hair salon with art in peckham at DKUK

Why Art?

Mirror-Less Hairdressers In Peckham - Displaying Art For You To Enjoy

Established in 2014, DKUK in Peckham is proud to be able to offer you your haircut or hair colour in front of art instead of mirrors.

We've held dozens of art exhibitions, commissioned new artwork, and held over 20 public programme events, some off-site and a number in collaboration with both national and international partner organisations including South London Gallery, Nottingham Contemporary, Glasgow International, Civic Barnsley, Wysing Arts Centre, MAMA Rotterdam and Entree Bergen.

We believe that art should be for everyone and, because galleries can sometimes be intimidating to visit, we have put art inside our hair salon. We believe you should give art some time so, in these busy times, why not kill two birds with one stone by getting your hair done whilst looking at some art!?  We also understand the important role art can play in improving your well-being and mental health, generating interesting chats and discussions, and in bringing you inspiration.  Let us look after your head inside and out.

During 2019, DKUK moved to Queens Road, Peckham. The space was designed by architect Sam Jacobs who created a focus on the art on display and was inspired by the south-facing windows and beautiful light that comes into the salon.  He wanted to keep the feeling bright and airy to create a space that was enjoyable to work in and visit.

Since then our reach has substantially grown and projects have been more ambitious. Our audience spans hair clients, exhibition viewers, and those who engage with our online content, such as the DKUK podcast and our online gallery. 

80% said we introduced them to new artists, meaning, last year, we showed new art to approximately 3900 people

70% of our clients say they do not regularly visit art galleries

hair salon AND art gallery in peckham at DKUK

Our Founder's Story

The founder of DKUK, Daniel Kelly 'DK', used to cut people's hair in his art studio to make ends meet.  He trained as a hairdresser and then an artist. 

In time, this idea of cutting people's hair in front of art caught on so Daniel decided to test it in an art gallery as a pop-up.

It then found a home of its own in Peckham in 2014 and has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Get to know more about Daniel and the rest of the DKUK team on our Meet the Team page.