The exhibitions you must see this November
From playful performance art to historic paintings, here's our six top exhibitions opening across the UK this month to get you out of the house and into some culture.
The clocks have gone back, the days are getting shorter, and Christmas party season is right around the corner. So if you're anything like us, the temptation to stay home, get cosy and catch up with The Celebrity Traitors feels impossible to overcome. But did you know? Spending time in a gallery is the perfect way to boost your mood and support your wellbeing – it's even backed by science.
From a major contemporary art prize at museums and galleries across Wales, to a celebration of Turner's masterpieces and enduring artistic legacy in Liverpool – check out our guide to the biggest exhibitions opening across the UK this November.
And, if you're looking to save money ahead of all your Christmas shopping, a National Art Pass will make you savings at every venue listed (and hundreds more).
What exhibitions can I see with an Art Pass?
Artes Mundi 11
Discover six international contemporary artists shortlisted for the prestigious Artes Mundi Prize at leading art museums and galleries across Wales. At Chapter, experience works by Sancintya Mohini Simpson, a multidisplinary artist who examines global histories, migration and trauma. Simpson draws on her familial background as a descendant of indentured Indian labourers who worked on colonial sugar plantations in South Africa.
Don't miss the other presentations of Artes Mundi 11 at Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, National Museum Cardiff, Mostyn, and Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Object Journeys
Trace the fascinating journeys of three medieval jugs looted by British soldiers during the fourth Anglo-Asante War in Ghana in the 19th century. Through soldiers' diary entries, dive into the stories behind these historic artefacts and important questions around ownership, interpretation and military collecting. And did you know? National Art Pass holders make exhibitions like these possible. This one has been supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund, which has enabled the York Army Museum to borrow works from the British Museum's collection.
Turner: Always Contemporary
Celebrate 250 years of JMW Turner's birth in this exhibition spotlighting how the iconic Romantic painter has influenced – and continues to influence – generations of artists. From climate change to the role of the artist, Turner's works reflect issues that remain urgent today, while providing audiences with inspiration. See major paintings and drawings by the English painter, alongside works by Monet, Bridget Riley, Ethel Walker, and more artists inspired by him.
Wright of Derby: From the Shadows
Bask in the glow of Joseph Wright of Derby's mesmerising paintings in the National Gallery's first exhibition dedicated to this important British artist. Witness Wright's masterful ability to depict light and shadow, resulting in dramatic and luminous works that have captured audiences for centuries. And encounter scenes of scientific discovery, a subject matter that was not commonly recorded in 18th-century art.
Love & Landscape: Stanley Spencer in Suffolk
Stanley Spencer became one of the most significant 20th-century British artists, blending biblical imagery with everyday scenes to chronicle the war-torn world around him. This exhibition explores new research that unveils Spencer's personal connection to Suffolk during the 20s and 30s. He married his wife, the arist Hilda Carline, in Suffolk and they regularly visited the county, which left a mark on his artistic practice and personal relationships.
Harold Offeh: Mmm Gotta Try a Little Harder, It Could Be Sweet
Taking inspiration from pop culture and cultural trends, Harold Offeh creates playful and provocative performances and video works that challenges contemporary understandings of politics and identity. In the first major solo show of Offeh's work in a UK institution, see a selection of his ambitious works and socially-engaged projects from the last two decades.