Modern Art Oxford

It is rare to find food so deliciious in the basement of an art galleryMARCH, 2026

It is rare to find food so deliciious in the basement of an art gallery. But then, it is also the basement of one of the country's leading contemporary art galleries. The quirky, colourful cafe with hand-shaped benched and illustrations of thumbs and hands framed on the wall is different to Oxford buildings. But a humble menu of wraps, croque monsieurs, soups, sandwiches and jacket potatoes makes this place as inviting and joyous as the rest of the city. Its colour and funk add to the joy of eating here, and it is perfect fo a quick lunch before or after visiting the gallery upstairs.

Bristol Paper

Cool, chic evening venueFEBRUARY, 2026

The cafe at MAO provided an elegant and joyful space to host my 50th birthday party. Adele and her team were a pleasure to work with - flexible, accommodating and patient with my many requests. With a few minor adjustments they turned a bright day time cafe into a cool, chic evening venue, complete with space for a DJ and dance floor. To know that every pound spent was going directly to support a vital cultural space in Oxford made it all the more gratifying. Thank you!

Caroline Jones

We Couldn't be HappierDECEMBER, 2025

The event was a big success and we were super happy with the venue, so thank you very much! The staff were amazing and extremely helpful so we couldn’t be happier!

Jessica Laxton, The Wildlife Trust

Professional, Adaptable and CreativeDECEMBER, 2025

The team at Modern Art Oxford are fantastic to work with, professional, adaptable and creative. They were extremely responsive before the event and during the evening, and their event space was perfect and flexible for what we needed with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I hope we can work together again soon!

Eleanor Mathieson, Creative Strategist