10 Must-See UK Art Exhibitions in July (That Aren’t in London)
It’s too hot to write an introduction. Soz.
So, before my laptop malfunctions because I’m sweating into the circuit board, here are my recommendations for art exhibitions to see outside of London this July. From chairs to cathedrals via children’s animated heroes and Cecil Beaton - ‘Not London’ has got you covered for what to see this July.
Newlands House Gallery, West Sussex - Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature - until 06 September
Unpopular Opinion: I have always found Paula Rego’s work too menacing to properly enjoy. Or is that the point? Maybe Visions of English Literature could convert me... The exhibition focuses on three of Rego’s major literary influences, Jane Eyre (spooky), Peter Pan (spookier than we would like to remember), and nursery rhymes (spookier in Germany). These series will also be accompanied by personal items owned by the artist, many of which have never been on display to the public before. Developed by Hayward Gallery Touring, it’s already been all over the UK, and Petworth is its penultimate stop before heading to the Rugby Art Gallery & Museum in September.
M Shed, Bristol - Cracking Exhibition, Gromit! 50 Years of Aardman in Bristol - until 13 September
Sometimes an exhibition title writes itself, and Cracking Exhibition, Gromit! is a 10/10. Celebrating Aardman’s 50th anniversary, the exhibition gives us behind-the-scenes access to the studio behind the cultural icons that have defined three generations’ worth of childhoods: Morph, Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, the gobby chickens from Chicken Run, and the sexy rat from Flushed Away. With rarely-seen models, sets, and memorabilia from the Aardman vaults, this is the perfect exhibition for anyone after a bit of nostalgia or looking to introduce their children to the conspiracy theory that we’ve never landed on the moon via A Grand Day Out.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, West Midlands - Artist Rooms: Andy Warhol: Art Star - until 04 October
When I first started doing ‘Not London’, you couldn’t move for Andy Warhol exhibitions. And now, I’m pleased to announce, after a short sabbatical, the floppy-haired fella appears to be back! This time in Wolverhampton, in partnership with Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland. Although Warhol never visited Wolvo in his lifetime, I suspect he would have been thrilled to give orange chips the Campbell’s Soup treatment. Art Star examines Warhol’s relationship with celebrity, status, and commodity, starring his iconic Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor screenprints.
Sainsbury Centre, Norfolk - Play Power - until 04 October
The Sainsbury Centre organises its exhibitions in ‘seasons’, each focused on addressing a single question. Recently, they’ve asked “why do we take drugs?”, “can the seas survive us?”, and “can humans stop killing each other?”, so it’s nice to see they’ve clearly decided to give themselves a break this summer and go with an easier query - “what is the meaning of life?”. Ranging from ancient Egyptian board games to an immersive VR experience (via Yoko Ono’s on-brand contrary chess set Chess set for playing as long as you can remember where all your pieces are which is entirely white), Play Power examines play across human cultures, both ancient and contemporary, and whether mucking about might, in the end, be the answer to existential dissatisfaction.
Harewood House, West Yorkshire - Cecil Beaton: Staging Icons - until 04 October
Following the success of the National Portrait Gallery’s Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World, the gallery is sending off more than 60 works from its Beaton collection to give more visitors across the UK the chance to enjoy the pioneering photographer’s theatrical genius. Harewood House is the first stop for this new tour, showcasing some of the 20th-century icons - from Queen Elizabeth II to Fred Astaire - that Beaton captured with his signature dramatic, editorial flair.
Charleston in Lewes, East Sussex - Gladys Hynes: Radical Lives - until 11 October
Lovely stuff as usual from Charleston in Lewes, housed in a beautiful 1930s municipal building in one of the UK’s prettiest towns. So idyllic, in fact, that it can give a slightly Hot Fuzz vibe, but I can definitely look past that. Radical Lives puts Hynes in the spotlight: an underappreciated figure in early 20th-century British art, who spent much of her life hanging about with much more famous creatives like Ezra Pound, Roger Fry, and Wyndham Lewis. Her paintings are striking, and her figures have that classic soft-but-angular Art Deco feel. Downstairs, there is also an excellent exhibition of Walter Sickert's works, Working Notes, which focuses on the spooky Victorian fella’s drawings and prints.
Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire - Joyful Noise - until 25 October
I sometimes worry about what will happen to Britain’s churches once their congregations disappear, and I think the best we can hope will happen to them is that they continue to be spaces that serve the community, whatever that may be. Salisbury Cathedral obviously isn’t at risk of closure, but its excellent arts programme helps to remind us that these sacred spaces are there for the benefit of the people who visit them, and Joyful Noise promises to bolster our sense of community power, spiritual care, and belief. Featuring paintings and sculpture as well as video and sound installations, the exhibition reimagines Psalm 100’s call to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” in a less specifically religious-y way. which should uplift even the most staunch atheist.
Wolterton, Norfolk - Phyllida Barlow and Daisy Parris - until 31 October
Wolterton Hall in North Norfolk is nice (and you can stay there if you have a few grand lying about). It’s been the historical home of the Walpole family since the 18th century (the most famous Walpole probably being Robert Walpole, the UK’s first prime minister, who did a whopping 20 years in the position, double what the last 5 have mustered added together). This summer, they’re exhibiting two major solo exhibitions by Phylidda Barlow and Daisy Parris, with both shows interacting with the 18th-century grandeur of the stately Palladian home. Barlow’s show, disruptor, will showcase more than 70 works by the artist spanning more than five decades, while Parris’ Fist Full of Dreams is a new body of paintings made directly in response to Wolterton and its grounds.
Manchester Art Gallery, Greater Manchester - Won’t Sit Still - until 28 March 2027
Personally, I think paintings have had their time in the spotlight. Sculptures? Been there, done that. Prints? FINISHED. I say - bring on the chairs! Won’t Sit Still is a celebration of Manchester Art Gallery’s collection of furniture and lighting, encouraging us to reconsider how we view the everyday features of our homes and the artistry that has historically gone into practical objects. Using a modular display system to reflect how these objects are often kept in storage, the exhibition highlights in particular the stories of the female makers and designers behind works in the collection, sustainability and conservation, and crafters from Manchester itself.
Harley Foundation, Nottinghamshire - The World’s Mine Oyster - until 08 April 2029
Set up by a Duchess to support arts and crafts practices (exactly the sort of thing you ought to be doing if you happen to be a Duchess), the Harley Foundation is getting its collection out for the lads. The collection of fine art and objects was built up over the last 4 centuries by the Dukes and Duchesses of Portland, and includes masterpieces by Van Dyck, Michelangelo, and the pearl earring that Charles I wore during his beheading. The World’s Mine Oyster focuses on how the Cavendish family were inspired by the natural world when it came to building up their collection, and includes metalwork and textiles as well as A-class artworks and fashionable (and hopefully wipe-clean) execution accessories. The Cavendish women, in particular, are highlighted as the founders of the visual feast, giving Margaret Cavendish, considered the world’s first science fiction author in the mid-17th century, a good look in.
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