Our annual exhibitions blog has officially become a cherished tradition. After the whirlwind of very hot summer fairs and markets, this is the moment we look forward to. It's time to press pause, step away from the studio, and head out to explore the incredible wealth of creativity on display in London and beyond.
For our community of artists and makers, these gallery visits are so much more than a day out. They are essential. Immersing ourselves in curation, colour, and concept provides a vital mental break as well as inspiring future work.
We hope you enjoy this year's recommendations!
For our community of artists and makers, these gallery visits are so much more than a day out. They are essential. Immersing ourselves in curation, colour, and concept provides a vital mental break as well as inspiring future work.
We hope you enjoy this year's recommendations!
From Ros Freeborn "I was so moved by the exhibition of photographs of Marilyn Monroe at the National Portrait Gallery. Her career as a star was, actually, only ten years long, from the age of 26 to 36 but she packed so much in. And she was so much more than the beautiful blonde we think of when hearing her name. You also come away with a feeling that she was badly let down by everyone around her, the many ways she was exploited, and how she never managed to project her intelligence but was always judged on her appearance. Sad and beautiful." The Exhibition runs until 6 September.
| Frida Kahlo: the making of an icon at the Tate Modern until 3 January 2027 Ros visited this recently and says: It’s always fascinating to see Frida Kahlo’s work close up - and to see how small all the paintings are. The show at Tate Modern shows several works rarely seen in the UK along with her clothing and personal artefacts but most of the galleries are devoted to works by other artists who’ve been influenced by her work, her life and inspired by her impressive and highly individual paintings." |  |
It wouldn't be summer in London without a visit to the RA Summer Exhibition. Rob of Romor Designs makes an annual pilgrimage to check out this annual celebration of art which ends on 23 August.
You'll find art and artists of all kinds – drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, architecture, film and digital art, made by members of the public, emerging artists and household names, including our Royal Academicians and occasional celebrities.
You'll find art and artists of all kinds – drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, architecture, film and digital art, made by members of the public, emerging artists and household names, including our Royal Academicians and occasional celebrities.
Michele Wyckoff Smith visited Schiaparelli Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A and says "It was excellent and I highly recommended it. She was a surrealist along with the greats. Her designs are still fresh today and are displayed beside recent Schiaparelli designs."
Closes Sunday 8 November 2026.
Closes Sunday 8 November 2026.
Kate Sealey Rahman went along to the Anish Kapoor Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery until 18 October 2026.
"Lots to admire, although I found some of the viscera pieces quite unsettling. Some fabulous mind-bending (and vertigo-inducing) Vantablack works, and two stunning steel mirror sculptures which stole the show for me. Worth visiting for these alone and always lovely to spend a summer’s evening on the South Bank!"
"Lots to admire, although I found some of the viscera pieces quite unsettling. Some fabulous mind-bending (and vertigo-inducing) Vantablack works, and two stunning steel mirror sculptures which stole the show for me. Worth visiting for these alone and always lovely to spend a summer’s evening on the South Bank!"
Vanessa Hernandez of VH Prints recommends the "exquisite, contemporary large scale paintings reflecting Hurvin Anderson’s Caribbean heritage. So wonderful to get immersed in his world and to step away from the everyday for a bit."
The exhibition is on at the Tate Britain until 23 August 2026.
The exhibition is on at the Tate Britain until 23 August 2026.
Also at Tate Britain - the Nina Hamnett dedicated room display which opened last month - 23 May 2027, is a permanent, collection-based gallery space celebrating the Welsh-born artist known as the "Queen of Bohemia".
The display "highlights Hamnett’s fearless, unconventional life and her vital contributions to early 20th-century British Modernism".
Nina is the late great aunt of MHC founder Rachael who is looking forward to visiting!
The display "highlights Hamnett’s fearless, unconventional life and her vital contributions to early 20th-century British Modernism".
Nina is the late great aunt of MHC founder Rachael who is looking forward to visiting!
Cloth and Consequences, City Lit Advanced Textile Art - Final show
11-16 July, 9am -6pm. City Lit, 9 Keeley Street, WC2B 4BA
How can cloth combine allusions to a seaside home, a Brazilian coffee plantation, 16th century Scottish nobles, 19th century washerwomen, extinct animals, self-portraiture and the role of the carer? The Cloth and Consequences group use textiles to convey connections between past and present, seen and unseen.
Through the exploration of colour, texture and technique, they suggest what lies beneath the mask of portraits, catching glimpses of past experiences and life stories. Through these sidelong looks at past and underlying realities, fabric provides some understanding of our present lives.
11-16 July, 9am -6pm. City Lit, 9 Keeley Street, WC2B 4BA
How can cloth combine allusions to a seaside home, a Brazilian coffee plantation, 16th century Scottish nobles, 19th century washerwomen, extinct animals, self-portraiture and the role of the carer? The Cloth and Consequences group use textiles to convey connections between past and present, seen and unseen.
Through the exploration of colour, texture and technique, they suggest what lies beneath the mask of portraits, catching glimpses of past experiences and life stories. Through these sidelong looks at past and underlying realities, fabric provides some understanding of our present lives.
Rachael recently visited and recommends The Comrades in Art: Artists Against Fascism exhibition at the Towner Eastbourne which runs until 18 October 2026.
It is the most comprehensive exhibition in over 40 years dedicated to the Artists International Association (AIA), a political group founded in 1933 to unify artists against war and fascism.
The display features artworks and archival ephemera tracking the creative resistance of 11 founding members (such as Peggy Angus, Pearl Binder, and Cliff Rowe) alongside high-profile supporters like Dame Laura Knight and Paul Nash.
It is the most comprehensive exhibition in over 40 years dedicated to the Artists International Association (AIA), a political group founded in 1933 to unify artists against war and fascism.
The display features artworks and archival ephemera tracking the creative resistance of 11 founding members (such as Peggy Angus, Pearl Binder, and Cliff Rowe) alongside high-profile supporters like Dame Laura Knight and Paul Nash.
The V&A East Storehouse is "a revolutionary "inside-out" museum facility located at Here East in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Opened in May 2025, the four-level, purpose-built complex reimagines traditional museum archives by bringing hidden treasures directly into public view.
Rachael says "It's a really fascinating place to visit and if you're a Bowie fan, the permanent collection of installations from his personal archive is somewhere you'll love to hang out. "
Rachael says "It's a really fascinating place to visit and if you're a Bowie fan, the permanent collection of installations from his personal archive is somewhere you'll love to hang out. "
Also in our sights:
- David Hockney A Year in Normandy at the Serpentine until 23 August 2026
- Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 Sept
- Winston Churchill: The Painter at The Wallace Collection until 29 November 2026
- Hepworth in Colour at The Courtauld until 6 Sept 2026
- Portrait of a City: A Century of American photography - 26 July - 4 October 2026 at Dulwich Picture Gallery
- Henry Moore: Monumental Nature at Kew Gardens to 31 January 2027
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