Aesthetica Art Prize 20: Defining the Future of Contemporary – Part I: Future(s)

Aesthetica Art Prize 20: Defining the Future of Contemporary Art marks two decades of pioneering contemporary art, bringing 50 international artists to four galleries across North Yorkshire – Skipton Town Hall, Mercer Art Gallery, Scarborough Art Gallery and Woodend Gallery.

Showcasing painting, photography, sculpture, video, mixed media and immersive installation, the exhibition explores urgent global themes; from the climate crisis and colonial legacies to identity, technology and social inequality.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Prize reflects on its role in launching careers, shaping discourse and amplifying new voices. These exhibitions highlight art as intervention, offering powerful, transformative encounters that challenge perception and imagine new futures for contemporary practice.

Image: May Parlar, Collective Solitude

Everyday except Tuesday’s

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Part II: Perception 
2nd May – 6th September 2026 
Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate
 
Part III: Intervention
16th May – 19th September 2026
Scarborough Art Gallery

Part IV: Transformation
16th May – 19th September 2026
Woodend Gallery, Scarborough