The University of Warwick's Mead Gallery will host British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers from Friday 2 October 2026, as the landmark exhibition begins its national tour in Coventry.
Continuing until Sunday 10 January 2027, the exhibition will bring together 37 artists in a vital overview of the most exciting art produced in the UK during the past five years, before travelling to Swansea, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle Gateshead. This marks the first time in its history that the British Art Show will tour to five cities across the UK in its most expansive edition to date.
Doreen Foster, Director of Warwick Arts Centre, said: "This is a major moment for Coventry and for the wider region. We're proud to help bring this extraordinary exhibition to local audiences and to connect it to the inspiring artists and organisations that already belong to our city. Together, we celebrate the power of contemporary art to connect people, share experiences and create space for thinking about the world around us."
Developed and produced by Hayward Gallery Touring, the British Art Show has, since 1979, provided an ambitious overview of contemporary art in Britain, introducing generations of artists to audiences nationwide while reflecting the social, cultural and political concerns of its time. Curated by Ekow Eshun, British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers brings together artists working across painting, sculpture, installation, film, photography, performance and sound.
The UK's largest recurring exhibition of contemporary art will explore human connection and the figure of the Other in divided times. It is structured around three overlapping themes inspired by British writers and theorists who have grappled with the tensions between the Individual and the Other.
Ekow Eshun, Curator of British Art Show 10, said: "A Chorus of Strangers explores the ways in which artists are responding to the realities of our time, illuminating connections between inner life and collective experience, between history and memory, and between human society and the natural world. Together, the artists in the exhibition offer compelling visions of what it means to live together amidst uncertainty, difference and change."
The Coventry presentation of British Art Show 10 will take place across three cultural venues, with the exhibition presented at the University of Warwick's Mead Gallery alongside the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and the Delia Derbyshire Building at Coventry University. Together, the venues will give audiences across the city the opportunity to experience contemporary art, showcasing Coventry's continuing role as a centre for artistic innovation and cultural exchange.
Coventry has also gained additional funding from Arts Council England to develop Coventry Art Show, a programme led by Art Riot Collective that reinforces the city's infrastructure for artists and audiences with a focus on access for everyone. Partners in the programme include Coventry Biennial, Coventry-Dresden Exchange and SOMA. Exhibitions, events, workshops and activities will take place across the city parallel to BAS10.
Kyla Craig, Director of Art Riot Collective, said: "A national exhibition of this scale is rare, and it's important that its impact is felt beyond the gallery walls. The Coventry Art Show project is about removing barriers to participation and creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds, experiences and abilities to engage with contemporary art in ways that are meaningful to them. At the same time, we're investing in Coventry's artists, supporting new talent and strengthening the networks that help culture thrive. It's a chance to celebrate what's already happening here while creating new opportunities for the future."
