British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers

Today, Hayward Gallery Touring launches British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers in Coventry. Curated by Ekow Eshun, this edition features 37 artists, offering a vital overview of the most exciting art produced in the UK during the past five years. The tour opens across The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Mead Gallery and Coventry University from October 2, 2026–January 10, 2027 before travelling to Swansea, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle Gateshead through 2028 in its most expansive edition yet. 

Set against a backdrop of political division, climate crisis, and institutional distrust, British Art Show 10 asks how art can foster empathy in polarising times. In an uncertain world, the feared Outsider or Stranger is a figure met with apprehension. Rather than treating difference as a threat, the exhibition invites a shift away from rigid distinctions of “us” and “them” to explore the variety of perspectives that comes from looking through the eyes of others.

Around one-third of the artists have created new works for the exhibition, which is structured around three overlapping themes inspired by British writers and theorists grappling with the tensions between the Individual and the Other:

Moments of Being
Moments of Being takes its title from Virginia Woolf’s description of the fleeting instances when the surface of ordinary life lifts, revealing the interconnectedness of existence. Turning inward, these artists draw on dreams and memory to explore blurred boundaries between mind, body and imagination.

Emma Talbot’s new works blend personal experience with mythology, philosophy and environmental research to imagine alternative ways of living through crisis. Inspired by Bosch, the silk hanging The Ethics of Joy (2026) contrasts natural wonder with the costs of climate collapse and technology. 

Drawing on personal photographs and his upbringing in Dhaka, Matthew Krishanu’s new paintings follow two boys exploring banyan trees and surrounding countryside. Using thin washes of paint, he captures their childlike wonder while quietly reflecting on memory, identity and colonial legacies. 

Ways of Living
Ways of Living draws on cultural theorist Stuart Hall’s idea that culture and identity is constantly reshaped by politics, power and history. Using personal and shared memories, these artists show how past events inform contemporary life, exploring how we might build common ground by reimagining how we live together.

For example, Liz Johnson Artur’s Where Does Tenderness Come From? (1991–2026) opens up her Black Balloon Archive—a 30-year collection documenting Black life across the diaspora. Printing photographs onto everyday materials like mesh, worn music sheets and window glass, the resulting immersive installation celebrates community and connection by exchanging these memories.

Alvaro Barrington’s The City Is Mines/You Belong BAS 2026 (2026) uses metal storefront shutters to turn the high street into his canvas. Covered in popular online memes, the installation explores disappearing community spaces, celebrating the music, fashion and cultural energy thriving within city streets.

States of Nature
States of Nature is inspired by ecological philosopher Timothy Morton’s call for greater awareness of our relationship with the environment: an understanding that all life forms are fundamentally interconnected. Embracing the natural world's beauty and complexity, these artworks highlight plants, animals, air and water to challenge the human-centric and imagine new ways of coexisting with the planet.

Painted on hand-woven Nigerian sányán cloth, Nengi Omuku’s Pillars By Night (2026) depicts a crowd gathered along a vibrant field of lilac foliage, their bodies dissolving into the fabric’s rich textures. Drawing on her work bringing art into healthcare spaces, Omuku creates a space of solace where difficult emotions and healing coexist

Painted on light-absorbing suede mat board, Christina Kimeze’s Flyways (2026) continues her exploration of migration through elemental currents and birds' migratory routes. Traversing oceans and continents along established routes, she uses bird and feet motifs to examine belonging, raising questions of who gets to settle and where.

Please see here for further information on the curatorial concept, the full artist list and partner boilerplates across all cities.