Gillian Ayres, Tish Murtha, and Nicola Bealing Exhibitions Open Across UK
Several major art exhibitions open across the UK in July 2026. At The Box in Plymouth, a retrospective of Gillian Ayres (4 July to 4 October) showcases her vibrant abstract paintings from a seven-decade career. The Whitworth in Manchester presents 'Entangled and Woven' (10 July to 3 January), featuring 400 years of textiles from India and South Korea alongside new works by eight contemporary artists. Nicola Bealing debuts a new series of dreamlike, dark paintings based on the seven deadly sins at Exeter Phoenix Gallery (4 July to 29 August). At Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, a homecoming exhibition for documentary photographer Tish Murtha (4 July to 4 April) brings together four of her best-known series documenting life on the margins in the UK.
Key facts
- Gillian Ayres exhibition at The Box, Plymouth, runs 4 July to 4 October.
- Gillian Ayres is one of Britain's most important painters, known for expressive, ultra-colourful abstraction.
- Entangled and Woven at The Whitworth, Manchester, runs 10 July to 3 January.
- The Whitworth show features 400 years of textiles from India and South Korea plus new works by eight modern artists.
- Nicola Bealing exhibition at Exeter Phoenix Gallery runs 4 July to 29 August.
- Bealing's new paintings are based on the seven deadly sins, featuring animals, humans, and hybrid creatures.
- Tish Murtha exhibition at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art runs 4 July to 4 April.
- Murtha was a documentary photographer born locally, known for raw photos of life on the margins.
- Murtha died in 2013.
Entities
Artists
- Gillian Ayres
- Nicola Bealing
- Tish Murtha
Institutions
- The Box
- The Whitworth
- Exeter Phoenix Gallery
- Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Locations
- Plymouth
- Manchester
- Exeter
- Gateshead
- UK