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Art History Festival 2026
Monday 5- Sunday 11 October 2026
The Art History Festival 2026 celebrates the full spectrum of art history in all its richness, across the histories of art, architecture and design.
From hands‑on workshops to behind‑the‑scenes demonstrations, curator‑led tours and creative experiences, the Festival is packed with events of all kinds, for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and lived experiences.
Take part in the 2026 festival, and learn how art history helps us to better understand the world around us. Get curious, relax, have fun or learn something new at a free event online or at a venue near you.
Upcoming Events
Ashmolean Now: Soma Surovi Jannat – Climate Culture Care
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
This free exhibition (Gallery 8) showcases the work of Bangladesh-based artist Soma Surovi Jannat, who…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Worn: the life within clothes
Manchester Art Gallery
Worn showcases the breadth of Manchester City Galleries’ fashion and dress collection through a ‘slow fashion’…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Made from Scratch: Celebrating Ceramicist Julia Carter Preston
National Museums Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery
Julia Carter Preston studied at Liverpool College of Art in the 1950s and became a…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Through Art, Through Memory: Representing Northern Ireland during the Second World War
Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum
Explore the Northern Ireland War Memorial’s art collection at your own pace, online, exclusively through…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
12:00 am – 11:59 pm
Sisters, Brothers and Others: Nationality and 20th-century Chinese Art
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Most citizens of the People’s Republic of China are Han, an ethnicity often translated as…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Won’t Sit Still
Manchester Art Gallery
Won’t Sit Still is a vibrant celebration of the gallery’s furniture and lighting collection, shaped by…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Image credit: Photograph credit: Marysa Dowling for National Portrait Gallery, London