About >
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
2026 marks our 125th anniversary, giving us a unique opportunity to celebrate our incredible history while reconfirming our position as one of the most ground-breaking, visionary and thought-provoking contemporary art spaces in the UK – and beyond.
Founded for the people of East London, we have been responsible for championing artists and ideas that have reflected and shaped artistic practices, cultural trends and topical issues from the local to the global. From debut solo shows to bold thematic presentations the Gallery’s forward-thinking exhibitions programme and enlightened approach to community-focused engagement has inspired peoples and organisations across the world.
Building on our legacy and as we look towards the future, our aim is to continue to make art accessible and exciting to the widest possible audiences through a bold, distinctive programme that puts under-represented, under-served artists – especially women and people of colour – at the heart of everything we do.
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:
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.
Backyard Biennial is new collaborative, cross-venue arts festival, celebrating the East End’s unique historic, creative and cultural identity.
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.
Mark 125 years of radical art and ideas with a tote that carries more than just your essentials. Created to celebrate our anniversary year, this exclusive edition is a stylish, everyday companion, perfect for books, groceries, or gallery visits – finished in our signature blue.
Made with purpose
Produced in partnership with re-wrap, each tote is ethically made by female artisans in rural India. Using organic cotton and a ‘seed to shop’ approach, the production supports sustainable livelihoods while promoting climate-resilient farming practices.
