Glasgow International 2026 Showcases Community Resilience and Diverse Voices
Glasgow International (GI) 2026, Scotland's largest contemporary art biennial, runs from 5 to 21 June across over 30 venues. The festival arrives amid a challenging year for Glasgow's art scene, including the closure of CCA and threats to Trongate 103. GI director Helen Nesbit emphasizes grounding the festival in working-class communities. New special projects include Platform's 'Fire Stories' in Easterhouse and Rumpus Room's 'A Very Human Thing to Do' in Govan. The 11th edition has no single theme but features over 60 artists. Highlights include David Wojnarowicz's first Scottish show at The Modern Institute's new outpost, Rehana Zaman's 'Plantation' at Kelvin Hall, Jasmine Togo-Brisby's installation at GoMA, Naeem Mohaiemen's film at The Hunterian, Renèe Helèna Browne's 'Flat' at Briggait, and Katy Dove and Lygia Clark's archives at Kinning Park. Other notable artists include Bettina Grossman, Janet Beat, Rae-Yen Song, Anya Paintsil, and Lisette May Monroe. The festival underscores Glasgow's cultural vitality despite adversity.
Key facts
- Glasgow International 2026 runs June 5-21 across over 30 venues.
- The festival features more than 60 participating artists.
- GI director Helen Nesbit emphasizes community grounding.
- David Wojnarowicz's first Scottish show is at The Modern Institute's new outpost.
- Rehana Zaman's 'Plantation' is co-commissioned with Sheffield's site gallery.
- Jasmine Togo-Brisby's installation at GoMA addresses blackbirding and slavery.
- Naeem Mohaiemen's film contrasts Kent State and Jackson State shootings.
- Kinning Park Complex celebrates 30th anniversary with Katy Dove and Lygia Clark archives.
Entities
Artists
- Helen Nesbit
- David Wojnarowicz
- Peter Hujar
- Kiki Smith
- Mike Bidlo
- Marion Schemma
- Rehana Zaman
- Jasmine Togo-Brisby
- Naeem Mohaiemen
- Renèe Helèna Browne
- Katy Dove
- Lygia Clark
- Bettina Grossman
- Janet Beat
- Luke Fowler
- Rae-Yen Song
- Anya Paintsil
- Lisette May Monroe
- Kiera McLean
- Gill Westwood
- Neil Young
- Sophie Calle
- William Cunninghame
- Helen McCrorie
- Annabel Wright
- Ayesha Jones
- Camara Taylor
- Sohrab Hura
- Adam Lewis Jacob
- Jill Westwood
- Julia Kristeva
- Shulamith Firestone
- Nan Goldin
- Lawrence Abu Hamdan
- Clay AD
- Martin Beck
- Rabindranath X Bhose
- Kim Bohie
- Sarah Booker
- Enzo Camacho
- Ami Lien
- Bobbi Cameron
- Sarah Cameron
- Aurelie Chan Hon Sen
- Helen Charman
- Anne-Marie Copestake
- Emmie McLuskey
- Duncan Marquiss
- Xuan Gao
- Sandra George
- Paria Goodarzi
- Reiko Goto
- Collins + Goto Studio
- Ines Gradot
- Mia Gubbay
- Benjamin Hall
- Ashanti Harris
- Mina Heydari-Waite
- Adrien Howard
- Cindy Islam
- Francis Jones
- Saffa Kahn
- Rudy Kanhye
- Jasleen Kaur
- Jackie Kay
- Katherine Ka Yi Liu
- Kaylo
- Emelia Kerr Beale
- Minne Kersten
- Josie KO
- Alexis Kyle Mitchell
- Mason Leaver-Yap
- Delaine Le Bas
- Lauren Le Rose
- Sabe Lewellyn
- Siyao Li
- Hang Linton
- Laura Lulika
- Suds McKenna
- Jonathan McKinstry
- Hussein Mitha
- Jack Murphy
- Belladonna Paloma
- Josie Perry
- Susan Philipsz
- Radio International
- Maeve Redmond
- Matthew Arthur Williams
- Nadia Rossi
- Cameron Rowland
- Rumpus Room's Children & Young People
- Joey Simons
- Oren Shoesmith
- Nicole-Antonia Spagnola
- Natasha Soobamanien
- Sasha Staicu
- Joana Stawnicka
- Tako Taal
- Kialy Tihngang
- Owain Train McGilvary
- Clarinda Tse
- Zoë Tumika
- Kotryna Ula Kiliulyte
- Jonny Walker
- Rachel Walker
- Holly White
- Richard Wright
- Cathy Wilkes
- Martha Williams
- Francesca Zappia
- Wei Zhang
- Wei Zhou
- Kate Cooper
- Tanoa Sasraku
- Mandy McIntosh
- Aqsa Arif
- Jericho Mars
- James Gladwell
- Joanna Piotrowska
- Amelia Barratt
- Bettina
- Jamie Bolland
- Alice Brooke
- Mira Adoumier
- Carine Doumit
- Nour Ouayda
- Andrew Cranston
- Jamie Crewe
- Irineu Destourelles
- Tami Elkilani
- Gianni Esporas
- Olivia Priya Foster
- Michelle Williams Gamaker
- Inès Heddar
- Hannan Jones
- Sooun Kim
- Amy Lawrence
- Rowan Markson
- Keira McLean
- Adam McNeal
- Victoria Morton
- Jonathan Owen
- Anna Paterson
- Lorna Robertson
- Natasha Thembiso Ruwona
- Bex Šik
- Tahlia Simumba
- Mana Tashakorinia
- Iris Touliatou
- Zoë Zo
- Zoë Guthrie
- Myles Westman
- Helen Nisbet
- John Quin
- Vince Aletti
- Paul Becker
- Phil Collins
- Moyra Davey
- Patrick McAlindon
- France-Lise McGurn
- Gary Schneider
- John Douglas Millar
- Andreas Sterzing
- Olivia Laing
- TAAHLIAH
- Daina Ashbee
- Sohaila Baluch
- Ruth Ewan
- Alixandra Prybyla
Institutions
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow CCA (Centre for Contemporary Arts)
- Trongate 103
- Glasgow Life
- Platform
- Rumpus Room
- The Modern Institute
- P·P·O·W
- Kelvin Hall
- site gallery
- Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA)
- The Hunterian
- Artangel
- Briggait
- Kinning Park Complex
- Cent
- Tramway
- David Dale
- Burns St studios
- Yavuz Gallery
- Gulabi Gallery
- Glasgow Council
- Mackintosh Queen's Cross
- Maryhill Integration Network
- Street Level Photoworks
- 16 Collective
- David Dale Gallery
- Creative Scotland
- CCA Glasgow
- Cento
- Celine
- Common Ground
- Craigmillar Now
- Dresden University of Fine Arts
- FUTURE FULL
- Glasgow Artists' Moving Image Studios
- Glasgow Museums
- Glasgow Print Studio
- Glasgow Sculpture Studios
- Glasgow Women's Library
- Hill52 Radio
- Glasgow School of Art
- INQUEST
- Ivory Tars
- Leverndale Recreational Therapy
- Listen Gallery
- Market Gallery
- Maud Sulter Estate
- Project Ability Gallery
- Rosie's Disobedient Press
- The Common Guild
- The Glasgow School of Art Exhibitions
- Transmission
- SWG3
- University of Glasgow
- British Council Scotland
- Scottish Government
- Glasgow City Council
- Fire Stories
- A Very Human Thing To Do
- Chorus & The Katy Dove Archive
- Gallery of Modern Art
- Govan Project Space
- Ingleby Gallery
- LUX Scotland
- University of Edinburgh Art Collection
- National Trust Scotland
- Offline
- Outer Spaces
- Patricia Fleming Gallery
- The Glasgow School of Art
- ArtReview
- Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA)
- Village Voice
- GoMA
- The Briggait
- Chapter Arts Centre
- Project Arts Centre
- Site Gallery
- The Briggait (Wasps Studios)
- Glasgow Women’s Library
- The Hunterian Art Gallery
- Biennial Foundation
Locations
- Glasgow
- Scotland
- Easterhouse
- Govan
- River Clyde
- Carlton Place
- Angus
- Punjab
- Pakistan
- Sheffield
- New York
- Chelsea Hotel
- Edinburgh
- North Wales
- Donnegal
- Ireland
- Ohio
- Mississippi
- United States
- UK
- Brazil
- United Kingdom
- Glasgow's Southside
- Wellhouse
- Maryhill
- Gorbals
- Vienna
- Austria
- Pollokshields
- Greenwich Village
- New York City
- West Side Piers
- Hudson River
- Union Street
- Clyde's south bank
- East 14th Street
- Long Island
- Cardiff
- Dublin