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SWANSEA: British Art Show 10 confirmed for Glynn Vivian next year — the only Welsh stop on a national tour featuring artists from Tracey Emin to Grayson Perry

Swansea has been confirmed as the only Welsh stop on the British Art Show 10 national tour, with the exhibition — described as the largest and most significant recurring contemporary art show in the UK — coming to the city from February 12 to May 16, 2027.

British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers, developed and produced by Hayward Gallery Touring as part of Southbank Centre, will launch in Coventry in October 2026 before visiting Swansea, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle-Gateshead.

Swansea Bay News first reported on Swansea’s selection as a host city last August. The full details of the exhibition — including its title, themes and venues — have now been confirmed.

The exhibition will be based at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and will also take in the new home for Elysium Gallery on Belle Vue Way, with plans for a presence at Y Storfa in the city centre subject to confirmation.

It will span a wide range of media — including painting, sculpture, ceramics, film, sound and installation — and will explore three themes: Moments of Being, Ways of Living, and States of Nature.

Over the last four decades the British Art Show has brought some of Britain’s best-known contemporary artists to cities across the UK, including Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry, David Hockney and Lucian Freud. The tenth edition will be curated by Ekow Eshun.

Alex Margo Arden, Accounts, 2025 Credit: © the artist. Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre London

Hannah Quinlan & Rosie Hastings, A Day’s Work, 2025 Credit: Courtesy the Artist and Arcadia Missa, London. Photography: Tom CarterNengi Omuku, One Particular Man, 2026 Credit: Courtesy of the artist and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London

Tracey McNulty, Swansea Council’s head of cultural services, said Swansea’s selection reflected the strength of the city’s cultural offer. “We are grateful for the enduring partnership with Hayward Touring and for the support received from Arts Council Wales, which has helped make this happen, not just for Swansea but for the nation,” she said.

Karen MacKinnon, curator at Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, said the gallery was excited about the opportunity to work on a major multi-venue national project. “Curator Ekow Eshun will be bringing together an incredible range of artists from across the UK, and this exhibition will create new opportunities for local artists and a lasting creative legacy for Swansea,” she said.

“Glynn Vivian has a longstanding relationship with Hayward Gallery Touring and we very much look forward to working with them on this major exhibition.”

Dafydd Rhys, Chief Executive of Arts Council of Wales, said the exhibition would raise the profile of Swansea’s arts scene. “The British Art Show provides an excellent opportunity to showcase what Swansea has to offer in terms of its vibrant art scene, raises awareness and increases opportunities for the artistic community, and best of all will bring people into the city to enjoy an exciting cultural offer,” he said.

The exhibition is supported by Swansea Council and Arts Council Wales. Alongside the main show, a programme of workshops, talks, tours and events will run throughout the Swansea leg of the tour.

The full British Art Show 10 tour schedule is: Coventry, October 2 2026 to January 10 2027; Swansea, February 12 to May 16 2027; Bristol, June 19 to September 19 2027; Sheffield, October 23 2027 to February 20 2028; Newcastle-Gateshead, March 24 to June 18 2028.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

British Art Show to visit Swansea for the first time in 2027
Our original report on Swansea being selected as a host city.

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery — all our coverage
Our full archive of reporting on the gallery.

#BritishArtShow #GlynnVivianArtGallery #HaywardGalleryTouring #SwanseaCouncil