2025 ART CALENDER

UK Exhibitions & Festivals

London Design Biennale at Somerset House - 5-29 June 2025

London Design Festival - 13-21 September 2025 across London

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (London) - ongoing into summer 2025

Turner Contemporary (‘Resistance’ by Steve McQueen) - schedule through 2025

Peter Hujar retrospective - Raven Row, London, 2025 

Linder retrospective - Hayward Gallery, London, 2025 

Leigh Bowery! at Tate Modern - 2025 celebration 

“Thin Black Line” revival at ICA London - ongoing into mid‑2025 

V&A East Storehouse opens 31 May 2025 + David Bowie exhibition (Sept 2025)

Design Museum: Britain’s love for swimming - summer 2025

V&A Dundee: Modern garden design - 2025

Brighton Museum: Swinging Sixties mod fashion - 2025

Whitworth (Manchester): Turner etchings - first UK show in 100 years, 2025

Regional & Outdoor UK Events

Out There Festival / Fresh Street #5 (Outdoor arts & circus) - 28-31 May 2025 (UK-wide)

“Universe Pavilion” exhibition - Loyally running 10 May–31 July 2025

Saltdean Lido “Behind the Scenes” tour (Brighton) - 29 July 2025

Design Festival North - 12 March–9 July 2025 (Northern England)

Regional Galleries & Artist Showcases

Rafał Żajko: “The Spin Off” — Focal Point Gallery, Southend-on-Sea, 26 March 2025

Nicole Wermers: “Marathon Dance Relief” — Lismore Castle Arts, Ireland, 22 March–25 May 2025

Ireland: Festivals, Exhibitions & Arts

International Literature Festival Dublin - 16–25 May 2025

Dublin Gay Theatre Festival - 1–14 May 2025

Liam Gillick exhibition - Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, 23 May–28 June 2025

EVA International (contemporary art biennial) - 29 August–26 October 2025, Limerick

Galway International Arts Festival - 14–27 July 2025

Kilkenny Arts Festival - 7–17 July 2025

Nature & community arts: Athlone River Festival - 1–3 August 2025

Belfast Photo Festival - 25–30 June 2025

Late Night Art Belfast (monthly) - next: 3 July 2025, then first Thursday through December

Foyle Film Festival (Derry) - November 2025

Various festivals:

Wander Wild festival, Killarney (April)

Ocean to City festival, Cork (31 May)

Rory Gallagher Festival, Donegal (29 May-1 June)

Sea Sessions festival, Donegal (June)

West Cork Chamber Music festival (27 June-6 July)

Bloomsday Festival, Dublin (11-16 June)

Clifden Arts festival, Oireachtas na Samhna, Cork Jazz, etc.

Arts + Culture Highlights

Bradford City of Culture 2025 - season-long, incl. Turner Prize at Cartwright Hall, Akram Khan performances, Bradford Progress sound art

Manchester International Festival - 3-20 July 2025, multidisciplinary arts

Sheffield DocFest - 18-23 June 2025, documentary film festival

Edinburgh International Festival - 1-24 August 2025 & Fringe (1–25 August)

Hay Festival (Hay‑on‑Wye) - 22 May-1 June 2025

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival - 31 July-2 August 2025

Jane Austen Festival, Bath - 12-21 September 2025 (250th anniversary year)

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod - 8-13 July 2025