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Our programme

Visual arts

A photo of The Japanese House, Architecture and Life after 1945, Installation at Barbican Centre.

Our visual arts programme embraces art, architecture, design, fashion, photography and film. 

Many of our exhibitions explore the interconnections between disciplines, periods and cultures, and aim to imagine the world in new ways. Designers, artists and architects are our collaborators in this process.

We invest in the artists of today and tomorrow; The Curve gallery is one of the few galleries in London devoted to the commissioning of new work. Through our activities we aim to inspire more people to discover and love the arts. Entrance to The Curve is free. Through Young Barbican we offer £5 tickets to 14-25 year olds for our paid exhibitions, children under 12 are free.

Our exhibitions are complemented by comprehensively researched catalogues and a full range of public events. We develop engaging online content for audiences and offer special tours for schools. In partnership with renowned museums and art galleries, many of our exhibitions travel to reach both national and international audiences.

Exhibition Archive

Archive photo of man looking at art in the Barbican Art Gallery

Browse previous exhibitions

Since the Barbican Art Gallery opened in March 1982, our visual arts programme has embraced art, architecture, design, fashion, photography and film. The Art Gallery Archive allows you to look back through the decades to discover past exhibitions and learn more about our programme and its legacy beyond the Barbican.

Browse archive

Exhibition catalogues

Browse more catalogues

Touring

In partnership with renowned museums and art galleries, many of our exhibitions travel to reach both national and international audiences.

Our current and forthcoming programme includes:

Toyin Ojih Odutola: A Countervailing Theory
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington: 19 November 2021 – 3 April 2022

Michael Clark: Cosmic Dancer
V&A Dundee: 5 Mar – 4 Sep 2022

Noguchi
Museum Ludwig, Cologne: 26 Mar 2022 – 31 Jul 2022 
Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern: 23 Sep 2022 – 8 Jan 2023 
Lille Metropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art: 17 Mar 2023 – 2 Jul 2023 

For more information about our future programme and opportunities to collaborate please contact [email protected]

Visit our Gallery for free

Members enjoy free entry to all our exhibitions, so they can visit as many times as they like. Plus, get discounts and offers around the Centre.
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Immunity from Seizure Part 6 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 provides immunity from seizure for cultural objects which are loaned from overseas to temporary public exhibitions in approved museums or galleries in the UK where conditions are met when the object enters the UK.

The conditions are:

  • the object is usually kept outside the UK
  • the object is not owned by a person who is resident in UK
  • the import of the object does not contravene any law
  • the object is brought into UK for purpose of a temporary public exhibition at an approved museum or gallery
  • the museum or gallery has published information about the object

For further information, please refer directly to the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 or the DCMS website.

Noguchi list of protected items 

Postwar Modern: New Art in Britain 1945–1965 list of protected items