From 19 June to 19 September 2027, the British Art Show 10 (BAS10) will be coming to Bristol, hosted by the RWA alongside venue partners Arnolfini, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, and Spike Island. 

Curated by Eko Eshun, the exhibition will showcase some of the most exciting art produced in the UK over the last five years, aiming to “make us think about how art can challenge fears of otherness and difference.

As part of BAS10, a city-wide Fringe programme is planned. Creatives across Bristol will be invited to showcase their practice through pop-up exhibitions, installations, and events. 

This won't be the first time Bristol has hosted a city-wide Fringe. In 2006, as part of BAS6, Bristol-based artist Colin Higginson presented work in the Fringe programme. We caught up with Colin to find out more about his experience and his hopes for BAS10: 

What do you remember about taking part in BAS6? 

“Bristol’s art scene was quite different in 2006, although the same main venues were involved. There were also a number of smaller independent galleries that no longer exist, so contemporary art venues were more spread across the city.  

What I remember most was seeing contemporary art everywhere. It felt like Bristol had become one large exhibition, and that was incredibly inspiring. 

I was part of a cohort organised by the artist collective Plan 9, who curated an exhibition called Wig Wam Bam! at the Red Lodge Museum.  

The Fringe programme was fully integrated within the British Art Show - we were included on the website, in the main programme, and in listings. Even though we had our own catalogue, we felt part of everything happening around the event. 

What mattered most was that opportunities continued beyond the exhibition itself. It wasn't something that simply came and went; being part of the Fringe created relationships, collaborations, and opportunities that lasted long after the British Art Show had left the city.” 

 What are your hopes for the upcoming BAS10 Fringe? 

“For British Art Show 10, I would like us to build upon the success of BAS6. For example, creating stronger connections between Bristol's many artistic communities - there are so many different groups and ways of working, but they don't always come together.  

I'd also like to see more opportunities for people who are underrepresented. It's always worth asking whose voices are missing, because there are always artists who aren't being heard. Artists develop through opportunities—you don't grow simply by working in the studio; you develop by exhibiting, collaborating, and sharing your work. That's true for every artist, but it's especially important for those who have been historically underrepresented. 

We're beginning to see positive change, with learning-disabled artists receiving greater recognition through major exhibitions and awards such as the Turner Prize. It's not about lowering expectations; it's about recognising talent through a broader, more inclusive lens. For me, access and opportunity are inseparable. I hope the wider programme around British Art Show 10 creates opportunities that are genuinely open to as many artists, organisations, and venues as possible.” 

Interested in submitting an event, exhibition, or activity for the BAS10 Fringe? 

The BAS10 Bristol partners will share the official call-out and digital submission form in September 2026. To stay up to date with the latest BAS10 news, sign up for our newsletter using this form 

To find out more about British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers which ccomes to Bristol in June 2027 click here