#glynnvivianartgallery — Public Fediverse posts

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

GOWERTON: Community unites to unveil stunning mosaic memorial for 1905 Elba mining disaster

A stunning new mosaic memorial to the 1905 Elba Mining Disaster has been unveiled in Gowerton, the result of a major community project that has brought generations together to remember a tragedy that struck the heart of their village over a century ago.

The mosaic was formally unveiled at St John’s Church this week, replacing an existing plaque and creating a lasting tribute to the 11 men and boys who lost their lives in the disaster.

The project was led by Glynn Vivian associate artist Tina Grant, who worked with her community art groups — Artbreak Gowerton, Cockett and Waunarlwydd — as well as the gallery’s Welcome: Mosaic group and pupils from Gowerton Primary School.

Members of the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery’s Welcome: Mosaic Group with the work in progress. (Image: Swansea Council)

The idea for the memorial grew out of the art groups’ exploration of paintings depicting the industrial landscape of South Wales, including works from the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery’s own collection.

Inspired by a Cedric Morris painting of the view from Gowerton across the Lougher estuary towards Llanelli, the group began researching the area’s rich and sometimes tragic history.

Their research led them to the Elba Mining Disaster of 1905, which occurred in a mine situated halfway between Penclawdd and Gowerton.

The disaster claimed the lives of 11 men, the youngest of whom was just 14 years old.

In a poignant connection to the past, a relative of one of the men killed in the disaster is a member of the Art Break group, and a collective decision was made to create a more permanent and powerful memorial for all the families affected.

Community members from local Artbreak groups work together on the intricate black and white sections of the mosaic. (Image: Swansea Council)

Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights and Equalities, Elliott King, praised the community’s dedication to the project.

“I want to thank everyone involved in this community project for their dedication,” he said. “These artworks will speak to us and to future generations about a time and place in our city’s history which will never be forgotten.”

Associate artist Tina Grant said the project had been a wonderful collaborative experience.

“Using paintings from the Glynn Vivian collection, we had been looking back at how the area used to be, and the people depicted in these paintings — of cockle pickers, colliers and miners,” she explained.

“We wanted to create something which could represent the community and enlisted the help of Gowerton Primary School and the Glynn Vivian Welcome Mosaic Group to help design and make a new mosaic memorial.

“It has been a wonderful experience to work collaboratively on this project, and we thank the many participants and pupils who have contributed to this special artwork, which will sit proudly in the heart of the community for many more years to come.”

The project is part of Swansea Stories, an Esmée Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund project run by the Museums Association, which invites new voices to tell the story of the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery collection.

#Art #communityArt #elbaMiningDisaster #GlynnVivianArtGallery #Gowerton #localHistory #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

BBC PLOT TWIST: Corporation plans city centre housing on old car park site

Just months after the broadcasting giant packed up its bags and left its historic Alexandra Road studios, new documents reveal a pre-application enquiry has been lodged with Swansea Council planners.

The proposal, submitted by agents Lambert Smith Hampton on behalf of the BBC, outlines a potential residential development on land at Clifton Row..

Clifton Row runs directly behind the iconic Alexandra Road building that served as the corporation’s home in Swansea for decades, and is accessed via the side of the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery.

Measuring approximately 0.094 acres, the plot is currently a disused private car park and is described as an “excellent location for sustainable residential development of one or two units” due to its prime city centre position.

The disused car park on Clifton Row, which sits directly behind the former BBC studios and has been earmarked for potential new housing. (Image: Google Maps)

The move comes as Swansea City Centre continues to undergo a massive multi-million pound regeneration project, with several high-profile sites being earmarked for new housing.

The site is surrounded by predominantly residential areas, with the University of Wales Music Technology Centre to the east, making it a natural fit for new homes.

Crucially, the site is just a 10-minute walk from schools, restaurants, cafes, bus stops, and a mere 250 metres from Swansea train station, making it highly attractive for new residents.

The pre-application enquiry seeks to establish the principles that would guide future development, acknowledging that a specific scheme is not yet in place.

The historic former BBC building on Alexandra Road, with the modern extension of the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery directly to its right. (Image: Google Maps)

This move signals the BBC’s intention to capitalise on its former assets in the city, transforming a redundant space into much-needed housing.

The departure of the BBC from Alexandra Road last year marked the end of an era for broadcasting in Swansea, with operations relocating to new, smaller premises.

However, this new planning enquiry suggests the corporation is keen to maintain a presence in the city, albeit through property development rather than programme making.

The development could breathe new life into a neglected corner of the city centre, bringing more residents and boosting local businesses, much like the ongoing transformation of other city landmarks.

#AlexandraRoad #BBC #CliftonRow #GlynnVivianArtGallery #planningApplication #redevelopment #Swansea #SwanseaCityCentre

Comedy duo hit Swansea and Gower in new Pod of Wales travel series

Kiri Pritchard‑McLean and Esyllt Sears return for a third season of their travel‑meets‑comedy podcast, showcasing hidden gems across Cymru with their signature mix of banter, belly laughs and local love.

The Swansea & Gower episode sees the pair sample surfing in Caswell Bay, tuck into tapas at El Pescador, and explore the revamped Albert Hall food hall — which Kiri admits she’d never visited before.

Kiri and Esyllt visit Who Cult donut shop in Swansea, sampling freak shakes and sweet treats on their Pod of Wales tour.The Pod of Wales duo prepare for a coastal adventure near Caswell Bay, part of their Swansea & Gower itinerary.Kiri and Esyllt practice pop-up techniques on Caswell Bay beach before hitting the waves.

Kiri said:

“I think this is my favourite season to date! Although I say that every season. We have the best time travelling to beautiful places. This is the best gig in the world.”

The duo also visit Glynn Vivian Gallery and Penderyn’s Swansea Copperworks Distillery, before heading west for a walk from Gower Heritage Centre to Three Cliffs Bay.

A moment of reflection at Glynn Vivian Gallery, one of the cultural stops featured in Pod of Wales’ Swansea & Gower episode.

Esyllt said:

“I already know that Wales is the best and most beautiful country in the world, but throughout this series, Kiri and I are constantly discovering more reasons why this is.”

The podcast also features episodes from Flintshire to Denbighshire, the Llŷn Peninsula, Preseli Hills and Hay‑on‑Wye — with highlights including a ceramics class in a treehouse, a boujee dinner in Portmeirion, and a Marmite butter mix‑up in Hay.

Pod of Wales is available now on all major podcast platforms.

#AlbertHall #CaswellBay #comedy #ElPescador #GlynnVivianArtGallery #GowerHeritageCentre #Parkmill #PenderynDistillery #PodOfWales #podcast #Surfing #Swansea #ThreeCliffs #tourism #travel