RWA to welcome the landmark British Art Show

Bristol is to host the British Art Show 10 (BAS) as part of London's Hayward Gallery 75 year anniversary celebrations. The RWA join Bristol Musuems, Spike Island and Arnolfini to host the south-west leg of the exhibition that will take place in the Summer of 2027.

BAS10 will be curated by Ekow Eshun (Fourth Plinth, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London) who will provide a vital overview of the most exciting art produced in the UK during the past five years.

We are incredibly pleased to be working with partners to bring BAS 10 to Bristol. The RWA hosted the first British Art Show in 1980 and has a long history of bringing breathtaking contemporary work to audiences in the South West. To work with Ekow and the team at Hayward is an honour and we are delighted to be part of the 10th iteration in what will be the most ambitious tour of the exhibitions long history"

Kathryn Johnson, Head of Exhibitions, RWA

Eshun is renowned for his leading curation with critically acclaimed projects including: In the Black Fantastic (Hayward Gallery); The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure (National Portrait Gallery); and We Are History (Somerset House).

BAS is the largest and most significant recurring exhibition of contemporary art in the UK and over the past four decades, the exhibition has reached over 2.3 million people, highlighted new trends in contemporary art and reflected a changing Britain. Themes explored have ranged from the geopolitical to the personal, the changing nature of British identity, popular culture, the impact of technology on human existence, and
more.

Past exhibitiing artists at the Brisish Artshow have includedFrank Bowling,  Bridget Riley, Paula Rego, Mary Kelly, Frank Auerbach, Mona Hatoum, Cornelia Parker, Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread, Sonia Boyce, Sarah Lucas, Jeremy Deller, Tracey Emin, Hew Locke, John Akomfrah and Michael Armitage.

BAS will come to Bristol in June 2027.