Sheffield has been named as one of the host cities of one of the UK’s most prestigious art events, British Art Show. Curated by Ekow Eshun and produced in collaboration with Hayward Gallery Touring, the landmark tenth edition will tour to Sheffield in October 2027 through a multi-venue partnership between Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Museums, Site Gallery, Yorkshire Artspace and Arts Catalyst.
British Art Show 10 will launch in Coventry in September 2026, before touring to Swansea, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle Gateshead. This tenth edition marks the first time the exhibition will travel to five cities across the UK in its most extensive presentation to date.
British Art Show is the largest and most significant recurring exhibition of contemporary art in the UK. It is developed and produced by Hayward Gallery Touring, the UK’s leading contemporary art organisation producing touring exhibitions, which is part of the Southbank Centre. The tenth edition is part of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary celebrations, which will take place across 2026 both at the Southbank Centre in London and in art galleries, concert halls and arts centres in towns and cities across all four nations of the UK.
British Art Show launched in Sheffield in 1979 and takes place every five years. Over the past four decades, the exhibition has reached over 2.3 million people, highlighted new trends in contemporary art and reflected a changing Britain. Themes explored have ranged from the geopolitical to the personal, the changing nature of British identity, popular culture, the impact of technology on human existence, and more.
The show is unmatched in its national scope and has introduced many of the UK’s most significant artists to millions of people across the country, including David Hockney, Bridget Riley, Lucian Freud, Frank Bowling, Paula Rego, Mary Kelly, Frank Auerbach, Mona Hatoum, Cornelia Parker, Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread, Sonia Boyce, Sarah Lucas, Jeremy Deller, Tracey Emin, Hew Locke, John Akomfrah and Michael Armitage.
Under the vision of Ekow Eshun, British Art Show 10 will provide a vital overview of the most exciting art produced in the UK during the past five years. Eshun is renowned for his leading curation with critically acclaimed projects including: In the Black Fantastic (Hayward Gallery); The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure (National Portrait Gallery); and We Are History (Somerset House).
Returning to Sheffield for the first time since 1985, British Art Show 10 will be presented across multiple venues and organisations in the city, including Graves Gallery, Millennium Gallery, Site Gallery, Yorkshire Artspace and Arts Catalyst, and will be accompanied be a vibrant programme of events, display and activities.
As a major part of Hayward Gallery Touring’s programme, British Art Show continues its work of partnering with a range of regional venues to broaden cultural access, with its most recent edition drawing around 40% first-time visitors to local art spaces.
Ekow Eshun, Curator of British Art Show 10, says: “It is a great honour to be appointed curator of the British Art Show, an exhibition that has long played a pivotal role in shaping and reflecting the discourse of contemporary art in the UK. I am thrilled by the opportunity to engage with artists whose practices speak powerfully to our time, and to craft a show that invites reflection, provokes dialogue, and expands the ways we engage with art in Britain today.”
Brian Cass, Head of Hayward Gallery Touring, says: “Over its almost 50 year history British Art Show has been unrivalled in its artistic ambitions and national reach, each edition engaging with the most significant art of its time. Ekow Eshun has an extraordinary track record of making exhibitions that shape the conversation about art and culture and we are looking forward to the new perspectives he will bring to British Art Show 10, and working with our partners to expand the exhibitions reach and relevance for audiences in Coventry, Swansea, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle Gateshead.”
Mark Ball, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, says: “The Southbank Centre was born as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951 – a nationwide celebration and ‘beacon of change’ showcasing the best in arts, technology and science; a look to a future filled with hope and optimism. As we near the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary, we have sought real inspiration from the spirit of the Festival of Britain and the British Art Show is a quintessential example of this; presenting exciting and innovative artists that speak to our time to audiences across the country. We’re thrilled to be taking the British Art Show to more people and cities than ever before, collaborating with and supporting creative spaces across the UK and opening up contemporary art to as many people as possible.”
Councillor Mohammed Mahroof, Chair of the Economic Development, Skills and Culture Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the return of British Art Show to Sheffield in 2027, since being launched in our city in 1979 and having not returned since 1985. As one of the UK’s most significant and influential contemporary art exhibitions, its arrival is a major moment for our city and is another indication of Sheffield’s vibrant cultural scene. The show will not only bring world-class contemporary art to Sheffield’s doorstep, but it will also create exciting opportunities for local artists, communities, and visitors to engage with bold, thought-provoking work.
“Hosting the British Art Show reinforces Sheffield’s reputation as a vibrant, creative city and will deliver lasting benefits for our residents, from increased cultural participation to economic uplift through tourism and events. We can’t wait to welcome the exhibition and share Sheffield’s unique spirit with audiences from across the UK and beyond.”
Kirstie Hamilton, Director of Programmes at Sheffield Museum, said: “We are thrilled to see the British Art Show return to Sheffield, over 40 years since it was first established in the city. The concept of the British Art Show was informed by Sheffield’s then Director of Arts, Frank Constantine in the 1970s, so it is fitting that it should return to the city for this landmark 10th iteration. We are delighted to be working with Ekow Eshun, the team at Hayward Gallery Touring and our colleagues in the city to bring the most engaging British contemporary art to Sheffield. Visual art is an important aspect of the city’s past and present, and as we look to the future of the Graves Gallery, we’re excited to be able to introduce dialogues with the works in the exhibition and Sheffield’s own significant visual art collection. In making the best in contemporary art available to people on their doorstep, we have a fantastic opportunity to start meaningful conversations and inspire the next generation of Sheffield artists.”
Judith Harry, Chief Executive at Site Gallery, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with our Sheffield visual art partners and Hayward Gallery Touring to bring this incredible exhibition back to the city. It offers an incredible opportunity for our region’s audiences, artists and our young creatives to experience and be inspired by some of the country’s most ambitious artists, and gives everyone the opportunity to explore Sheffield through its visual arts venues.”
Georgina Kettlewell, Director at Yorkshire Artspace, said: “This is huge for Sheffield and we’re delighted to be part of it. For the local community, it’s a chance to experience a world-class exhibition of contemporary art and to be inspired by artists who are responding to our times. For the wider art scene, it’s a powerful statement that Sheffield is a city where art thrives. By bringing such a prestigious show here, curated by the amazing Ekow Eshun, we are building on our reputation and putting our city on the map as a must-visit destination for contemporary art.”
Claudia Lastra, CEO at Arts Catalyst, said: “Arts Catalyst is thrilled to be part of British Art Show 10, we will be working with our local partners, Ekow Eshun and the Hayward Gallery Touring team on the public programme in Sheffield. With Ekow at the helm, The British Art Show will pose relevant, forward thinking and new ideas. We are excited to be part of forming this narrative in Sheffield, and to engage audiences and communities in this process.”
Further information about the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary programme will be announced in September, but will include a national programme that visits all four nations of the UK, of which the British Art Show is part.