Major Exhibition Creates World Class Art Trail Across North Yorkshire

An exhibition featuring works by 50 leading contemporary artists will be staged in four of North Yorkshire Council’s venues from this week as one of the UK’s most influential art awards celebrates a major milestone.

For two decades, the Aesthetica Art Prize has been a launchpad for emerging and established talent, propelling artists onto the global stage and serving as an important indicator of what is happening in contemporary art today.

Exhibitions will be staged at Skipton Town Hall, the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate, Scarborough Art Gallery and the town’s Woodend Gallery between April and September as part of a joint venture between Aesthetica and Culture North Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Council’s culture and archive service.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said:

“Hosting the Aesthetica Art Prize across our venues is a major moment for North Yorkshire, weaving a world-class contemporary art trail from the gateway of Skipton through the heart of Harrogate to the coast of Scarborough.

“By working with venues across the county, we’re opening our cultural spaces to the widest possible audience and ensuring that world‑class art is accessible to everyone.

“It reflects our ongoing work to support the creative sector and strengthen cultural opportunities for residents and visitors alike.”

Skipton Town Hall will host Part I: Future(s) from April 25 to September 27, while the Mercer Art Gallery will stage Part II: Perception from May 2 to September 6.

In addition, there will be two exhibitions in Scarborough with Scarborough Art Gallery hosting Part III: Intervention and Woodend Gallery home to Part IV: Transformation from May 16 to September 19.

Entry to the exhibition is free at Skipton Town Hall, the Mercer Art Gallery and the Woodend Gallery. While there is a £5 charge for an annual pass for Scarborough Art Gallery, which enables entry to the gallery and the Rotunda Museum. There is free entry for under 18s and registered carers.   

Among those exhibiting will be renowned environmental artist Steve Messam, whose work will feature at the Mercer Art Gallery.

His dramatic sculptural works have appeared in landscapes across the world, including the National Trust’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

Mr Messam said he felt it was important for art to be seen outside of London and other metropolitan areas.

He said:

“It’s an honour to have been invited to show at the Mercer Art Gallery as part of the 20th anniversary exhibitions alongside some truly inspirational artists.

“I don’t get to show my work in galleries very often, and it’s been a challenge to physically fit my work indoors, so I’m excited to see how that works.”

Mr Messam said he was delighted that the exhibitions were spread across the county.

“North Yorkshire is fortunate to have a range of spaces where people can experience quality visual art,” he said.

“As an artist who mostly works outside of traditional gallery spaces, I believe passionately in bringing art to people rather than expecting people to come and see art. The easier you make it for people to see, the more relevant it becomes to everyone.”

Aesthetica Art Prize director and curator, Cherie Federico, said working with venues across North Yorkshire enabled the exhibitions to be presented at a new scale, connecting audiences to a nationally and internationally recognised platform for contemporary art.

She said:

“Bringing together 50 artists, the exhibition reflects what the Art Prize has always championed: art with purpose.

“These works go beyond aesthetics; they engage directly with the most pressing questions of our time. Across the four venues, audiences encounter practices that explore identity, memory and place, alongside global themes such as climate crisis, digital culture, migration and social justice.

“At its core, the Aesthetica Art Prize is about creating meaningful connections – between artists and audiences, and between local contexts and global perspectives.

“This collaboration allows us to open up those dialogues in new ways, inviting audiences to engage critically, reflect deeply and imagine alternative futures.”

Artist Liz West’s work will feature at Scarborough Art Gallery.

She said:

“I am delighted to be exhibiting my work in North Yorkshire again, after a successful solo exhibition at Harrogate’s Mercer Art Gallery and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park last year.

“Since I was shortlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize in 2016 I have received wonderful support from the organisation, this being no exception.

“I will be showing the original artwork that I exhibited a decade ago as part of the Art Prize, Shifting Luminosity. It is a great joy to have this work on display at Scarborough Art Gallery, which will create an immersive and spatial light ‘painting’, saturating the white walls with an array of multi-colours.

“It is a great feat and hugely ambitious to spread the artwork of 50 artists across these venues. I hope it means that people from across Yorkshire are about to enjoy and be inspired by the work.”

Information about museums and galleries in North Yorkshire, including those hosting the Aesthetica Art Prize, can be found by visiting https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/museums-and-galleries.