Falmouth Art Gallery announces its ambitious and inspiring 2026/27 Exhibition programme
Falmouth Art Gallery, owned and operated by Falmouth Town Council, is pleased to announce its 2026/27 exhibition programme, presenting a thought-provoking series of exhibitions that explore movement, identity, and creative experimentation. Building on its reputation as one of the South West’s leading public galleries, the 2026/27 season highlights the Gallery’s commitment to community engagement, wellbeing, and artistic innovation.
The programme begins with Magic of Movement: Automata and the Memory Cafe (showing now until 9 May 2026), an imaginative and interactive exhibition exploring the power of automata. Drawing on the Gallery’s significant automata collection, the exhibition examines how movement, storytelling, and participation can foster connection and wellbeing, particularly for people living with memory loss. Featuring works by leading automata makers including Fi Henshall, Keith Newstead, Paul Spooner, and Carlos Zapata, alongside paintings from the Gallery’s Collection, the exhibition reflects Falmouth’s unique heritage in mechanical art.
Following this, Mirrors: Reflecting on Identity (23 May – 5 September 2026) offers a timely exploration of identity, self-perception, and self-expression. Bringing together a diverse group of artists—including Sarah Ball, Claude Cahun, Ithell Colquhoun, Naomi Frears, Gluck, Maggi Hambling, Diane Ibbotson, Kirsty Latoya, Marco Livingstone, Ken Nwadiogbu, Grayson Perry, SHARP and Cindy Sherman—the exhibition examines how identity is continuously shaped through self-expression and perception. Across a range of media, the works highlight the push and pull between inner experience and external expectation, inviting visitors to reflect on how identities are constructed, performed, and reimagined, while opening up space to question norms and embrace the fluid, evolving nature of the self.
Later in the year, the Gallery presents Artist Takeover (2 October 2026 – 9 February 2027), an ambitious and open-ended initiative that gives artists and collectives who were selected via an open call process in 2025 the opportunity to transform the Gallery space. The exhibition will feature a cohort of contemporary artists, including Small Acts, Fran Rowse, Resonant Forms Collective, Charlie Duck and Justin Wiggins & Oona Luras—offering opportunities for new commissions and site-specific work that responds directly to the Gallery and its audiences.
Alongside these exhibitions, Falmouth Art Gallery will continue to deliver a vibrant programme of workshops, talks, and community-led activities, ensuring that audiences of all ages can engage with art in accessible and meaningful ways. With free admission and centrally located in the heart of Falmouth, the Gallery remains a welcoming cultural hub for residents and visitors alike.
Donna Westlake, Access and Interpretation Manager, who oversees the Gallery’s exhibition programme, said, “We are delighted to present a programme that reflects the Gallery’s core values of creativity, inclusivity, and community connection. Our Exhibitions allow us to curate some of the incredible works in our collection in new and innovative ways alongside loans from some of the country’s leading galleries and artists. From the playful and engaging world of automata to powerful explorations of identity and opportunities for artists to take the lead, there is something on offer for everyone at Falmouth Art Gallery.”
Falmouth Art Gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 10am – 5pm (4pm until Tuesday 7 April, closed on Bank Holidays). For more information, visit www.falmouthartgallery.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
