The 5 Best Art Supplies Shops in Norwich

June 22, 2026

1. Norwich Art Supplies — St Benedict's Street

The 5 Best Art Supply Shops in Norwich | Discount Art Supplies

Written by Paul Worrall

Norwich keeps turning up in conversations about UK creative cities in a way that genuinly intrigued me before I’d even started researching this guide — a UNESCO City of Literature, a proper independent arts scene tucked into medieval lanes, and Norwich University of the Arts feeding a genuine demand for quality materials. I’ll be honest, I’ve never actually set foot in the city myself, which is something I intend to fix. What follows is the most thorough, honest picture I could put together of what Norwich actually offers anyone needing art supplies — built from genuine research rather than a quick afternoon wander, which I think counts for something in its own way.

Sixteen years in the UK art supplies industry, nearly a decade running digital marketing for ARTdiscount, and now running Discount Art Supplies — a price comparison platform reaching over 36,000 UK artists every week — gives me a decent sense of what makes a genuinly good art shop, even from a distance. If you’re planning visits to nearby cities, also check out our guides to the best art supply shops in Cambridge and the best art supply shops in Bath.

1. Norwich Art Supplies — St Benedict’s Street

Established in 1996 in the heart of Norwich, Norwich Art Supplies is the city’s dedicated independent specialist and the shop serious artists default to first. The range covers oils, acrylics, watercolours, pastels, papers, printmaking supplies, drawing materials, sketchbooks, watercolour blocks, Indian inks, gilding materials, brushes and solvents — proper depth rather than a token art section bolted onto a general stationer. Reviews consistently praise the staff’s knowledge and their ability to track down hard-to-find items and source things urgently when a customer needs them quickly.

If something specific isn’t listed on their website, it’s genuinly worth contacting them directly — they stock far more than what’s currently online and are still adding their full range. Located at 41 St Benedict’s Street, open 9.30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. For Norwich artists who want a knowledgeable, properly stocked independent — this is the answer.

2. Jarrolds — Exchange Street

Jarrolds on Exchange Street is the biggest art and stationery store in the heart of Norwich, and it’s a proper Norwich institution rather than a chain — a family-owned department store that’s been part of the city for generations. The art and stationery department stocks ranges from Daler-Rowney, Winsor & Newton, Caran d’Ache, Fimo and others, alongside artist’s pencils, oil, watercolour and acrylic paints, sketchbooks and diaries. They’re also the largest city-based stockist of office stationery, so it’s a genuinly useful one-stop visit if you need general supplies alongside art materials.

The staff are described consistently as friendly and knowledgable, and the department store setting means a trip to Jarrolds for art supplies can comfortably turn into a wider browse — homeware, books, gifts — making it an easy stop to build a longer Norwich city centre visit around.

3. Hobbycraft Norwich

The honest version of Hobbycraft, consistent with every other city guide I write: not specialist, not deep in professional-grade range, but genuinly useful for what it is. Hobbycraft Norwich is a two-floor store offering a vast selection of craft and art materials — paints, models, canvases, sketchbooks and craft kits — and reviews consistently praise the friendly, knowledgeable staff despite some comments about the sheer scale of choice being a little overwhelming on a first visit.

For everyday consumables, restocking basics or buying for kids without ceremony, Hobbycraft Norwich does the job reliably. Check our Hobbycraft discount code guide before visiting — the student discount and Blue Light Card discount are both worth knowing about.

4. The Jade Tree — Norwich City Centre

Not a conventional art supplies shop, but worth including for what it represents about Norwich’s creative identity. The Jade Tree is highly praised for unique, beautifully crafted items made by local artisans — pottery, paintings, textiles and handmade goods — and sits right in the heart of the city near Tombland and the Cathedral quarter, surrounded by antique shops, cafes and a wealth of small independent businesses. For artists wanting to see what a thriving Norwich-made creative economy actually looks like, or to source a genuinly considered handmade gift, The Jade Tree is the kind of shop that makes a city feel like it cares about its makers.

5. The Works — Chantry Place

The honest version of The Works, as I’ve said in other city guides: not specialist, not deep in range, but genuinly useful for what it is. The Norwich branch sits within Chantry Place and covers the usual mix of canvases, starter paint sets, sketchbooks, pencils and craft kits alongside books, stationery and kids toys — all at prices that make experimenting affordable. Reviews consistently highlight it as a bargain shop with genuinly good value, though a few mention the aisles getting a bit cramped at busy times.

I’d always recommend checking our current deals and price comparisons before any physical shop visit — but for grab-and-go basics within Chantry Place, The Works earns its spot without apology.

A Note on Researching Norwich From a Distance

Putting this guide together without having walked any of these streets myself was a slightly odd exercise, and I want to be upfront about that rather than pretend otherwise. What came through clearly even from a distance is that Norwich genuinly punches above its weight for a city of its size — a long-established independent specialist on St Benedict’s Street, a proper department store stocking serious art brands on Exchange Street, and a thriving handmade and artisan scene around Tombland. Norwich University of the Arts clearly feeds a genuine demand for quality materials in the city, and the independent retail scene has responded properly rather than ceding ground entirely to chains.

I’ll get there eventually, and when I do I suspect St Benedict’s Street will be the first stop. Until then, for professional-grade materials and the best current UK prices across all major art retailers, Discount Art Supplies compares prices in real time so you always find the best deal before buying anywhere.