What is art? This is a question that has vexed great thinkers over the centuries. But the question that could be asked in Oxford currently is where is art? This is because new galleries seem to be cropping up in a range of places, particularly empty shops.

While on the one hand this is a sad reflection of the state of the city’s retail market, it has at least provided an opportunity for artists to prosper.

There are now four schemes running — the Oxford Empty Spaces Arts Project in Templars Square, Cowley; Launch Collaborative in the High Street; OVFM Film Oxford in Westgate and Notfamousyet, based in St Clements.

Notfamousyet, as it sounds, provides a platform for up-and-coming international artists and has been set up by Gabriele Dangel.

She has already put on three shows this year, two of them in the former Oxford Pram Centre premises in St Clements, which she rents at a reduced rate, with the other in St Bartholomew’s Chapel on the city’s Cowley Road.

While the artists may be largely unknown, many have had solo shows, with the most recent featuring the pick of recent graduates from top UK art schools.

And the point is that the art is not just there for show — it is also for sale, with Ms Dangel taking 15 per cent commission.

She explained: “The idea is that you see something that does not cost a lot and, hopefully, it will go up in value.

“The risk is quite low as you are not investing so much and, at the very least, you are buying a unique piece of art.”

Ms Dangel started Notfamousyet as she believed there is a gap in the Oxford market for quality art that is still inexpensive.

“When you buy something from a big name, it is a different experience. To me it is boring. This is about exploring new areas.”

The tone was set with the first exhibition featuring young German artists from colleges in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Berlin in the St Clements shop, a venue which appealed to her.

Currently there is an exhibition of Taiwanese artist Ping-Yeh Li in the empty Garden Shop in Oxford's George Street.

She is also planning to run exhibitions in private houses and would love to set up an outdoor facility in a public park.

“I would like to set up in more extreme places for the challenge and enjoyment of doing it.”

As well as running exhibitions, Ms Dangel is also hoping to act as an agent for some of the emerging artists and create a stable that she can manage, to help them develop a reputation.

With a lifelong passion for her subject, Ms Dangel studied art history at Oxford University’s department of continuing education and gained an MBA at Brunel University, having worked as a new media creative manager at Vodafone and, before that, as a creative director at advertising giants TBWA and Saatchi & Saatchi.

“I wanted to do something in a new and different direction,” said Ms Dangel, who came to Oxford from Germany in 2001.

“I am not an artist myself, just an interested observer.”

Now she is working hard at developing contacts in the art world to help augment her exhibitions and bring more artists to Oxford.

At the same time she is looking at different venues, such as empty shops and buildings, in which to put on her shows.

“It is quite difficult to get people to come to a new show but I take their details and then they can follow me to the next one.

“The idea is to build up a community of people with an interest in art.”

The website is also proving useful in this respect, attracting 700 unique users every month.

Much of the time she spends sitting with the art and that gives her the time to re-assess its qualities, as well as gauging the differing opinions of visitors.

“I learn so much about people coming in — what they like and what they see. The gallery is also my office, allowing me to connect with artists and people who want to buy something.”

The personal approach even extends to artists staying with Ms Dangel in her east Oxford home, although this was perhaps a step too far as she describes it as “very stressful but fun”.

As for the business side, she is not yet in profit and, like all new entrepreneurs, there is an element of uncertainty.

Ms Dangel said: “Everybody says it takes time. There are more people coming and looking at the art. It goes from there.”

Last month she visited the major London art fairs Zoo and Frieze to make more contacts.

It’s a world where who you know is perhaps more important than what you know.

n The next Notfamousyet exhibition, Small Obsessions, will run from November 24 to December 24 at a venue yet to be decided.

Contact: Gabriele Dangel, Notfamousyet, 07867 900746.

Web: www.notfamousyet.co.uk