London Art Fairs, Exhibitions And Events Not To Miss In Summer 2025

Helping you keep tabs on what's going on in London's art scene this summer- fairs, events, exhibitions, openings and more as curated by the BRUSHWRK team!

For sale on the BRUSHWRK app - "The Caretaker" print, £30

DEATH HOPE LIFE FEAR…

Until Feb 2026

The Gilbert & George Centre

"The Gilbert & George Centre is thrilled to present ‘DEATH HOPE LIFE FEAR…’ an exhibition of 18 pictures by Gilbert & George that span the years 1984 to 1998, an astonishingly prolific period for the artists"

Numbi Fest

28th June 2025

Festival at Whitechapel Gallery

"Embodying the spirit of Hibaaq (Cultures in Bloom), this year’s Numbi Fest invites you into a magical programme spanning live music, dance, poetry, literature, installations, conversation, and more"

Leigh Bowery!

Until 31st August

Tate Modern

"Leigh Bowery’s short but extraordinary life left a distinct, undeniable mark on the art world and beyond.

An artist, performer, model, TV personality, club promoter, fashion designer and musician, Bowery took on many different roles, all the while refusing to be limited by convention.

From his emergence in the nightlife of 1980s London through to his later daring and outrageous performances in galleries, theatres, and the street, Bowery fearlessly forged his own vibrant path. He reimagined clothing and makeup as forms of painting and sculpture, tested the limits of decorum, and celebrated the body as a shape-shifting tool with the power to challenge norms of aesthetics, sexuality and gender.

Embracing performance, club culture and fashion design, Bowery created some of the most iconic images of the 1980s and 90s that continue to resonate, with his influence seen in the work of figures such as Alexander McQueen, Jeffrey Gibson, Anohni, and Lady Gaga.

This eclectic and immersive exhibition is a rare chance to experience many of Bowery’s ‘Looks’ alongside his collaborations with artists including Michael Clark, John Maybury, Baillie Walsh, Fergus Greer, Nick Knight and Lucian Freud"

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival

22nd August - 6th September

"FESTIVAL.ORG is one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts producing organisations. Collaborating with artists and arts organisations around the world to create extraordinary productions, we commission, re-imagine, produce and showcase a growing repertory of work that brings public spaces to life and is engaging and inspiring large, diverse audiences"

RA Schools Show 2025

13th June - 29th June

Royal Academy

"At the heart of the Royal Academy's mission since its foundation, the RA Schools provides a postgraduate programme in contemporary art that is free for all participating students. Each year the RA Schools Show is an opportunity to see bold new forms and ideas that result from three years of intense study"

Summer on the Square

11th - 19th August

Trafalgar Square

"This summer, in partnership with Westminster City Council, the National Gallery will host its biggest ever free festival of immersive art, creativity and community on Trafalgar Square. There is no cost, and no tickets are required"

Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300 ‒1350

Exhibition, until 22nd June 2025

National Portrait Gallery

"Step into Siena. It’s the beginning of the 14th century in central Italy. A golden moment for art, a catalyst of change. Artists Duccio, Simone Martini and the brothers Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti are forging a new way of painting.

They paint with a drama that no one has seen before. Faces show emotion. Bodies move in space. Stories flow across panels in colourful scenes.

We bring to life a vibrant city of artists collaborating, learning and looking. After centuries of separation, we reunite scenes that once formed part of Duccio’s monumental 'Maestà' altarpiece. Panels from Simone Martini’s glittering Orsini polyptych come together for the first time in living memory"

London Design Biennale

5th - 29th June

Somerset House

"London Design Biennale returns to Somerset House from 5-29 June 2025 for its 5th edition, showcasing world-leading design, innovation, creativity and research by exhibitors from across the globe. The three-week international exhibition features curated installations accompanied by a programme of events, thought-leadership talks, performances and workshops"

Eye of the Collector

25th-28th June

The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks

"Eye of the Collector is a unique platform that offers a curated presentation of art and collectible design in dialogue with beautiful architectural surroundings. Founded by Nazy Vassegh, Eye of the Collector comprises of a boutique art event and an accompanying online/social platform"

Cecil Beaton's Garden Party

The Garden Museum

Until 21st September

"Best known for his iconic fashion photography, Cecil Beaton had a bouquet of creative talents: he was also an accomplished costume and set designer for film, theatre and ballet, and a gifted artist. This exhibition is the first to examine the common thread weaving through Beaton’s work: gardens and flowers"

Roshana Rubin Mayhew: Feeling the Blues

Dates: Thu 19 Jun, 24 Jul, 21 Aug 7-7.45pm.

Whitechapel Gallery

"Feeling the Blues is a work in three movements performed over three months by Roshana Rubin Mayhew. In each, a bodyweight of clay is wrestled through a score of 12 wrestling holds. The sounds generated are mixed live during each movement by music producer Wayne Adams.In Movement I, the clay is malleable – held, stretched and body slammed through each hold. For Movement II, the dried bodyweight of clay, hardened and resonant with how it was held, is broken down through the rub and friction of the body. Movement III gathers up the pieces. Through grinding and wetting, the remains return a malleable bodyweight of clay, rocked n rolled into motion. Feeling the Blues investigates how to tune into and creatively hold weight and the weighty. Embracing the indeterminacy of live performance, it taps into and feels-through its rhythms, rubs, and sweet spots"

Tai Shani: The Spell or The Dream

7th August - 14th September 2025

Somerset House

"Bringing together sculpture, radio, live gatherings, a host of guest contributors and archival and historical material, to collectively dream of new horizons, this free, multi-faceted work has been commissioned in celebration of Somerset House’s 25th birthday"

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out our other blog posts including Artist Spotlight interviews and more over on https://www.brushwrk.co.uk/blog and whilst you’re there, why not have a look through all of the fantastic art we have for sale from emerging artists? Pop into the website to see what catches your eye...