10 exhibitions to get inspired by this year across the UK
As creatives, we’re nearly always searching for new sources of inspiration. So what better way to spark ideas than to dive into the minds of artists and their work? Here, the CLIP team recommends top exhibitions to visit this year across the UK – from contemporary painting, photography and sculpture to mixed media shows and retrospectives celebrating iconic artists – they're sure to spark some ideas for your own projects.
1. Noah Davis at Barbican, London
Noah Davis was an American painter and installation artist, known for his distinctive body of work that explores various interpretations of Black life and surrealism. This free exhibition at the Barbican is a celebration of the late artist’s creativity, showcasing over 50 of his works in painting, sculpture, creating and community building.
Where: London
Ends: 11th May 2025
Find out more here
2. Magdalene Odundo at Thomas Dane, London
The worldwide-celebrated Dame Magdalene Odundo creates unique sculptures influenced by diverse cultural practices and diasporic identity. Presenting a series of Odundo's unique sculptural clay vessels, this will be the artist's first solo exhibition in London in over two decades.
Where: London
When: Tue-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 12-6pm
Ends: 14th December 2024
Price: Free
Find out more here
3. Barbara Walker: Being Here at The Whitworth, Manchester
This free exhibition showcases work from 2023 Turner Prize nominee Barbara Walker, exploring themes of class, race, power, and belonging. From small, embossed works of paper to large-scale wall drawings, the installation features her Burden of Proof (2022-23) series alongside a new commission on the Windrush generation.
Where: Manchester
Ends: 26th January 2025
Price: Free
Find out more here
4. Duos: The Art of Collaboration, Lewes
A group exhibition showcasing shared canvases, dynamic working practices and the celebration of creative collaboration and partnerships. It features works by Rottingdean Bazaar, The White Pube, Bob and Roberta Smith, Vanessa Bell, Athen Kardashian and Duncan Gran.
Where: Lewes, East Sussex
Ends: 8th September 2024
Price: £14
Student and under 30s: £6.25
Universal Credit and disabled: £10
Find out more here
5. Swan Song: sing her to me at Phoenix Art Space, Brighton
Commissioned by Phoenix Art Space and Exeter Phoenix, Remi Rana-Allen’s free solo exhibition presents a new film that intertwines original footage from Kenya and the UK with compelling family archives. Remi crafts a complex blend of visual, auditory and textual elements that explore violence, colonialism, migration and patriarchy – a must-see for those interested in portraying these themes through mixed media.
Where: Brighton
Ends: 22nd September 2024
Price: Free
Find out more here
6. Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection at the V&A, London
This exhibition at the V&A features a collection of over 300 rare prints from the world's top photographers, demonstrating the evolution of modern and contemporary photography. On loan from the private collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish, it features iconic images spanning fashion, celebrity, reportage and the male form.
Where: London
Ends: 5th January 2025
Price: £22 with donation
Students, disabled and 18-25: £15 with donation
Universal Credit and carers: Free
Find out more here
7. What I Thought I Knew at Bernie Grants Art Centre, London
A free group exhibition curated by multidisciplinary artist Ronan Mckenzie, currently on show at Bernie Grants Art Centres newly refurbished mezzanine gallery. What I Thought I Knew features works from 10 artists reflecting on familial archives and oral histories, whilst inviting viewers to join Mckenzie in reappraising inherited stories.
Where: London
Ends: 31st August 2024
Price: Free
Find out more here
8. Keith Haring: Subway Drawings at The Modern Institute, Glasgow
Get inspired by this exhibition showcasing Keith Haring’s early New York City subway drawings. Between 1980 and 1985, he created hundreds of chalk drawings that reflected the city's subconscious and tackled taboo topics, largely influenced by graffiti, semiotics and urban life. It’s free to visit, and you don’t need to book in advance.
Where: Glasgow
Ends: 5th September 2024
Price: Free
Find out more here
9. Dion Kitson: Silver Lining at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
Silver Lining is an off-site commission for English Heritage, celebrating Birmingham’s industrial past with new sculptural works at the preserved JW Evans Silver Factory. Kitson’s practice includes designing and making jewellery, and he blends history with contemporary art in this impressive installation.
Where: Birmingham
Ends: 6th September 2024
Price: £11, English Heritage members go free
Find out more here
10. Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind at Tate Modern, London
Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind is the UK’s largest exhibition celebrating Yoko Ono’s influential and multidisciplinary career, from the mid-1950s to the present. The exhibition features key milestones such as her years in London, where she met her future husband and long-time collaborator John Lennon. Those who are disabled, neurodivergent or have sensory needs can catch the exhibition during relaxed hours.
Where: London
Ends: 1st September 2024
Price: £22
Student and disabled: £20
Universal Credit and Tate Collective: £5
Find out more here
Written by Creative Lives in Progress