125 Identity design & graphic by BBH
Veronica Ryan, Along a Spectrum, 2021. Installation view, Spike Island, Bristol. Courtesy of Alison Jacques. Photo Lisa Whiting.
Gabriel Chaile, Installation view of ‘The Milk of Dreams’, 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, 2022. Courtesy of Malba, Fundación Costantini, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires. Photo Andrea Rossetti
Senga Nengudi, Performance Piece, 1977. Silver gelatin prints, triptych. Overall dimensions 300.8 x 104.1 cm. Courtesy Sprüth Magers and Thomas Erben Gallery, New York. Photo Harmon Outlaw
Rene Matić, Ryan and Tristen, Glastonbury, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and Arcadia Missa, London
Inji Efflatoun, Dreams of the Detainee, 1961. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Cecilia Vicuña, Llaverito (Blue Lady) / Ladilla, Crab, 2019 after the lost original 1979 work. Oil on canvas © 2025 Cecilia Vicuña. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul and London. Photo Mathew Herrman
Throughout 2026 we’re celebrating our 125th anniversary, with a dynamic programme of exhibitions, commissions, special events and community programmes.
The theme for our anniversary is The World in Whitechapel. It reflects the incredible cultural and creative diversity that meet in this distinctive area of London and pays tribute to the many migrant communities that have made it their home.
A bold and agenda-setting programme of contemporary art, our anniversary-year exhibitions reflect an ongoing commitment to working with, and for, our local community and to amplifying underrepresented or overlooked voices.
Exhibitions include:
As part of our 125 anniversary celebrations, we are partnering with Phillips on a major online auction in support of our future programme.
Each of the artists included has had a significant exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery, reflecting the institution’s longstanding commitment to presenting ambitious work at pivotal moments in artists’ careers. The proceeds from the auction will support exhibitions, commissions, participation initiatives and public programmes.
A major new talks series, supported by Terra Foundation for American Art, inviting international contributors to interrogate the role of public arts institutions at a time of multiple crises, bringing together audiences with artists, writers, academics and policymakers to collectively imagine alternative visions through a range of thematic lenses.
A new initiative for 18-to-30-year-olds designed to exemplify the Gallery’s commitment to developing local creative talent through a dedicated mentoring programme.
A new collaborative, cross-venue arts festival, celebrating the East End’s unique historic, creative and cultural identity.
Join us on 12 March for our 125 Anniversary Gala, a very special evening to support our future, co-hosted by Whitechapel Gallery director, Gilane Tawadros and journalist and broadcaster Poppy Jay with special performances by Joy Crookes and Natty Bo. For enquiries, contact vip@whitechapelgallery.org.
Explore a series of specially commissioned 125 anniversary artists’ editions, from artists who have played a formative part in our history including William Kentridge and Thomas Ruff, with more yet to be announced.
Become a member and join a community of cultural champions. Members support the gallery year-round, get free entry to our exhibitions and generous discounts on events, in our cafe and bookshop.
