The Club formed in reaction to the conservativism of the Royal Academy. Most early members were supporters of the plein air school and Bastien-Lepage , and later of the Impressionists. After World War II, with the liberalisation of the Academy, the New English Art Club took up a position between that of the Academy and that of the avant-garde. The club survived to celebrate its centenary.

Works were exhibited only by invitation of founder Sir Coutts Lindsay . Partly through exhibition of Edward Burne-Jones 's works, the Grosvenor established its reputation as an avant-garde gallery. It favoured works in the Aesthetic style, or in the type of classicism practised by Olympian artists. It was a friendlier environment for women than the Academy.

This signalled a long run of Turner awards for avant-garde work which attracted hostile media attention as bringing art into disrepute.

The first issue of the magazine Blast, edited by Wyndham Lewis , formally announced the arrival of Vorticism, an avant-garde movement in art.

The GPO Film Unit was created under John Grierson and composed of members of the intellectual Left. They created documentaries on social concerns in Britain during the 30s, which were often experimental and avant-garde.

Peggy Guggenheim opened a gallery called Guggenheim Jeune in Cork Street, London, which did much to promote an English taste for avant-garde Continental art.

Madame Strindberg opened the Cave of the Golden Calf , an avant-garde night club located in a basement off Regent Street in London. Many notable artists of the day helped decorate the club, especially members of the Camden Town Group .