Six works of art your support has made possible
From a powerful oil painting to an immersive installation, discover six works of art that you can see over the summer that have been created thanks to your support.
Did you know? In 2024, Art Fund gave £350,000 to museums and galleries across the UK to support the commissioning of new works of art by contemporary artists.
This funding is vital because it supports the development of contemporary artists and enriches museum collections with new works that offer fresh and diverse perspectives on the world around us. These works are then permanently acquired by public collections for us all to enjoy, now and into the future.
And this crucial work would not be possible without the generosity and support of every single person who purchases a National Art Pass, the membership that gives back.
Keep reading to discover six new works of art and exhibitions that you can visit over the summer that the collective power of our members and donors has made possible. Pretty cool, right?
Cuddle a squishy dog at the Bowes Museum
Got to pet every pup that passes by? Contemporary artist Pippa Hale's new exhibition at the Bowes Museum might be just the tonic for you.
In Pet Project, Hale reimagines the museum's collection of ceramic pet figurines as large, squishy sculptures that you can cuddle to your heart's content. In this major new commission supported by Art Fund, visitors can get playful with art before diving deeper into the history of the quaint ceramics that they're inspired by. And it's free to visit with a National Art Pass.
Encounter a monumental outdoor sculpture in Liverpool
Head to the grounds of the John Lennon Art and Design Building in Liverpool to discover Isabel Nolan's striking steel and concrete sculpture commissioned for Liverpool Biennial 2025.
Taking inspiration from stained-glass window designs for two of the city's historic cathedrals – St Nicholas Pro-Cathedral and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral – the bare concrete forms evoke architectural ruin and contrast with the brightly coloured steel rods that echo stained-glass windows.
Dream up a new future at Somerset House
Marvel at The Spell, a monumental new sculpture by Tai Shani at Somerset House.
The work evokes a luminous blue figure sleeping inside a glass box, remiscent of a fairytale character. Subtle movements bring it to life, from the rise and fall of its breathing body to the fluttering of its eyelids, while a newly commissioned soundscape by composer Maxwell Sterling accompanies the installation. Despite warnings of imminent catastrophe, political disaster and environmental collapse, the figure sleeps through the chaos, while dreaming of alternative futures.
Alongside this immersive installation is a 24/7 radio station where artists, musicians and academics have been invited to reimagine a hopeful future. Mark your diaries – this free exhibition in London opens on 8 August.
Experience the power of performance art in Scotland
Witness a groundbreaking performance by Linder – a radical feminist artist who creates punk photomontages and performances that dive into gender, consumer culture and the body.
This summer, Edinburgh Art Festival and Mount Stuart Trust have co-commissioned Linder to create a new performance in collaboration with choreographer Holly Blakey, composer Maxwell Sterling and fashion designer Ashish Gupta. 'A kind of glamour about me' opened at her Art Fund-supported Mount Stuart exhibition in June, and will be performed again in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh on 7 August for Edinburgh Art Festival 2025.
Inspired by Mount Stuart's decorative interiors and mythical woodlands, the performance has been acquired by the historic house for their collection with our support, allowing future visitors to also experience this important work of contemporary performance.
Immerse yourself in digital art in Bradford
New gallery spaces dedicated to photography, film, video and sound have opened at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford. Spread across two floors, the Sound and Vision galleries include a newly commissioned digital work of art supported by Art Fund.
Circus by Nayan Kulkarni is a playful installation of digital mirrors that reflect visitors as they move through the space, highlighting how we are both the subject and creator of modern technologies.
Meet the inspiring women in the surgical profession
To redress the underrepresentation of women in the Surgeons' Hall Museums' collection, the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (RCSEd) commissioned this unique painting by Kirstin Mackinnon to celebrate the women surgeons who have received the Hunter Doig medal, an award for female fellows or members of RCSEd.
Kirstin Mackinnon is a Scotland-based contemporary artist who was a semi-finalist for Sky Arts' Portrait Artist of the Year and her work spotlights gender imbalances in art. See this inspiring oil painting for yourself at the museum's exhibition, A Fair Field and No Favour: The History of Women in Surgery. It's free with a National Art Pass.
