If you’re after a cultural day out this summer, the Liverpool city region’s galleries are full of exhibitions that invite you to explore, question and reflect. Spanning photography, film, sculpture and contemporary art, these are some of the exhibitions in Liverpool and the city region catching our attention this season.
Steve McQueen: Grenfell, Bluecoat (16 May – 21 June)
Steve McQueen’s film installation Grenfell is showing at The Bluecoat this summer, offering a quiet and powerful reflection on the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy, where 72 people lost their lives. Filmed before the building was covered, the work acts as a lasting record and space for remembrance. It’s free to attend (with timed tickets).
Gender Stories, Walker Art Gallery (16 May – 31 August)
Gender Stories at Walker Art Gallery explores how ideas of gender have shifted across time and cultures through art, objects and personal stories. Featuring work by artists including David Hockney and Grayson Perry, the exhibition looks at how gender intersects with identity, class and sexuality. Running from 16 May to 31 August 2026, it’s a thought-provoking and wide-ranging show.
Listening All Night To The Rain, Walker Art Gallery (16 May – 31 August)
Listening All Night To The Rain by John Akomfrah is on show at Walker Art Gallery, bringing his acclaimed multi-channel film installation from the 2024 Venice Biennale to Liverpool. Blending archival footage, sound and newly shot material, the work reflects on memory, migration and global histories through Akomfrah’s signature cinematic style. Running from 16 May to 31 August 2026, it’s an immersive and quietly powerful experience.
Sahjan Kooner: (darkforest) The Zone of Ghosts, FACT Liverpool (22 May – 16 August)
(darkforest) The Zone of Ghosts by Sahjan Kooner transforms FACT into an immersive speculative world shaped in collaboration with young people from Liverpool and Leigh. Blending gaming, film, installation and storytelling, the exhibition explores technology, identity and imagined futures through a dark forest-inspired setting. As the project evolves throughout the summer, new elements and collaborative works will continue to unfold within the space.
The Garden As Muse, Williamson Art Gallery (30 May – 25 July)
The Garden as Muse explores how gardens have inspired artists across time, from intimate studies to more imaginative, expansive works. Drawing from the gallery’s own collection, the exhibition looks at gardens as places of creativity, reflection and escape. Free to visit, it offers a calm and thoughtful way to experience art and nature side by side.
Absence, St George’s Hall (6 June – 11 July)
Absence, presented by Open Eye Gallery, at St George’s Hall, bringing together over 100 photographs exploring what it means to capture what’s missing, overlooked or no longer there. Curated by Laura Harris and Maike Pötschulat, the exhibition spans deeply personal and global perspectives, from urban change to memory and loss. It runs from 5 June to 11 July 2026.
Selector: Mark Leckey Performances, Tate Liverpool at RIBA (11 – 14 June)
Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Leckey returns to Merseyside for Selector, a three-night programme of performances at Tate Liverpool inspired by his deep connection to music culture and sound systems. Blending live sets, DJing, experimental film and immersive AV, the line-up brings together national names and local talent across genres. Highlights include live soundtracking to Leckey’s archive films, a set from Richie Culver, and an all-dayer of cutting-edge avant-garde music. Running 11–13 June, it’s a rare chance to experience Leckey’s world up close.
Liverpool Art Fair 2026, Royal Liver Building (12 June – 26 July)
Liverpool Art Fair returns to Royal Liver Building for its 12th edition, showcasing work from hundreds of artists across the region. Organised by dot-art, the fair is known for its welcoming, accessible approach, with original artworks starting from as little as £25. It’s a great chance to discover and take home something new while supporting local talent.
ANTIQUITIA by Zahed Taj-Eddin, The Atkinson (13 June – 10 October)
ANTIQUITIA presents sculptural work by Zahed Taj-Eddin, whose pieces draw on his roots in Aleppo to explore memory, myth and collective trauma. Using clay and bronze, his figures—ranging from symbolic animals to powerful female forms—feel both ancient and strikingly contemporary. The exhibition offers a thoughtful reflection on resilience, survival and the traces we leave behind.
Always Something New, The Atkinson (13 June – 17 October)
Always Something New at The Atkinson brings together the work of father-and-son sculptors Brian Fell and George Fell. Spanning four decades, the exhibition highlights their public artworks alongside more personal pieces, offering a glimpse into their shared craft and creative relationship.
Our Freedom: Then and Now, Open Eye Gallery (15 June – 10 July)
Our Freedom: Then and Now arrives at Open Eye Gallery as part of a UK-wide touring exhibition marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War. Bringing together photography from communities across the country, it reflects on what freedom meant in 1945 and how it’s understood today.
Jalsaghar, The Bluecoat (11 July – 6 September)
Jalsaghar is a vibrant solo exhibition by Debjani Banerjee at The Bluecoat, blending film, sculpture and installation to explore identity, heritage and cultural crossover. Inspired by the idea of a ‘music room’, the gallery becomes an immersive, sensory space shaped by stories, sound and symbolism.
To discover more of what’s on from across the Liverpool city region check out our events listings.