Must-see exhibitions for Black History Month
We've selected some of the best exhibitions to see with an Art Pass during Black History Month.
October is Black History Month, a nationwide celebration of Black culture and history, held annually in recognition of the significant achievements and contributions of Black people to British society.
This year's theme is 'Honouring Our Communities', spotlighting the people whose contributions support and shape British life – from teachers to nurses, community leaders to volunteers. Their commitment represents a long tradition in Black British history, rooted in resilience, mutual support and collective progress.
To help you plan what to see during Black History Month, we've rounded up some incredible exhibitions in London and across the UK, exploring history, culture and identity by some of the most exciting artists working today.
From a celebration of 1990s Black British creativity to a film by a highly acclaimed Black British director, scroll down for our picks – and remember to explore our full exhibition and events listings for more.
Don't forget to pack your National Art Pass to get great benefits at lots of these venues.
Discover some of the best exhibitions this Black History Month
The Music Is Black: A British Story
Don't miss the much-anticipated opening of V&A East Museum in Stratford. Its inaugural exhibition traces 125 years of Black British music and reveals how integral this has been to culture in the UK and beyond. From jazz and reggae to grime and drum and bass – discover early pioneers alongside contemporary ground-breakers. Expect immersive installations, an exhibition soundtrack, fashion, photography, and more.
The 90s: Art and Fashion
A decade of explosive creativity comes into focus through this showcase of 1990s British visual identity, with over 100 photographs, paintings, sculptures and garments on display. Curated by Edward Enninful, Black British culture is at the heart of the narrative. Works by Chris Ofili, Yinka Shonibare, Eddie Otchere, Keith Piper and Maud Sulter are featured alongside Steve McQueen’s early cinema and iconic tailoring by Ozwald Boateng and Joe Casely-Hayford, revealing a generation that redefined the visual language of British culture.
Joy Gregory: Catching Flies with Honey
Joy Gregory’s pioneering practice comes to life across four decades of photography, film, installation and textiles. Gregory’s work has consistently questioned whose stories photography can tell, challenging expectations around Black and feminist art while exploring identity, beauty and belonging. Bringing together more than 150 works, this landmark exhibition reveals the inventive use of historic photographic techniques alongside contemporary media, resulting in striking, deeply human images that explore and celebrate Black histories and lived experience.
Frank Bowling: Seeking the Sublime
Bask in the bold colours of Frank Bowling's paintings. The contemporary British artist has been creating work for almost seven decades and this exhibition offers a survey into Bowling's life and work, from his earlier figurative works made in the 1960s to his recent abstract paintings. From Titian to Turner, dive into the artists that have influenced him and see some of their works in the museum's permanent galleries.
Michaela Yearwood-Dan: The Practice of Liberation
Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s first UK institutional museum exhibition explores what liberation can mean. Through painting, ceramics and sound, Yearwood-Dan draws on the visual language of the Catholic church to examine the intertwined legacies of colonialism and religion, while reflecting on her Black British and Caribbean heritage. Fragments of diaristic and political writing appear across the works at various scales, inviting viewers to consider how personal histories connect to wider struggles for freedom, belonging and collective liberation.
People Watching
Bringing together more than a century of British portraiture, People Watching explores how artists have reimagined the genre through painting, sculpture, photography and drawing. Featured artists include Emma Prempeh, whose Ghanaian and Vincentian heritage informs a practice concerned with memory, identity and impermanence. Prempeh’s richly layered paintings incorporate schlag metal, whose surface changes over time, creating shifting images that reflect on the relationship between personal memory, place and the passage of time.
Grenfell
The first Black director to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, Steve McQueen is a highly acclaimed feature length filmmaker. In this exhibition (opening 24 October) at The Box in Plymouth, this poignant film installation offers a powerful act of remembrance: documenting Grenfell Tower before it was obscured by hoarding, following the devastating 2017 fire. Filmed in a single, uninterrupted shot, the 24-minute work captures the building in stark detail, ensuring its presence cannot be forgotten. As demolition of the tower gets underway and the fight for justice continues, McQueen’s work takes on renewed significance, asking audiences to confront a tragedy that remains deeply present.